Fuchsia Excellence Awards

Excellence in Environmental Practice

For demonstrating superior practice in contributing to environmental management.

Sponsored by Cork County Council

Winner:

Ummera Smoked Products Ltd, Timoleague

The company has introduced management systems to ensure maximum care of the environment in all its production and marketing operations. The production premise is of timber frame construction to ensure maximum energy efficiency and blends sympathetically in a sylvan setting. The company actively supports environmentally positive initiatives in conservation and maintenance of wild fish stocks and has recently received organic certification, uses vermiculture composting for all solid organic waste and treats all liquid waste via a constructed wetland system.

Jim Buckley, Cork County Council, Anthony Creswell, Ummera & Minister Joe Walsh

Other Nominees:

Fastnet Mussels Ltd, Bantry

The company is organically certified by Naturland, Germany and plans accreditation for the environmental standard ISO 140001. Wastewater is treated by Biodisc prior to release in the sea under monitoring by Cork County Council. Shell waste is sold to the UK for use in the manufacture of filters.

The Meadow, Glandore

Recipients of three previous environmental awards, this caravan and camping facility is a family run enterprise in a garden setting comprising one acre. As befits its name the caravan and camping site maintains the highest standards of landscape and site development and is well sheltered by native trees, shrubs and flowers. Its tranquil setting is much appreciated by visitors as evidenced by the recommendations in the “Alan Roger’s Good Camping Guide”, “Guide de Routard” and the “Caravan and Camping Club of Great Britain”.

West Cork Model Railway Village, Clonakilty

Belying its humble origins as the former site of Clonakilty town dump, this impressive and popular visitor facility highlights the many of the unique aspects of West Cork’s built environment. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of the region’s towns and villages over the course of the last century. The unique built heritage, vernacular forms, customs and traditions of West Cork are faithfully recreated and presented in an imaginative context. The facility is sympathetic to both its location and historical context with careful landscaping and the widespread re-use of railway materials and artefacts.

Heron Quality Foods, Bandon

Heron Quality Foods Ltd. demonstrates consist awareness of environmental practices in their family run bakery near Bandon. All rubbish is compacted, cardboard is baled and returned bread is given to local farmers for animal feed. The bakery uses wind generated electricity from Air-tricity and most of the outers, plastic boxes etc. are recycled with the plant or outside as requested. Recently the company has launched a range of organic breads and baked goods and all ingredients used in the bakery are GM free. The company has also introduced an initiative to reduce the use of plastic bags by selling bio-degradable canvas ‘Jute’ bags to its customers.