Tag: biodiversity

New video series on Gardening for Biodiversity launched

A new series of videos on Gardening for Biodiversity has been launched by Laois Heritage Office. Based on the popular book Gardening for Biodiversity published by Laois County Council earlier this year, the series aims to give practical tips and guidelines to anyone who is interested in helping wildlife in their garden.

Following the book’s very practical approach, the videos – available for free on Youtube – show how to help biodiversity by creating a pond, building a log pile, planting a wildflower meadow, looking after birds and planting native trees and hedgerows.

Speaking at the launch of the videos Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Cllr Willie Aird said “It’s so fitting that we are launching these biodiversity guides here in the wonderful setting of People’s Park. The Park is like a garden for all the people of Portlaoise, and we are delighted that it is open again after the pandemic restrictions. I know that the ideas in this new book and the video guides will encourage people to take action to make their garden a haven for wildlife and I’d like to thank the Heritage Council and the Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht for their help in getting them made”.

Author Juanita Browne said: “These videos are a wonderful online resource to help explain how anyone can help our wildlife. Thanks to Laois County Council for funding and making these freely available online and to John Lusby and Peter Cutler for making these beautiful videos. I think there is an exciting new interest among the public in helping our biodiversity and these videos make this process much more accessible.”

Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “During lockdown we have all become much more conscious of the importance of the natural world. We know from the enormous response to the original book that many people are taking a great interest in the birds, bees and bugs that are visiting their gardens. We are in the middle of a Biodiversity Crisis, and exposure to nature is also good for our mental health, so there is so much benefit to gardening for biodiversity. We have had so many requests for copies of the book from schools and families, so our next project is to create a Children’s version of the book, with colouring pages and kid-friendly information on biodiversity. We hope to have that ready for Heritage Week in August”.

The new Gardening for Biodiversity films are available to view of the Laois Heritage Youtube channel

The Gardening for Biodiversity videos are available now on the Laois Heritage Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/laoisheritage. The book and films were supported by the Heritage Council and the Department for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as part National Biodiversity Action Plan. The original book is available to download for free at www.laois.ie/heritage, and hard copies can be ordered from Laois County Council Heritage Office.

Access the book and videos now

Gardening for Biodiversity Book available at: https://laois.ie/gardening-for-biodiversity/

Gardening for Biodiversity Videos available at: https://www.youtube.com/user/laoisheritage

Acknowledgements

The Gardening for Biodiverity Book and Videos have been supported by the Heritage Council and the Department for ulture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, as part of the National Biodiversity Action Plan. The book was written by Juanita Browne and illustrated by Barry Reynolds. The films were made by Peter Cutler of Crow Crag Films, presented by Jon Lusby and Juanita Browne was Scientific Advisor. We are grateful to all involved for their wonderful support.

25th June 2020
Garden Biodiversity colouring book published

A new colouring book for children has been published, based on the “Gardening for Biodiversity” booklet by Juanita Brown also released by Laois Heritage Office this week. The book, featuring beautiful illustrations of garden wildlife by artist Barry Reynolds, will be fun for any youngsters interested in finding out more about the wildlife in their own local patch, now that we are all spending more time close to home.

Fans of illustration will know Barry has previously worked on the Oscar-nominated animated movie “The Secret of Kells”, and Sony Pictures Animation’s “Arthur Christmas”. He also provided the beautiful illustrations for Juanita Browne’s “The Great big Book of Irish Wildlife”.

Wildlife Art Workshop in Mountmellick Library as part of Heritage Week. Photograph: Alf Harvey.

The full “Gardening for Biodiversity colouring book” is available to download below, or individual pages can be downloaded by clicking the thumbnails.

Gardeni ng for Biodiversity Colouring book

Colouring Pages (click thumbnail for larger image)

Bird boxes

Blue tit

Bumble bee

Bat

Bird bath

Butterfly life cycle

Butterfly

Chaffinch

Feeding the birds

Frog

Hedgehog

Homes for bats

Mini beasts

Newt

Rabbit

Robin

Garden for Wildlife

Wildlife pond

The Gardening for Biodiversity Book was produced with the assistance of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the funding scheme for the National Biodiversity Action Plan, with additional support from the Heritage Council.

24th April 2020
Create a Haven for Wildlife

New guide shows how to look after wildlife in your garden

A new booklet to assist everyone to help wildlife in their gardens, no matter how big or small, has been launched. The brainchild of Juanita Browne, the booklet was produced by Laois County Council with the assistance of Local Authority Heritage Officers across Ireland, with support from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Heritage Council.

