I’m delighted to be a volunteer on the committee for a new project that is celebrating County Carlow’s last remaining raised bog – Drummin Bog, near St Mullins.

It’s a great committee to be involved with and my artist colleague Jules Michaels has organised this art event fundraiser to engage the local community, many who don’t know that Carlow has a raised bog. I’ve enjoyed creating the website and online slideshow for this project and also in thinking about the power of bring art strategies to environmental projects.

As alongside the environmental studies, education, local history and access plans being organised for the bog, artistic strategies are being employed to engage the local community and visitors to the area.

From the project website:

“Funding is currently being sought to commission a suite of baseline scientific surveys and maps of the bog which will better inform and plan the future restoration of the site to active peat-forming capacity. This baseline data will initially include topographical, hydrogeological, geological and ecological. This will assist in monitoring the success of restoration measures undertaken.

Artistic strategies will also be employed alongside science activities to engage the hearts and minds of the local community to celebrate this unique natural heritage feature of South Carlow. Recording local cultural and folk histories of people who have long interacted with bog will be important. Artistic strategies to highlight the beauty and understanding of this unique natural heritage area are also planned to engage both the local community and visitors.

Overall, these science and art activities will develop the overall site at Drummin bog as a important South Carlow conservation, educational and amenity area for the local community and beyond.”

Enjoy the artworks and please do come and support the event on Sat 2 Dec at VISUAL Carlow if you are in the area.

See more at http://drumminbogproject.wordpress.com