Environmental policy for Wild Kitchen Introduction Wildkitchen is primarily a family home with an organic garden/tunnel, small coppice area, shelter belt of native Irish trees for food for wildlife and an embryonic forest garden, that we are developing for use as an educational project. As a trained organic horticulture tutor, studying countryside management and sustainable development, I have a deep respect for the natural world and care passionately for the environment.We grow a lot of our own food, and supply a local market stall and health food shop with salad crops, herbs, wheatgrass and homemade produce using only organic methods of production.We live work and play with an emphasis on a low carbon, sustainable way of life. We are close to the sea, and I use my horticultural knowledge to guide Wild Food Walks, on land and on the seashore, and care of these precious resources is at the heart of my work. We as a family and small eco-tourism business strive to minimize our impact on the environment, and monitor these impacts with a view to continual improvement.
The original cottage was extended and modernized using principles of passive solar design. Solar panels for hot water, 6� insulation in wall cavity and 150mm sheep wool. We have a wood burning stove, and are harvesting our first cutting of Biomass willow this Spring, grown on an acre of borrowed marginal boggy land with the hope of being fuel sufficient in the coming years. We feel privileged to live in such a beautiful part of the world, 5 mins. from the Wild Atlantic Way, and our aim is enjoy what’s on our doorsteps to the fullest, while keeping to a minimum, any adverse impact on our environment as a result of our activities. The region we live and work in, is known as the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark, and I was delighted to avail of the invaluable training in sustainable tourism under the Geoparklife programme this Autumn/Winter. As a new member we are committed to adapting the Geopark Sustainable Code of Practice into our work, and beyond, by promoting what we do, with our neighbours, friends, families, staff and customers.
The Burren Code of Practice and Wild Kitchen.
As I work from home when not guiding walks, and intend to eventually use it as a place to bring walkers for cookery, workshops and tastings, my energy uses and green purchasing policies are tied in with my home life, and I’m taking all this into consideration now and for the future as a commitment to respecting the Geopark Sustainable Code of Practice for Tourism. • Water Use We are on the public water supply and enjoy water heated by the sun for all our hot water needs, though it is supplemented from the oil burner when the days are dark. We closely check for taps left on, and involve all the family in the importance of water conservation. We have an aerator on the kitchen tap, and eco shower head, and recycle water when possible for watering plants and the garden. We collect some rain water in barrels covered with mesh (for safety) though feel we could do a lot more in this area as we use a lot of water for the polytunnel in the growing season. •
Energy When building the extension I designed it around the principles of passive solar, with large double glazed windows to the south, and small ones to the north. We used heavy gauge insulation and sheep wool, where possible. We have found that this significantly reduces our energy costs, and don’t use any oil heating from February to November. Having solar heated water is a huge bonus and I availed of the S.E.I grant for installing the 60 tubes I have. As part of an initiative from Transition Towns Ennistymon of which I am a member, I facilitated a workshop in the Spring of 2010, to plant, grow and harvest biomass willow for fuel logs. These will be ready this Spring and we look forward to rotating the acre and having a continuous supply of our own carbon neutral fuel into the future. We use this project for educating others about Biomass willow. We also planted a coppice area of Ash, Willow and Hazel for use in weaving, fencing, tool handles, bows and arrows, walking sticks and kindling. We have replaced some of the light bulbs with energy efficient ones and continue to make improvements in this area. We are very mindful of using electricity and are lucky with the big south facing windows,that allow for minimum use of artificial light. We are signed to Airtricity and believe they use the most renewable energy.
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Waste
We recycle as much as we possibly can, and actively encourage recycling in our daily routine. As we have little land fill we share a refuse collection with a neighbour, which keeps costs low for both of us. We have a 3 bay composting area and see it as the heart of the garden, and use it to recycle all our uncooked food waste, grass clippings, weeds and dead foliage. We collect leaves in the Autumn and make leaf mold, comfrey mold and worm compost, this is used to address fertility in our garden/tunnel. We are working on a improving our recycling area for bottles and cans, and are hoping to make a proper area for this with recycled wood. We intend to get hens again, and to use the small amount of food waste we have to supplement their diet. As 2014 has been designated European Year against Food Waste, it is a good opportunity to promote and encourage this initiative as part of my waste management policy. Check www.eu-fusions.org and www.stopfoodwaste.ie •
Green Purchasing As a founding member of the Ennistymon Farmers Market, I promote the whole ‘’Think global/shop local’’ ethos, and see it as a focal point for the community. We try and grow as much of our own food as possible and sell our surplus locally. I make my own bread that I use for picnics on my walks, and I try to buy as much as I can, as locally as possible. I save a lot of my own vegetable seeds and swop them with other growers and gardeners. I also use a simple bartering system, exchanging my gardening classes, for music lessons, art, and homeopathy. It’s great. I do buy from a supermarket, but support local, fair-trade, organic and Irish whenever possible, and try to keep packaging to a minimum, using cardboard boxes that can be reused, composted, or used as mulch on garden beds. I try to support local new start up businesses; I use lovely recycled bags and aprons from www.Marthaserens.com a local entrepreneur.
