Friday 27th Biodiversity Bus Hop on the biodiversity bus at Solas Bhríde Centre and Hermitages - Kildare at 6.30pm and visit internationally significant natural heritage sites of the Curragh and Pollardstown Fen. Dr. Mary O’Connor, ecologist and Nuala Madigan, IPCC will explore the flora and fauna of these interesting sites, in association with Kildare Town Tidy Towns. Places are limited for the event and therefore must be booked in advance. Call: Celine O’Neill on 045 980239 or email [email protected] to book Saturday 28th Learn about Dormice - Naas Peter Behan and Marion Nolan members of Kildare Dormouse Group will chat Biodiversity with the group about this elusive species in Naas at 11.00am. Meeting at the Canal Harbour Naas. The word ‘biodiversity’ is coined from biological diversity, which, put simply is The Birds of another way of referring to the variety of Saturday 28th Ballynafagh - Prosperous life on the planet. Biodiversity is about the variety of plant and animal species Kildare BirdWatch with Tir na Mona Community Group will host a walk and talk on the birds of Ballynafagh and the interaction between them. It is Lake. Talk begins at 10.30am in The Old School Hall this interaction that is essential for life, Staplestown (beside Chapel), followed by a walk at giving us all the things we need - clean Ballynafagh Lake. air, water, agriculture, food and amenity. This year the Convention on Biological Wild About Clane Saturday 28th Diversity (CBD) has designated visits Nancy’s Lane! “Mainstreaming Biodiversity; Sustaining People and Clane Tidy Towns and experts from local wildlife their Livelihoods” as the theme for International Day for Biological groups will introduce some of the rich biodiversity - Diversity 2016. wildflowers, trees, birds, insects and mammals - in and around Clane. Biodiversity is the foundation for life and for the essential services Saturday 21st May to Meet 3.00pm on Saturday 28th at Nancy’s Lane - the provided by ecosystems. It therefore underpins peoples’ livelihoods College Wood Manor entrance (just after the Clane and sustainable development in all Sunday 29th May 2016 Rugby and Soccer pitches). areas of activity, including economic All welcome. sectors such as agriculture, forestry, This is an Action in the County Kildare Heritage Plan Contact email: [email protected] fisheries and tourism, among and the County Kildare Biodiversity Plan. others. By halting biodiversity loss, Saturday 28th / Butterfly Nature we are investing in people, their FOR FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT: Sunday 29th lives and their well-being. Reserve - Lullymore Bridget Loughlin - Heritage Officer / Celine O’Neill Saturday 21st May to Butterfly Conservation Ireland are hosting a Butterfly Walk on either Saturday Kildare County Council Sunday 29th May 2016 or Sunday (weather dependent) at Lullybeg Reserve, please consult our Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, website www.butterflyconservation.ie or www.kildarecountycouncil.ie to Naas, Co. Kildare check which day it will take place and also directions to the reserve. Tel: (045) 980 791 The truth is: the natural world is changing and we Woodland walk in Fax: (045) 980 240 Sunday 29th are totally dependent on that world. It provides our Killinthomas Wood- Rathangan food water and air. It is the most precious thing we Join George Hipwell, retired Forester and Dr. Mary O’Connor on a guided walk have and we need to defend it. through the wonderful Killinthomas Wood hosted by Rathangan Tidy Towns. David Attenborough Meet in Killinthomas Wood camp car park at 2.30pm. This is an action in the County Kildare Heritage Plan Going wild in Maynooth Wednesday 25th Wednesday 25th Kildare: a thriving Green future? Kildare University - Maynooth Presentation by Manchán Magan Maynooth University in conjunction with Maynooth Tidy Towns will host a Writer and documentary maker, Manchán Magan, outlines steps towards Biodiversity Week Biodiversity day. Presentations will take place at Seminar Room B (Library transforming Kildare and its environs into a thriving, socially-inclusive Ground Floor). sustainable haven. This 1-hour talk outlines alternative proposals and ildare Biodiversity Week has been organised to develop awareness of fresh perspectives that have the potential of leading to creative, fulfilling Kthe importance of biodiversity and to better understand its value to the 10.00 Tea/Coffee Introduction/Meet and Greet and sustainable lives in this area. Innovative solutions to