PRESS RELEASE: A Busy start to Spring at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre
Friday 30th January 2015
February is the start of Spring and a busy time of year at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre. Over the coming days both St. Bridget’s Day and World Wetlands Day are being celebrated.
World Wetlands Day has been celebrated on the 2nd of February since 1971 when the International Convention on Wetlands in the Iranian city of Ramsar was adopted. Why not join in us for this international event by exploring the wonderful wet peatlands of Ireland and learning how to get involved in the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) Hop To It Frog survey at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre? The common frog is one of only three species of amphibian found in Ireland. The knowledge we build on the frogs short lifecycle allows us to monitor any changes in their breeding times or locations. These can in turn highlight changes in environmental quality of the habitat available. With help from members of the public the IPCC has been recording frog sightings from around the country since 1997. The IPCC has already received its first frog record for 2015 with frog spawn and six adult frogs spotted close to Crosshaven in Co. Cork on the 7th of January! Frog records will be accepted throughout 2015 and it is easy to get involved in the Hop To It Frog survey. You can visit www.ipcc.ie and submit your record online, the IPCC can e-mail you a blank survey to fill in or you can call the centre on 045-860133 and we will take your frog record details over the phone.
February is also the time of year we celebrate St. Bridget. St Bridget is the patron saint of County Kildare and St Bridget’s crosses are said to protect homes from fires and infectious diseases for the year ahead. The making of St. Bridgets crosses is a traditional craft that continues around Ireland today. ‘Craft of the Month’ is a new feature at the Bog of Allen Nature Centre where visitors can make a chosen craft during their visit to the centre to take home with them as a memory of their day on the bog. Throughout the month of February visitors can expect to learn how to make their own St. Bridget’s crosses. If you cannot make a visit to the centre during February you can always learn how to make your own St. Bridget’s crosses by visit www.ipcc.ie.
The Bog of Allen Nature Centre is open Monday-Friday from 10am-1pm.
ENDS
Editors Notes
These events are part of the Bog of Allen Nature Centres ‘Feile an Dúlra’ a festival of nature supported by Kildare County Council.
The Bog of Allen Nature Centre is run by a charity, the Irish Peatland Conservation Council that aims to conserve a representative portion of Irish Peatlands for future generations to enjoy
Further information, interviews or pictures contact
Nuala Madigan, Environmental Education Officer, IPCC, Tel: 045 860 133 E-mail: bogs@ipcc.ie