Accessing the solar website:

Wilderland has two websites, one always-on, higher resolution website that is heavier to run, and one experimental, situated site, that is solar powered, and in the Nephin Park

The solar site might not always be on or available, it also has other quirks, and will be slower. Adjust your expectactions for this Permacomputing + Small Web alternative.
project

Flower Féilire

Collaborative public art & biodiversity project


Flower Féilire is a year-long plant gathering and collaborative cyanotype* project led by artists Clare Breen and Kasia Kaminska.

Communities who live around Wild Nephin National Park are invited to learn about the native plant life in the park and its environs and work together to create a collaborative public artwork. Participants are encouraged to gather native flowers and plants throughout the year during plant walks and to press them in community presses. The project community groups will come together for seasonal gatherings to use these pressed flowers and plants to make cyanotypes, that will collectively become the final artwork. This large cyanotype will take the form of a calendar, recording a year of indigenous plants in the region.

* Cyanotype, sometimes known as a sun-print, is one of the oldest photographic processes. An image is made when an object, for example a plant, is laid on a background painted with a photosensitive solution. This is then placed in the sunshine. The area covered by the plant stays white, as it is protected from the sun, while the other areas turn a rich, beautiful blue.

with:

  • Kasia Kaminska
  • Clare Breen

    • community flower presses

    Flower Féilire is setting up flower presses in community locations around Wild Nephin... ETC ETC #### How to use the community flower press * To begin using the flower press, place a piece of cardboard on top of the bottom sheet fo wood, followed by a piece of paper. * Lay your flowers on top of the paper in a single layer. Make sure you do not overlap any of the flower petals otherwise they will stick together. * Place a second sheet of paper on top of the flowers, followed by another piece of cardboard. * To press, place another piece of wood on top and weigh down with heavy stones. * Add additional layers as needed by carefully removing the stones and the top sheet of wood, and continue layering with cardboard - paper - flowers - paper - cardboard. * Keep your press in a warm, well-ventilated place to avoid any mould development. #### Tips for pressing flowers * Harvest your flowers right before you’re ready to press them to minimise wilting, and make sure you flowers are free of moisture before you add them to your press to prevent moulding.  * A good time to collect blooms is late morning, after morning dew has dried. Pat them dry before they go into the press, try to have them as dry as possible. * Some flowers work better than others. Smaller, flatter flowers like pansies and violets are quick and easy to press, while thicker flowers like roses and marigolds will take longer and may benefit from changing out the paper every couple of days. * The process for pressing flowers can take anywhere form 2-4 weeks depending on the size and thickness of your flowers. \ If you would like to make a simple flower press at home you can find our [instructions here](https://wilderland.materialsmatter.ie/admin/#/collections/custom_pages/entries/simple-flower-press).

    gatherings & biodiversity walks

    The Flower Féilire project is hosting a series of gatherings and plant walks over the coming year. These follow the The Celtic Calendar and will coincide with the four cross quarter fire festivals - Imbolc, Bealtaine, Lúnasa and Samhain - the Spring and Autumn Equinoxes and the Winter and Summer Solstices.  Each biodiversity walk focuses on the different native plant life and habitats found in Wild Nephin National Park and surrounding areas. Participants can learn about native and invasive species, conservation measures and how to help increase biodiversity where we live. The Flower Féilire gatherings are social events that bring fellow participants together to meet and chat, share seasonal homemade and foraged food, and to create the next stage in the collaborate artwork. You can find some sample wild food recipes in the Flower Féilire [recipes page.](https://wilderland.materialsmatter.ie/admin/#/collections/custom_pages/entries/flower-f%C3%A9ilire-recipes) See Flower Féilire’s related events or join our mailing list to keep up to date on the next events.

    foraging guide

    > #### The Honourable Harvest > > *Ask permission of the ones who lives you seek.*\ > *Abide by the answer.*\ > *Never take the first. Never take the last.*\ > *Harvest in a way that minimises harm.*\ > *Take only what you need and leave some for others.*\ > *Use everything that you take.*\ > *Take only that which is given to you.*\ > *Share it, as the Earth has shared with you.*\ > *Be grateful.*\ > *Reciprocate the gift.*\ > *Sustain the ones who sustain you, and the Earth will last forever.* > > \- Robin Wall Kimmerer Foraging is fun but carries responsibilities. Follow the below guides to forage safely and sustainably, minimising your impact on the environment and guaranteeing the health of your local plant populations for future generations. * Forage mindfully and minimise damage. * Only collect flowers, leave, fruits and seeds where they are in abundance. * Pick in moderation and with care, and take no more than you need. * Make sure there is enough for wildlife to survive and to ensure plants can regenerate and reproduce. * Do not dig up the roots of plants. * Never consume a wild plant or fungus unless you are certain of its identification. It could be rare and protected, poisonous or polluted. Use field guides to identify them, and if in doubt leave it in the ground. * Always wash any foraged foods you plan to eat. * Always seek permission before setting off if foraging on private land. * Ask the plants for permission and give them thanks too!

    project images

    project events
    Cyanotype Workshop
    Flower & Seed Collecting Walk
    Wildflower Seed Workshop
    Eco Photography Workshop
    Cyanotype Workshop
    Winter Solstice Plant Walk: Coastal Habitat
    Imbolc Plant Walk: Invasive Species
    Cyanotype Workshop
    Spring Equinox Gathering & Workshop
    Spring Equinox Plant Walk: Woodland