How we incorporate the Code of Practice into our walks. • Information and Interpretation “With an emphasis on enriching personal experience and environmental awareness through interpretation, ecotourism promotes greater understanding and appreciation for nature, local society, and culture.” The international Ecotourism Society. The lines above say it all really, and I see interpretation of the whole experience I offer on my walks as the core of my business. One of my greatest pleasures is to share the
knowledge I have learned from studying my subject for many years. Blessed with the call of the wild, I immerse myself in it as often as I can, sometimes to just watch and listen, take photographs and mental notes of the forever changing landscape I live in. In keeping with ecotourism principles, I endeavor to promote what I do, In the most sustainable way, i.e. -keeping group numbers small, 10 to 14 max. -by communicating with walkers about local areas of historical interest and special conservation. One of our designated walks has an archeological site, turlough and holy well all in the same small area. -by pointing out and identifying plants flowers, and seaweeds, noting any that should not be eaten and that are endangered. Teaching walkers how to sustainably forage, while having fun and interacting with nature. -Using good plant books and identification cards and keys to inform and encourage walkers to learn a new sustainable skill. -As a partner of www.Leavenotraceireland.org I convey their message of how to be responsible in the countryside and encourage walkers to use and share this knowledge with others. I am currently putting together a training manual on all aspects of my business for staff use, to equip themselves with the information they need to relate to visitors/customers about the natural and cultural heritage of the region. I also guide walks for Trafalgar Tour Company which is a part of a joint initiative with The TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation established by The Travel Corporation to encourage sustainable tourism within their own family of brands and in the places they visit. www.treadright.org
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Leave No Trace
As a partner of Leave No Trace, we actively encourage responsible use of the outdoors and are aware of concerns regarding removal of plants and vegetation from the wild. To this regard we have adapted best practice advice from www.UrbanOutdoorSkills.com. Which addresses the issue around sustainable foraging, that we communicate with our walkers as follows. DO leave at least a third of the blossom, flowers, berries, seed heads, nuts, leaves, seashore vegetables and seaweeds on the plant and cut, don’t pull. DON’T break branches to make gathering easier.
DON’T pick or bring home fungi that are over mature. DON’T venture into private land without permission. DON’T pick plants in conservation areas where there is a Department of Environment notice that states you should not do so. DO take care where you park your car. Don’t block farm gates. DO close all farm gates after you. DO bring all your litter home. DON’T dig up wild plants •
Contribution to Conservation Planting Biomass Willow, native trees, and a wildlife hedge to encourage biodiversity. Making a Bug Hotel in the garden with my young children Member of BurrenBeo since, Nov.2013. and guided two walks with them over the Summer of 2013. Member of Slow Food Clare since April 2013 and have travelled to Turin twice to the Terre Madre slow food convention. Actively involved with Transition Towns Ennistymon, where I hosted wild food events, and a willow for fuel workshop. Attended a four day course on Forest Gardening with Kes Clarke, from the C.E.L.T, centre in east Clare, which led me to plant a small forest garden for produce and as an education project at home. Run organic gardening classes from home. Actively involved in gardening with my local Gaelscoil, and planning a living willow structure for the garden. Helping out with a local group who have just opened a community garden and are working on a larger conservation project, I hope to be involved in. Helped in the big clean up in Liscannor recently, after the storm. Planted apple trees with Ennistymon Tidy Towns.
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Co-operation with others
As a member of the Burren Ecotourism Network it helps to cooperate and communicate with other businesses in the network. I do this through networking, linking to websites and word of mouth. I have made many new friends and am proud to be part of the Burren Ecotourism Network, through which I can promote my sustainable efforts in the region, hopefully ensuring economic, social and environmental benefits for the local community, visitors to it, and the region itself.
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Sustainable Travel From attending many bike fixing workshops locally, facilitated by An Taisce, I have opened my eyes to the great experience enjoyed by using a bike, and see it as a viable and alternative, sustainable, healthy way to get about. So I am actively encouraging visitors and customers to cycle to our meeting points and or wildkitchen, and to offer a discount/reward and clothes drying facilities (if needed) I promote the new cycle way from Ennistymon to Lahinch, and promote any sustainable travel initiatives locally, www.e_whizz.com in Kilfenora and the bike hire places in Lahinch such as www.lahinchadventures.com and beyond. I will have sustainable travel information on my website and a link to www.burrenecotourism.com/getting-here info. With details of how to down load the Burren and Cliffs Of Moher Geopark App.
Sustainable Travel, It’s the way to go….
© Oonagh O’Dwyer @ www.Wildkitchen.ie