With Ireland’s nature and wildlife taking centre stage from 16-25 May for National Biodiversity Week, Meath County Council, with funding from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, is showing their support by organising a total of 14 free events across the county showcasing the wildlife that can be found in our coastal, riverine, woodland, farmland, wetland and urban environments.

The events will be held in conjunction with a number of partners, including the Balrath Woods Preservation Group, Tree Council of Ireland, Sonairte Eco-Centre, Inland Fisheries Ireland and Bat Conservation Ireland.

Guided nature walks and field trips will introduce participants to bats, birds, butterflies and bogs among others, while an online webinar will provide some tips on how to support local pollinators.

Celebrating National Biodiversity Week at home is encouraged through special events like the Biodiversity Scavenger Hunt, a self-guided activity to discover wildlife in gardens or nearby in a local park. While library-goers can also take part in a countywide ‘Big Biodiversity Quiz!’ which runs over the course of National Biodiversity Week in all Meath County Council libraries. One lucky participant from each of the county’s 15 libraries will be in with a chance to win a prize giveaway.

Welcoming the launch of National Biodiversity Week, Ben Malone, Biodiversity Officer in Meath County Council, said: “Engaging and connecting with nature in an enjoyable and interactive way is a great first step in learning more about your local environment and becoming actively involved in local conservation projects.

“National Biodiversity Week will bring people of all ages together under the common thread of curiosity and interest in the natural world.

“The events Meath County Council are facilitating, plus the several other events that are being run by other groups in the county, will offer opportunities to have fun and to be inspired by our local wildlife and green space. I hope there is an event for everyone to explore Meath’s environment and to learn how to play a part in protecting it.”

The Biodiversity Officer Programme is supported nationally by The Heritage Council.

Registration is required for most events.

A full listing of Biodiversity Week events can be found at https://biodiversityweek.ie.

Events organised and/or supported by Meath County Council include:

Date	Event	Meeting Location	Time
Saturday 17 May	Balrath Woods Walk, Talk and Volunteer Day	Balrath Woods, Kentstown	9:30am -11:30am
Saturday 17 May	Puffin Rock – Animated Movie	Solstice Arts Centre, Navan	11:00am – 12:30pm
Sunday 18 May	Restoring River Habitats in the Boyne Valley	Dalgan Park, Navan	10:00am – 12:00pm
Sunday 18 May	Step into Nature with Rachel McKenna	Swift Culture Centre, Trim	3:00am – 4:00pm
Monday 19 May	Wildlife Detective Workshop	Ashbourne Library	2:00pm – 4:30pm
Tuesday 20 May	Taking Action for Pollinators Online Information Session	Online, Microsoft Teams	1:00pm – 2:00pm
Wed 21 May	Wildlife Detective Workshop	Navan Library	10:00am – 12:30pm
Thursday 22 May	Walk on the Wildside of the Commons of Lloyd Loop	Commons of Lloyd, Kells	12:30pm -2:30pm
Friday 23 May	Woodlands and Waterways for Bats – Guided Walk and Talk Event	Sonairte Ecology Centre, Laytown	9:00am -10:30pm
Saturday 24 May	Bog in a Bottle Workshop with the Irish Peatland Conservation Council	Duleek Library	11:00am -12:00pm
Saturday 24 May	Bog in a Bottle Workshop with the Irish Peatland Conservation Council	Dunshaughlin Library	2:00pm – 3:00pm
Saturday 24 May	Bumblebees and Bogs for Beginners – Walk and Talk Event	Girley Bog Car Park, Drewstown	2:00pm – 4:00pm
Sunday 25 May	Ireland’s Butterflies Workshop – Searching for the Small Blue	East Meath Civic Centre, Bettystown	12:30pm -3:30pm
All Week	Biodiversity Quiz	All Meath Libraries	Library opening hours

Additional information

What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is nature. It is found all around us. Not only does the word ‘biodiversity’ describe the variety of life at our doorstep, but it encapsulates the diversity of life on Earth – the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world.

Organisers of National Biodiversity Week

Ireland’s National Biodiversity Week is funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and coordinated by the Irish Environmental Network (IEN). It is made possible by the support of the Heritage Council’s network and the work of IEN member groups. The Biodiversity Officers of all local authorities are working with the IEN to organise and promote events to the public.

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