Hi everyone,

Welcome to the April edition of Connecting Nationwide, our monthly newsletter full of environmental news and events throughout Ireland. A big welcome to all our new subscribers!

This month, we highlight amazing work going on in Wexford, where local group Wexford Environmental Network are working on an Edible Network of Towns and Villages project. This project has begun to spread throughout Wexford town thanks to their efforts. Read more below.

In April, there is a national meeting online of the Rights of Nature Ireland Hub. Moving into May, we see events all around the country, starting with National Biodiversity Week beginning May 19th. The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group invites you to a whale watching weekend course in West Cork, and Dublin celebrates hosting the 7th edition of the Circular Economy Hotspot.

There are also two conferences coming up. In June, celebrate marine life at the World Ocean Day Conference hosted by Fair Seas in Cork. In September learn about Wildlife Crime and Conservation with Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland in Wicklow.

We have some very exciting announcements this month, including the launch of the Irish Stoat Survey. Did you know that the Irish stoat only occurs in Ireland and the Isle of Man, and fossils date back to 27 - 35,000 years ago? Help this precious species by taking part in the survey.

A new campaign to Restore Nature has been launched asking you to email your decision makers and support the nature restoration laws in the EU. Getting in touch with your politicians has been made easy through this campaign from the Environmental Pillar.

Are you involved in a local environmental group? We highlight the Public Participation Networks below, which can be powerful tools for change and for local information. This month we spotlight Offaly, Louth and Longford.

And finally, the report from the Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity Loss is out now! Find out what recommendations the Assembly made to the Government!

Read on for full details and links.

That's all for now,

Enjoy your weekend!

All the best,

Catherine.

Edible Towns in Wexford

"The cost of living crisis may have us all checking what goes into our shopping baskets but now, thanks to a new initiative from the Wexford Environmental Network (WEN), we may all soon be able to live off the land. Gathering in the gardens of The Wexford Chamber of Commerce the WEN team were joined by pupils from the Mercy School and Selskar College as they began a project which they hope will take off across the county."

Read the rest of this article in the Independent featuring the brilliant work of the Edible Network of Villages and Towns Éire project!

Find out more about the ENViTE project, including resources to set up your own, on their website here.

Rights of Nature

April 11th, 7.30pm or 8pm, online

Earlier this week, the Environmental Pillar hosted an info session on the Rights of Nature, with guest speaker Lynda Sullivan from Environmental Justice Network Ireland.

Lynda gave an introduction to the concept and work behind the Rights of Nature movement in Ireland. You can watch her presentation here, and read more about this work here.

Next Tuesday, April 11th, the Rights of Nature Ireland Hub will meet online to continue the conversation and work regarding rights of nature in Ireland.

If you are interested in how the Rights of Nature could be introduced through County Councils you can join at 7.30pm. If you have a wider general interest in the work, you can join at 8pm. All are welcome.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83814915820?pwd=UDBmSzdVZ0NyWnBEajUxK1FTRzhVQT09

Meeting ID: 838 1491 5820

Passcode: 027542

IWDG Residential

Whale Watching Weekend Course

May 26th - 28th, Cork

Looking for a weekend with a difference? Why not join the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Ireland’s leading marine conservation NGO, on a weekend whale-watching course in West Cork during summer 2023. By taking part you will also be actively supporting whale and dolphin conservation and research in Ireland.

Read more and book your place here

(Note: this is a paid event)

Circular Economy Hotspot

Dublin 2023

A four-day celebration of the circular economy

May 29th - June 1st, Dublin

This year, Dublin will host the 7th edition of the flagship Circular Economy Hotspot, an international platform showcasing ground-breaking circular initiatives, best practices, and innovation.

Circular Economy Hotspot Dublin is an opportunity to learn from, network with, and be inspired by the very best. Through conference talks, tours, workshops and topic deep-dives, attendees will learn about the practical steps and resources to take home and implement.

Whether it’s a business model that you are keen to explore or an innovation that could shape the future of your work and lifestyle, we’ll have it at Circular Economy Hotspot Dublin 2023.

Explore the programme and book your tickets here.

(Note: this is a paid event)

Wildlife Crime and Conservation Conference 2023

Sept 30th - Oct 1st, Wicklow

Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland invites you to join them this September. The first day of the conference focus on Wildlife Crime: Justice for Nature, and the second day on Conservation: How to Nurture Nature.

Both days are packed with an amazing line up of speakers and practical workshops.

Read more about the conference and book your tickets here.

(Note: this is a paid event)

Irish Stoat Survey

Help needed from Citizen Scientists to record

one of Ireland’s oldest mammals

Vincent Wildlife Trust is appealing to the public for help to record the presence of the Irish stoat throughout Ireland. This new survey is in partnership with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, the Centre for Environmental Data and Recording in Northern Ireland and the University of Galway.

Find out how to submit your sightings on the Biodiversity Database website or by emailing irishstoat@vincentwildlife.ie

The Irish stoat occurs only in Ireland and on the Isle of Man. Stoat fossil bones found in caves in County Cork date back to 27-35,000 years ago so it is one of Ireland’s oldest mammal species.

‘Despite its long history on the island, currently there are only 2,000 records for it in our national database,’ says Ruth Hanniffy, the Trust’s Species Conservation Officer. ‘We hope this survey will encourage people to submit sightings of live and dead stoats so we can fill in the gaps in the distribution and possibly learn more about stoat ecology. Stoats are some of the most elusive small mammals and finding a way to estimate their population is the Holy Grail of mammal recording!’

Restore Nature Campaign

We need your support to bring back nature

Wetlands, forests, grasslands, marine habitats… all of them play a crucial role in regulating the climate and are vital to our survival. But did you know 80% of European nature is in bad shape?

Luckily, all hope is not lost! We have a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to turn the tide for nature in Europe: a law to #RestoreNature. This law will legally oblige EU countries to meet a range of targets designed to stem biodiversity loss. If they fail, they can be held accountable, and taken to court.

Right now, governments across the EU are discussing this new law. Join us and over 200 NGOs and ask your decision-makers to adopt a strong and urgent implementation of the law that can curb the nature and climate crises. You are just one step away from making a difference for nature: send a nature picture and letter to Irish leaders in government and Members of the European Parliament!

Take Action for Nature Now

Offaly

PPN members in Offaly include Green Offaly, who work with all sectors of local communities on climate and biodiversity issues.

Other groups include Irish Wildlife Trust, The Growery, Native Woodland Trust, and Offaly Federation of Group Water Schemes.

Join Offaly PPN

Longford

Join Longford Environmental Network, a recently formed group, to get involved locally in Longford.

Email longfordlen@gmail.com.

In Longford PPN, other groups include Wetlands Heritage Ireland, Longford Beekeepers, and Longford Green Earth.

Join Longford PPN

Louth

Louth PPN includes groups such as Louth Nature Trust, Birdwatch Ireland, Friends of Ardee Bog, Louth Barn Owl Project, Louth Environmental Network, and Oriel River Catchments & Coastal Association.

Join Louth PPN

Report of the

Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity Loss

out now!

The Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss issued a final report on April 5th with 159 recommendations on how Ireland can improve its response to the biodiversity crisis. The report underscores the serious and chronic failure by the State to adequately fund and enforce existing laws to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

Read the full report here

The final report echoes the overwhelming majority of recommendations championed by the Environmental Pillar, a 32 member coalition of Irish environmental non-governmental organisations working to represent the views of the Irish environmental sector.

Read the Environmental Pillar's response to the report, including quotes from Pillar members