Ireland’s nature and wildlife will take centre stage for National Biodiversity Week 2024 from Friday, May 17 to Sunday, May 26, with over 200 events scheduled across the country.
The annual 10-day celebration of nature and wildlife offers a variety of free events and activities organised by the Irish Environmental Network and is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
The farm events from members will be hosted by: Talamh Beo; OURganic gardens, Donegal; Gorse farm, Co Wexford; Meredith’s farm, Co Laois; Leaf and Root farm, Co Galway; Crawfords’ farm, Co. Tipperary; Tommy Earley’s farm, Co Roscommon; Conan Connolly’s farm, Co Monaghan; Robin’s Glen farm, Co Kilkenny; Holy Well in Dromard farm walk and Manna organic farm.
Events scheduled in the organic centre, Leitrim, will include: an agroforestry workshop; hawthorn and fireblight in Ireland’s hedgerows, and introduction to bee keeping.
Irish Seed Savers’ events will include an orchard biodiversity tour and a tour of heritage seed gardens.
Hedgelayers’ events scheduled include: two hedge walks in Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Saturday, May 18; a hedge walk in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford on Friday May 24; Steve Bass’s hedge walk on a farm in Co. Sligo; and hedge walks in Skerries and Ranelagh, Dublin, and Louth.
Streamscapes events will feature politics, farming and biodiversity. A candidate forum will be hosted on biodiversity topics, bringing together community members to engage with their local elected officials.
There will also be an online talk with Birdwatch Ireland on ‘barn owls and nest box habitat selection’ on Tuesday, May 21.