The Irish Environmental Network (IEN) wraps up National Biodiversity Week 2022 on Sunday, following the hosting of more than 130 events nationwide.
Tomorrow, at 2pm, enthusiasts can join a free sustainable forestry walk at The Organic Centre. Tree surgeon Thomas Maguire will explore sustainable woodland management as he guides visitors on a walk on the woodland of the Centre.
The full programme, available on biodiversityweek.ie, is funded by the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS). Activities celebrate the island’s natural landscapes, and highlight their vulnerability. At the programme launch, Minister for Heritage Malcolm Noonan said it was “a great opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds to get out into nature and learn how to make space for it in our own communities”.
IEN chief operating officer Justin Byrne added: “After two years of a pandemic, we have seen our relationship with nature shift. We have observed first-hand how healing and essential time in nature is to us all. From the beauty of spotting wildflowers on a walk to the joy of observing a bird in your backyard, the diversity of our flora and fauna keeps our eyes, mind and hearts open and full of wonder.
“Building a stronger knowledge of and cultivating an appreciation for our biodiversity is something everyone can benefit from. But it is essential that this pleasure should not be taken for granted. We have a lot to be grateful for within our natural environment and this gratitude should propel action to help preserve and sustain these ecosystems, which sustain our very lives as we know them,” he added.
What’s more, Noonan launched Legacy4LIFE, a EUR 500 000 programme developed by An Taisce and funded by EULIFE – the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. Legacy4LIFE focuses on pond biodiversity, advancing “farm to fork”, and green communities.