Training Centre Feature: Tanagh Outdoor Education and Training Centre

Training Centre Feature: Tanagh Outdoor Education and Training Centre

Today’s Accredited Training Centre Feature shines the spotlight on Tanagh Outdoor Education and  Training Centre and Leave No Trace Advanced Trainer, Andrew McCaul.
Tanagh Outdoor Education and Training Centre is located Tanagh Outdoor Education and Training Centre is located  between Rockcorry Village  in County Monaghan and Cootehill in County Cavan. It has been offering Leave No Trace Courses since 2008.  The centre has a strong environment ethic, with Leave No Trace Principals integrated into all of their outdoor programmes.
Andrew McCaul one of Leave No Trace’s Advanced Trainers has been working there since 2007.  He says that one of his favourite elements of teaching Leave No Trace is the connection to biodiversity and the natural world.
He said:  “To me, the seven Principles are a toolkit for protecting the environment, covering all the bases. However, before we dive into using these tools and finding the best ways to leave no trace, we need to reconnect with why we do it.”
“We need to connect with the wonder of wild nature, our place in it, and our ownership and responsibility for its continued existence”.
Empowering people to reflect on positive and negative experience in the natural environment is key to teaching people how to care for and respect recreational spaces in Ireland.  Andrew believes that the “101 Ways to Leave No Trace” includes an excellent activity called “Discover Ireland,” which perfectly illustrates this concept.
“It helps renew our care and ownership of our shared environment and brings awareness to the threats and challenges – but to really connect, it’s good to have a live encounter with wildlife.” he added.
One of the practical activities offered at Tanagh is the opportunity for participants to check in with the ecological health of the local natural habitat with a few nets and trays.
Andrew said: “Participants sweep Tanagh’s pond with our pond nets and use sweep nets through our wildflower meadow. The greater the abundance and diversity the better the ecological health. Highlighting this abundance and variety of life that surrounds us is a great way for our participants to check in and reconnect with nature.
When it comes to teaching, Andrew enjoys both working on the waterways and in the 2000 acre Dartrey Forest adjacent to the centre.
He said: “It makes teaching Leave No Trace effortless when there are such obvious and real examples to teach all of the principals.
When not working he enjoys all aspects of nature and observation of what’s around him, particularly the phone app birdNET/Merlin which identifies bird song. bird song.
Tanagh Training Centre