This year\u2019s programme \u2013 made possible through partnerships with wildlife groups and individuals across Sligo \u2013 invites people of all ages to explore, learn about, and help protect Sligo\u2019s unique wildlife and habitats.<\/p>\n
From whale watching off Mullaghmore to a dawn chorus in Riverstown, bat walks, nature trails, and expert talks on topics ranging from Ireland\u2019s eagles to the Greenland shark \u2013 the world\u2019s longest-living known vertebrate \u2013 and a recent visitor to Finisklin.<\/p>\n
The week opens on Friday 15th May with a special event: An Ancient Visitor: The Greenland Shark in Sligo, hosted at the National Surf Centre, Strandhill. Refreshments are available from 6pm, with proceedings beginning at 7pm sharp.<\/p>\n
On Saturday morning, early risers are invited to a Dawn Chorus and Sunrise Gathering in Riverstown, while a Leave No Trace Awareness Course runs in south Sligo for those wishing to develop their outdoor skills.<\/p>\n
Sunday offers a choice of a Biodiversity Field Trip along the Devil\u2019s Chimney trail in Glencar or an Aquatic Safari in Ballymote.<\/p>\n
Midweek highlights include Exploring Ireland\u2019s Bats at Sligo Central Library and a Ballymote Bat Walk \u2013 a fascinating insight into these marvellous mammals, and a river walk along the River Duff.<\/p>\n
Community and sustainability take centre stage with the Garden-to-Garden Cycle from Cranmore Community Garden and Strandhill\u2019s Future Coast workshop, which examines coastal adaptation in the face of climate change.<\/p>\n
Sligo County Council\u2019s annual Biodiversity Week talk, in partnership with the Sligo branch of BirdWatch Ireland, will be delivered by the Golden Eagle Trust at the Radisson Hotel.<\/p>\n
On Saturday 23rd, the annual Biodiversity Bioblitz \u2013 a highlight of the week \u2013 brings together ecologists, wildlife enthusiasts and members of the public to record as many species as possible within a set time, at Kilglass House & Gardens and nearby Enniscrone Beach.<\/p>\n
Saturday\u2019s programme also includes a Bunduff River Walk, a Biodiversity Walk at Tattie Hoaker Farm and the annual Whale Watch Ireland 2026 at Mullaghmore Head.<\/p>\n
The week draws to a close with a Crann Woodland Walk at Longford Demesne in Beltra on Sunday 24th May.<\/p>\n
Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Cllr. Donal Gilroy said: \u201cBiodiversity Week is the perfect time to go outside and enjoy nature, in the company of Sligo\u2019s wealth of experts and enthusiasts, who work tirelessly across the county to protect its habitats, from the sea to the uplands.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking ahead of the week, Martin Lydon, Chief Executive of Sligo County Council said: \u201cSligo Biodiversity Week highlights the extraordinary natural heritage of our county and reminds us how important it is to work together to protect it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese diverse events bring an opportunity to connect with nature and better understand the biodiversity around us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sligo Biodiversity Officer Ruth Hanniffy added: \u201cWe know that spending time in nature is good for us and reduces our stress levels. Biodiversity Week is a chance to explore this further \u2013 to bring the magic of biodiversity into our lives, and discover the extraordinary wildlife Sligo is home to.\u201d<\/p>\n
All events are free, though some require advance booking. Full details are available at facebook.com\/sligoheritageoffice.<\/p>\n
A full listing of national events can be found at biodiversityweek.ie.<\/p>\n
National Biodiversity Week is organised by the Irish Environmental Network and the Local Authority Biodiversity Officer Network, and is supported by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This year\u2019s programme \u2013 made possible through partnerships with wildlife groups and individuals across Sligo \u2013 invites people…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":480630,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[269],"tags":[18,440,19,17,16623,133],"class_list":{"0":"post-480629","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-environment","8":"tag-eire","9":"tag-environment","10":"tag-ie","11":"tag-ireland","12":"tag-paul-deering","13":"tag-science"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116560889703747240","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=480629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480629\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/480630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=480629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=480629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=480629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}