Taking a very practical approach, the book details projects to help wildlife of all kinds under a range of headings, with tasks suitable for everyone from the total beginner to the more ambitious DIY enthusiast. With clear instructions and step-by-step drawings by illustrator Barry Reynolds, the guide offers the gardener lots of options to help our biodiversity.

Anna and Sarah looking forward to trying out the projects in “Gardening for Biodiversity” in their garden. Their garden’s “wild corner” already contains ivy, bramble, hawthorn and dandelions that have been left to grow to provide food for pollinators.

As a companion to the book, a children’s book with kid-friendly information on garden wildlife and colouring pages using Barry Reynolds’ fun original illustrations has also been produced.

Both books are free to download (see below) and free hard copies can be ordered from Laois Heritage Office.

With increasing agricultural intensification, gardens in many areas can be an oasis for wildlife, and with small changes we can make them even better. The guide outlines actions that can be taken to improve gardens for birds, bees, butterflies, bats and more, and the good news is many of the steps that can be taken are really easy. Just leaving an “untidy” corner of your garden for nature, leaving roadside verges to grow naturally or allowing some of the gold star plants for biodiversity – dandelion, willow, bramble, clover, ivy – a spot in your garden can reap huge dividends for wildlife.

Garraíodóireacht ar son na Bithéagsúlachta

Tá an leabhar “Garraíodóireacht ar son na Bithéagsúlachta” foilsithe i nGaeilge anois, le tacaíocht ón bPlean Gníomhaíochta Náisiúnta Bithéagsúlachta. Is féidir an leabhar a íoslódáil saor in aisce anseo agus beidh cóipeanna crua ar fáil go luath.

Buíochas ó chroí le Seán Ó Daimhín, Oifigeach Seirbhísí Gaeilge le Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall, as an leabhrán seo a aistriú go Gaeilge, agus le Joseph Gallagher, Oifigeach Oidhreachta, Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall, as a chabhair agus a thacaíocht.

Fuarthas maoiniú don treoirleabhar seo ón Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúilagus Oidhreachta trí Chiste Phlean Gníomhaíochta Bithéagsúlachta Náisiúnta na Seirbhíse Náisiúnta Páirceanna agus Fiadhúlra, le tacaíocht ó Líonra na nOifigeach Oidhreachta sna hÚdarás Áitiúla

The Gardening for Biodiversity book has now been published in Irish, The book can be downloaded for free here and hard copies will be available soon.

Our sincere thanks to Seán Ó Daimhín, Irish Officer with Donegal County Council, who translated the book, and to Joe Gallagher, Heritage Officer with Donegal County Council for all his assistance with this.

Funding for this guide has been received from the Department Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the National Biodiversity Action Plan of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, supported by Network of Heritage Officers in Local Authorities

Gardening for Biodiversity Films

A new series of short films has now been made to accompany the book – click below for more:

“Gardening for Biodiversity”, funded by the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage as part of an initiative to encourage projects under the National Biodiversity Plan, is available to download here.

Gardening for Biodiversity Booklet

Biodiversity in your Garden Colouring Book,

Download here / Íoslódáil anseo

All books were supported by the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, through the National Biodiversity Action Plan. Funding for printing of hard copies was provided by the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network and the Heritage Council. Free hard copies may be ordered from your Local Authority Heritage Office.

22nd April 2020
Local Authority Heritage Officers team up with BirdWatch Ireland to Save Swifts.

A new book to help communities save their swifts has been launched by BirdWatch Ireland and local authority Heritage Officers nationwide.

Swifts are an iconic summer visitor to Ireland, arriving in early May following a long migration from southern Africa. Slightly larger than a swallow they are a ‘site faithful’ bird, returning generation after generation to buildings in towns and villages throughout Ireland to nest and raise young. Like many of our wild species however, Swifts are increasingly threatened through loss of nest sites and have suffered an alarming 40% population decline in the past decade. Problems arise when buildings are renovated or torn down removing the Swifts nest sites and sometimes huge nesting colonies can be lost overnight.

The good news is that there are many practical steps that we can all take to make a difference, and the new guide ‘Saving Swifts’ produced by BirdWatch Ireland and local authority Heritage Officers is available to help. The guide, funded by the Department for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht as part of an initiative to encourage projects under the National Biodiversity Action Plan, contains all the information required for individuals, local groups, schools, businesses or government departments to play a role in helping this amazing and threatened species. The information is presented in a colourful and user-friendly format and includes details on Swift ecology; reasons for declines; suggested conservation measures; nest box plans, case studies and much more.

Swifts nest in buildings where small gaps allow access to the roof space or cavities in masonry. Their chosen nest sites are often in older buildings which are sometimes dilapidated or in need of renovation. Awareness about the presence and requirements of Swifts is essential to ensuring that their nest sites are protected as part of renovation works. This typically involves timing works to take place from Sept to May. Also, there are many opportunities to create new nesting sites as part of new development through installing nest boxes or nesting bricks.

