A round-up of this week's heritage & habitat news in brief
Biodiversity week
National Biodiversity Week runs from tomorrow until next Sunday. With the aim of raising awareness of the interconnectedness of all species, the week includes nationwide events organized by over 15 different bodies. Highlights include a sustainable environment fair in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin today and tomorrow, a guided tour of the meadows, woodlands and salt marshes at Sonairte, Laytown, Co Meath today at 3pm and a beach and sand dune walk in Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow next Saturday.
See ien.ie for full schedule.
Young environmentalists
Eco-Unesco will celebrate ten years of the Young Environmentalist Award on Wednesday with a display of this year’s shortlisted projects in the Mansion House in Dublin. The awards honour environmental conservation and education projects, this year ranging in theme from guerrilla gardening to solar-powered iPod chargers. Fifty-two projects carried out by 12-18 year olds will be on show between 11.30am to 3.30pm on Wednesday. The winners will be announced later that day.
See ecounesco.ie for more.
Corncrake alert
Birdwatch Ireland is asking people to contact them if they see or hear corncrakes over the next few months as part of a national census on corncrakes. These once familiar farmland birds, whose distinctive sound kept people awake at night, have become rare in the past 50 years. Corncrakes are most likely to be heard after 11pm from late May to early July. You can hear the sound of a singing male on corncrake.net and for more information on the corncrake project see birdwatchireland.ie.
Ecoweb
energysmartcommunity.com
A new website aimed at people who want to join with their neighbours to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The site offers advice and project management for those who are prepared to join together into clusters of homeowners. It is run by Codema, a sustainable energy agency that acts as advisors to local authorities.
