Over the last three years Monaghan County Council in partnership with a number of local Tidy Towns committees has organised an ECO Summer Camp during the month of July. Monaghan County Council organises workshops and field trips whilst the Tidy Towns organises the venue, the participants who are aged between 7-13 and the supervisory staff. The summer camp lasts 2 hours a day for a week.
The expected outcomes are that the participants will have a greater respect for their local environment and appreciate the work undertaken by the Tidy Towns.
Examples of the workshops undertaken are:
• Making musical instruments from waste.
• Arts and craft from waste.
• Nature walks to local scenic areas.
• Field trip to local stream with fisheries board.
• Design a poster for Tidy Towns.
• Science and energy workshop.
• Leave no Trace workshops.
This project is very popular with the Tidy Towns as it allows them to engage and build relationships with a young audience in a fun yet educational way. Whilst the focus on the summer camp is waste prevention other issues of relevance to Tidy Towns such as litter, climate change, heritage and biodiversity are also brought up during the week.
For more information contact:
Nial O’Connor, Environment Section, Monaghan County Council, MTEK 11, Armagh Rd, Monaghan.
tel: 047 30556 or 0872283466.
email: noconnor@monaghancoco.ie