We'd love to see you visit Clara Bog with us on Saturday 4th February. The walk and talk will be led by two peatland hydrology/ecology experts - Jim Ryan (ex NPWS) and Paul Johnston (Trinity College).

Meet at the car park at the beginning of the boardwalk in the centre of Clara Bog (53.323224, -7.62642).

The walk will take 2-3 hours depending on the weather and you should dress appropriately for conditions! Most of the walk will be on the boardwalk but if feasible we may venture off it and if we do you should wear suitable waterproof footwear!

Clara Bog is a relatively intact raised bog and a premier international wetland site under the Ramsar convention. It has been the subject of extensive research on the role of bogs in carbon storage to help mitigate climate change and the visit will attempt to explain the hydrology, ecology and the outcomes of the research on its carbon balance. While there remains areas of good high bog, peat-cutting has impacted on its long-term conservation.

If you cannot find us on the day, contact 087 9972156

We would love you to explore Lough Boora Discovery Park with us!

The guided walk will be a loop within Lough Boora Discovery Park. We will walk, talk and look at wetland development on Bord na Móna cutaway peatlands. There is generally some nice bird species in the area with the possibility of Little Egret, Mallard, Teal, Snipe and even the spectacular Hen Harrier!

The Bord na Móna Ecology Team will be guide the walk which will on paved tracks – walking boots or shoes should be sufficient. The ground vegetation in some areas may be wet but we will avoid soft ground. Dress for the weather. The walk will take approximately 2 hours.

Meet at the northern end of Boora Lake, at the former railway crossing. Car parking is available at the adjacent Lough Boora Discovery Park car park. https://goo.gl/maps/6cCFAi32BE4m8gDB7

If you cannot find you way on the day, contact us on 087 7530718

Explore some of Mayo's rich bogs! This trip will be led by NPWS District Conservation Officer Irene O'Brien who works on the Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE project (www.wildatlanticnature.ie)

The trip will explore Claggan Mountain coastal trail, 8km south of the Ballycroy Visitor Centre on the N59.
The guided walk will be on a boardwalk through Atlantic Blanket Bog in the Wild Nephin National Park. There are stunning views of Bellacragher Bay and Achill Island, and the Nephin Mountains. We will take a close look at the Atlantic Blanket bog habitat and discuss the local wildlife, blanket bog restoration and the threats facing these important wetland habitats.

The walk is gentle and mainly on boardwalk but warm clothing and wet gear is required as are good sturdy footwear. It should take no longer than 2 hours.
Anymore information on the trail is described on our website

There is sign-posted Car Park. https://goo.gl/maps/mxJF741vs8i7ToaW6

Contact number if you cannot the meeting point: 087 2472262

Harper’s Island Wetlands nature reserve is situated in the Glounthaune Estuary/Slatty Water complex, in the northern section of Cork Harbour. Over 125 species of bird have been seen on the nature reserve. The wetlands are an extremely important safe feeding and roosting refuge for many species of wintering waterbirds. Nearly half of the Cork Harbour Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit population roost on the island on spring high tides. At times, during the spring months, peak Black-tailed Godwit counts can exceed 2,000 birds representing over 4% of the global population. The Glounthaune Estuary/Slatty Water complex also supports populations of national importance of Shelduck, Teal, Little Grebe, Golden Plover, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank and Black-headed Gull with Harper’s Island supporting significant components of these populations.

Meet in the car park at the entrance; - link: https://goo.gl/maps/1F2JGGiGuDtcyVk8A. The trip will be led by the local wetland's experts.

Wellington boots are not essential, though we would recommend sensible walking shoes and dressing appropriately according to the weather. The outing will be on a limestone chip nature trail with two viewing hides.

If the weather is bad we will meet in the first viewing hide on the nature trail, the Borrow Dyke Hide. Bring binoculars if you have them.
This event is open to all. Dogs are not allowed on the nature reserve and minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Check out our website www.harpersislandwetlands.ie for more information on Harper's Island Wetlands, what to expect and how to get there.

If you need to contact the team please do so via Facebook www.facebook.com/harpersislandwetland/

We'd love to see you there sharing the site and sights with us!

This Heritage Week is celebrating the full return of in-person events as well as continuing with digital heritage projects which have attracted so many new people to National Heritage Week over the last two years. The Heritage Council invites individuals, communities and organisations to develop Heritage Week in-person events and / or digital projects. The overarching theme for National Heritage Week 2022 is sustainability and organisers are asked to consider sustainable heritage in all its forms. Organisers are also invited to explore biodiversity through events and / or projects. Many exciting and interesting events running during Heritage Week are already listed HERE.

ACT NOW FOR NATURE

Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture - Advances in Technology, Stock Assessment and Citizen Science in an Era of Climate Change

The 2022 EIFAAC Symposium will be hosted by Inland Fisheries Ireland and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.  The Symposium will be held in Randles Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry.

A call to take action for wetlands is the focus of this years’ campaign. It's an appeal to invest financial, human and political capital to save the world’s wetlands from disappearing and to restore those we have degraded.