Anna and Sarah Rothwell, Birr pictured at the launch of the new book “Saving Swifts” at Abbeyleix Library. The book is a joint publication of BirdWatch Ireland and the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network. Picture: Alf Harvey

Ricky Whelan, Project Officer with BirdWatch Ireland said: “The Saving Swifts guide will go a long way to support groups from around the country to help their Swifts at a local level, feeding into the wider Swift conservation effort nationally. Swift surveys are planned in Sligo, Wicklow and Meath this year, following on from surveys in Offaly, Laois, Tipperary and Westmeath over the past few years, so we are getting a much better handle on the scientific side of where swifts are, and what they need.”

Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council said “It was wonderful to work with BirdWatch Ireland and Heritage Officers across the country on this guide to help communities look after their swifts, and we are also grateful to the many swift conservation groups around Ireland who helped with expertise and success stories for the book”.

The Saving Swifts guide is available for free as a PDF download. Hard copies can be ordered from the Laois Heritage Officer.

Dearbhala Ledwidge, Kilkenny Heritage officer; Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage officer and Ricky Whelan, Birdwatch Ireland pictured at the launch of the new book “Saving Swifts” at Abbeyleix Library. The book is a joint publication of BirdWatch Ireland and the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network.
Picture: Alf Harvey

22nd May 2019
Abbeyleix included in spring workshop schedule of National Biodiversity Data Centre

2018 sees the continuation of the National Biodiversity Data Centre’s annual workshop programme, which has trained over 2,400 participants to date. This year the programme will be released in three phases: Spring, Summer and Winter with the current Spring workshop programme consisting of six workshops.

One workshop which will be of great local interest in Laois will be Squirrel and pine marten tracking (in conjunction with Abbeyleix Bog Project), on Saturday 10th March at Abbeyleix Heritage House & Abbeyleix Bog. The workshop is suitable for anyone with an interest in Ireland’s mammals, and costs €30.

After a brief introduction to the respective biology of both squirrels and pine martens, participants will learn of the latest research and conservation stories revolving around these mammals and how to survey them. This will be followed by an outdoor session where participants will have the opportunity to visit Abbeyleix Bog to see some of the surveying techniques and conservation enhancements described in the morning session.

Other workshops on offer this spring across the country include wetland birds, whales, dolphins & sharks and gardening for wildlife.

Book online at: www.biodiversityireland.ie/events/ or contact info@biodiversityireland.ie for further information.

Download the NBDC Spring 2018 Workshops brochure

24th January 2018
Local Authorities get buzzing for pollinators: €9,000 in Prizes for Tidy Towns

Tidy Towns groups in Laois are being urged to enter a special award in the National Tidy Towns competition which promotes the protection of pollinators.

Irish bees and other pollinators contribute €35 million a year to the Irish economy by pollinating our plants, trees and vegetables. They are under serious threat for survival because they don’t have enough food to eat or places to live. In response to this, in 2016 Local Authority Heritage Officers and Biodiversity Officers, in partnership with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, launched a new Tidy Towns “Let’s Get Buzzing- Local Authority Pollinator Award”. This Special Award encourages Tidy Towns groups to support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan by making their communities more pollinator-friendly. There is an attractive prize fund of €9,000.

Ann-Marie Kelly, Tidy Towns Co-ordinator with Laois County Council said “We hosted various events to promote the role of pollinators over the last few months and these were well attended. It is clear there is a huge interest in making Laois more pollinator friendly. The interest shown by our Tidy Towns committees illustrates their ongoing commitment to enhancing our natural environment. My colleagues and I are very happy to help groups become more pollinator friendly and build on our joint commitment on an annual basis.”

There was a great response to the award in 2016 with 58 Tidy Towns groups taking part. Monaghan Tidy Towns, national winner in the large town category, turned their town into an urban orchard, by encouraging residents to plant pollinator friendly fruit trees.

“Most pollinator actions are not costly or too complicated” explained Catherine Casey, Heritage Officer with Laois County Council. “They can range from simply changing the grass mowing regime, to planting pollinator friendly trees and shrubs, or raising awareness by promoting the Junior All-Ireland Pollinator Plan to youth groups and schools. Local communities can lead the way in creating an Ireland where pollinators can thrive”

The National Biodiversity Data Centre has produced practical guidelines to help communities and Tidy Towns groups to take action. The guidelines and other useful resources can be downloaded here.

The closing date for the award is 25^th May 2017. Details and application forms are available to download below:

TT_Pollinator_Award_application_2017 or contact Catherine Casey, Laois Heritage Officer.

25th April 2017