What is Biodiversity?

Put simply, Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It is essential for sustaining the natural living systems or ecosystems that provide us with food, clean water, fuel, health, wealth, and other services we take for granted in our everyday life.

Species of the month

May

Education Tools for Biodiversity

With assistance fron the National Parks and Wildlife Service, this year sees the introduction of Biodiversity as the latest theme in the An Taisce Green Schools Programme. To assist educators, Notice Nature have introduced a new page on the website especially for teachers to help with introducing the subject of biodiversity into the classroom. Click on the Green Schools Logo to go directly to the page.

NPWS Education Centres

The National Parks and Wildlife Service operates several Education Centres around the country. The centres offer programmes in field studies and nature awareness to schools and other interested groups. Click on the photo to find an Education Centre near you.

National Biodiversity Data Centre

Click here and find out whats happening at the National Biodiversity Data Centre in Waterford

Burren Beo Trust

Actions for Biodiversity 2011-2016 Ireland's National Biodiversity Plan

Click on the icon below to read the Plan

Irish Ramsar Wetlands Committee

Irish Ramsar Wetlands Committee (IRWC) is a national committee set up to assist the Ireland in meeting its requirements as a signatory to the Ramsar Convention. To find out more about the work of the IRWC you can go to their website http://www.irishwetlands.ie/

Welcome to Notice Nature

Notice Nature is Ireland's public awareness campaign on biodiversity. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity and to encourage everyone to play their part in its protection. This will help halt the damage being done to our plants and animals and the landscape, waters and habitats in which they live.

Junior Page

To find out more about the Hen Harrier just click on the icon above.

Atlas of Mammals in Ireland

A collaborative initiative to map the distribution of all wild mammals in Ireland and Irish territorial waters.
Click on the Mammal Collage above to find out more

National Frog Survey of Ireland

Click on the frog for more information.

of Invasive Alien Species

Noticed Nature Lately?

Tell us about the Irish wildlife you've spotted and send in your nature photos today!

Click here

 

 

Notice Nature Gallery

by G Conran, Kinvara

 

Check out some of the photos that have been sent in here

Download Notice Nature Screensaver by clicking here

National Parks

Wicklow Mountains National Park

Killarney National Park

Further information can be had by contacting 064-6631440

Email - killarneynp@environ.ie

Connemara National Park

Ballycroy National Park

Glenveagh National Park 

 

Take part in our Nature Survey

Invasive Species

Inland Fisheries Ireland's new smart phone app is now available to download from the Google Play and iTunes App stores. Click on the icon for more details.

Invasive aquatic plants can damage our ponds, waterways and the environment.
Be plant wise and don’t dump aquatic plants in the wild.

Ponds can create a wonderful feature to be enjoyed all year round and are often a haven for wildlife.  However, if they are not cared for properly some pond plants can take over your pond. They can also become established in the wild, where they can smother our native plants, clog our waterways, exacerbate flooding and remove oxygen from the water, which can harm fish.

Pond owners, gardeners, aquarists, anglers and other water users can unknowingly assist the spread of aquatic plants into our countryside. These plants can rapidly become major environmental problems with expensive associated costs. Click on the image above to find out more

Biodiversity Awareness Grant Scheme 2013

The Minister for Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht Mr. Jimmy Deenihan is pleased to announce that Applications for Funding are now invited for projects under the Environment Fund for Biodiversity Awareness Grant Scheme 2013.  The “Environment Fund for Biodiversity Awareness” was established to support initiatives, projects and targeted public awareness campaigns that enhance awareness of Irish biodiversity and ecosystem services Targeted audiences include schools, the general public, local communities, third level students, key economic sectors and scientific communities.

 

The Scheme is administered by the Biodiversity Policy Unit, National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and full details and application forms are available to download from here The deadline for receipt of applications is Friday, 28^th June 2013.

Irelands Biodiversity at Risk

The IUCN(International Union for Conservation Network) Have recently published Fact Sheets on the state of threatened species in all EU states. Click here to see the Fact Sheet on Ireland.

Biodiversity Week Photo Competition

To celebrate Biodiversity Week 2013, the Irish Environmental Network is holding a photography competition under the theme ‘Water and Nature’. The competition is open to all ages and ability levels. The winning entry will receive a cash prize of €300 and there will be, five highly-commended prizes of €50 each. The top entries will be featured on the Irish Environmental Network’s website, Facebook and Twitter pages.

To be eligible to enter, the photograph must be taken somewhere in Ireland during Biodiversity Week, from the 18th to the 26th of May with the theme ‘Water and Nature’. Entrants are encouraged to interpret the theme as they see fit. Click here for more details.

Green Schools Awards

The poem below was composed by St. Pats Boys National School, Donabate, Co. Dublin as part of their Action Day for their Green Schools Biodiversity Flag.

Well done lads and keep up the good work!