farming, tourism, local, national and international communities. Kildare Biodiversity Week is education, social interaction and energy production will be explored. Solas 10.15-10.30 Dr. Joe Larragy - The MU Green Campus Initiative part of a European initiative to encourage people to take an interest in their Bhríde Centre and Hermitages, Tully Road, Kildare Town - 8.00pm local Biodiversity. The people of Kildare are invited to get out into Kildare’s Dr. Jane Stout (TCD) - Natural Capital, Biodiversity and 10.30 11.10 Biodiversity, to visit Kildare wild spots, lakes, rivers, bogs, woodlands or to the All Ireland Pollination Plan (AIPP) simply enjoy the biodiversity of their back garden. Thursday 26th Dr. Conor Meade (MU) Biodiversity - Dusk Chorus - Maynooth Monday 23rd Dusk Chorus- Athy 11.10-11.40 This listing of events has been compiled by Kildare County Council. All events A Midlands Perspective listed here are free. Children are welcome but should be accompanied by a Mary Jennings, Maynooth Tidy Towns - Kildare BirdWatch will host a Dusk Chorus led responsible adult. Please dress suitably for the weather. Dogs must be on Kildare BirdWatch in conjunction with Athy Tidy Towns will host a dusk chorus 11.40-12.10 event to celebrate the installation of the new swift tower in Athy. Meeting at Our local initiatives by Tom McCormack of Kildare BirdWatch, in leads. association with Maynooth Tidy Towns. Meet Edmund Rice Square car park at 7.30pm. Dress suitably. Bridget Loughlin, Kildare County Council- Biodiversity 12.10-12.30 Harbour Area at 7.30pm across Kildare Biodiversity of Cutaway Tuesday 24th 12.30-13.30 Lunch Peatlands - Lullymore Walk and Talk Campus Tour emphasising Biodiversity 13.30-14.30 Thursday 26th Birds and Bats - Maynooth measures (Stephen Seaman – Grounds Services MU) Dr. Mark McCorry, Ecologist will lead a bog walk hosted by Lullymore Heritage and Bee Walk and Talk - Bee Catching and Identification on 14.30-15.30 Kildare Bat Group will host a walk and talk on the Discovery Park and Bord na Mona which the “fly” (Dr. Jim Carolan) bats of Maynooth, in association with Maynooth will look at some aspects of biodiversity Tidy Towns. Meeting at 9.30pm opposite the on cutaway peatlands. The guided walk Places are limited for the event and therefore must be booked in Avenue Café. Explore and Discover will look at the newly developed cutaway advance. Email James at [email protected] Saturday 21st area in the Discovery Park and the Bogland Biodiversity adjacent rehabilitating Bord na Mona Thursday 26th Join in a bogland adventure walk to Lodge bog South West and discover some cutaway. The walk will be approximately Geo-diversity of County Kildare of the fascinating biodiversity of Kildare’s bogs including insect eating plants, 3 km and last 1.5 hours. The bog should frogs and lizards. Walk departs the Bog of Allen Nature Centre at 9.30am. be relatively dry underfoot at this time Matthew Parkes from the Natural History Museum will give a presentation on Strong footwear recommended. of year but it can depend on conditions. Kildare’s geological past at 8pm in the Town Hall Naas. Meet at Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park at 6.30pm. Friday 27th Event for Children Sunday 22nd Bat Walk and Talk - Broadford Walk through Kildoon with Dr. Mary O’Connor Tuesday 24th Kildare Bat Group will host a Bat Walk and Talk in Broadford at 9.30pm. Wood and Bog Dr. Mary O’Connor, Ecologist will provide an afternoon of fun biodiversity games and activities at The Hive, Old Post Office, Dublin Road, Kildare 3.00 Meeting at Broadford Church. Meet with John Miller and the Kildoon Community at Kildoon Wood, near – 5.00pm see how you can help protect our environment, test your animal Nurney at 7.30pm Canal Walk Milltown to Woodland Walk Wednesday 25th knowledge, hunt for bugs and make a bug hotel, in association with Kildare Sunday 22nd Pollardstown - Milltown Town Tidy Towns. in Mullaghcreelan Wood IPCC in association with Milltown Tidy Towns and Waterways Ireland walk Suitable for ages 7 - 12 yrs. Join Dr. Mary O’Connor on a guided walk through the wonderful Mullaghcreelan and talk entitled ‘Pollardstown Fen Feeding the Grand Canal with Water Since Wood. Meet in Mullaghcreelan Wood car park at 2.30pm. 1780’. The walk and talk will explore the diversity of biodiversity along the Places are limited for the event and therefore must be booked in advance. Grand Canal. Meet at Milltown National School at 7.30pm Call: Celine O’Neill on 045 980239 or email [email protected] to book..