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Showing posts from June 16, 2013

Shinrin Yoku, Forest Bathing, in Ireland.

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A Walk In The Woods, followed by a Picnic, I find is the most fun way to spend a Saturday or Sunday, or both. Add to that, several research reports published since 1980 have revealed health benefits beyond what anyone would expect. Reports after reports reveal testimonials speaking about reduced blood pressure, reduced heart rate, reduced stress, reduced anxiety, reduced depression, reduced anger, and blessed clarity that releases emotional confusion ... all from being in the woods awhile Writers express joy of inspiration after writer's block. Inventors become excited by visioning solutions to problems they have been working with. People with very serious ailments have reported hallelujah relief and reductions of symptoms. Even myself, a stroke victim with severe paralysis discovered that after repeated time in the forests all of my physical and mental functions returned. The Japanese have set up a weekend walking in the woods tradition as Shinrin Yoku, the Korea

Sale Of Forestry Harvesting Rights Abandoned ... or are they?

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This afternoon there was jubilation around the country among the 1000s of people who have been re-entering the wonderful joy of walking in Ireland's forests lately. A government statement ... "…at its meeting today, the Government decided that now is not the appropriate time to proceed with the sale of harvesting rights in Coillte and that the current focus must be on the restructuring of Coillte, overseen by NewERA and the relevant stakeholder Departments." I'll provide a link to the whole thing at the end of this. My response? Be careful, I see this re-structuring as a potential back door to obtaining a stronger legal stance to sell off harvesting rights, invite international supersize wind farm companies to come in and replace the forests, and let the Fracking companies come in and have a go too. On the upside this is also an 18 months opportunity  to build our forest passion , and renew a ancient forest culture for the present. We need to ke