Celebrate World Environment Day at Bog of Allen Nature Centre
July 5th, 2017
The Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) will host a free event at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre tomorrow to guide visitors through the steps to create a truly wildlife friendly garden.
The event is part of Féile an Dulra, an annual festival of nature, and will honour World Environment Day which is being celebrated across the world today.
The international celebration was launched in 1974 by the United Nations to raise awareness of environmental issues and encourages people to take action to protect our natural heritage.
The event at the Nature Centre – a centre of excellence in peatland education conservation and research – will include tips on how to compost, rainwater harvest and create habitats to increase the diversity of wildlife using your garden.
The IPCC is a charity concerned with conserving a representative portion of Irish peatlands for future generations to enjoy.
Peatlands are an important wetland ecosystem, accounting for 15 per cent of Ireland’s land area. Ireland holds eight per cent of the world’s blanket bogs on our small island.
Unfortunately, only about 21 per cent of our peatlands is in relatively intact conditions, with turf-cutting, industrial peat extraction, commercial afforestation and urban development taking its toll on our bogs.
Attendees can also get hands on, dipping for freshwater life in the ponds, searching for frogs within the long grasses and watch butterflies and bees come and source nectar from the variety of flowers throughout the centre.
“I’m so excited for World Environment Day at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre and learning new tips and tricks to use in my garden at home this Summer,” said Michelle Walsh, a student from Galway Mayo Institute of Technology.
Ms Walsh is currently carrying out work experience at the Nature Centre, and encourages people to join her in exploring the wildlife gardens at the centre.
“Knowing how wildlife can support the natural control of pests in my garden, I’m looking forward to moving away from using chemical controls and creating a healthy garden,” she added.
Kildare County Council is supporting Féile an Dulra through their Festival grant scheme 2017.
National Biodiversity Week recently took place across Ireland from the 19th – 28th May 2017, with over 50 free events across the country celebrating Ireland’s diverse species and natural habitats.
The week was all about encouraging people to get outdoors, to connect with nature and celebrate the extraordinary variety of flora, fauna and habitats on our doorsteps.
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