The Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) are getting ready for National Biodiversity Week at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre in Lullymore, Co. Kildare. On Wednesday 16th May the centre will host its annual 'Introduction to Habitat Management' course. This course is designed for beginners in habitat management and introduces participants on ways to manage habitats to promote and protect biodiversity. This full day course costs €95 and includes recording grid references and GPS readings, abiotic factors, pond dipping, butterfly identification, bird identification, habitat classification and developing a management plan. Places are limited on this popular course so contact IPCC on 045-860133 or e-mail bogs@ipcc.ie to reserve a place.
On Friday 18th May from 10am-1pm the IPCC will celebrate the first annual International Fascination of Plants Day by offering a peatland flora workshop. Nuala Madigan, Education Officer with IPCC will be exploring with workshop participants the variety of plants found on peatlands and the fascinating adaptations they have for surviving in the waterlogged and nutrient poor peatland habitat. Insect eating plants and bog snorkeling plants are two such species included in the workshop. Course cost €30 and booking is essential by contacting IPCC on 045-860133 or e-mail bogs@ipcc.ie.
On Saturday the 19th May IPCC would like to invite you to their Biodiversity Week 'Date with Nature'. This event is supported by Notice Nature Ireland's public awareness campaign for biodiversity. This event is free and no booking is required. From 7.30pm -10.30pm the Bog of Allen Nature Centre will be open for visitors to explore and celebrate Ireland's peatland biodiversity. With the support of Notice Nature a new peatland biodiversity display will be included in the visitor centre. As 2012 is the International Year of the Bat the IPCC have invited Kildare Bat group along to provide information to visitors on the variety of bat species in Ireland, their habitats and how to protect them. A guided walk around the local area will follow the information talk at dusk where we will identify bats in the area.
If you would like further information on any of these events please contact IPCC on 045-860133 or e-mail: bogs@ipcc.ie.