DO you know your Giant Hogweed from your native Hogweed, your mink from your otter, or your Asian hornet from your wasp?
These are some of the questions that will be put to communities along the Maigue catchment this weekend as part of a series of workshops from the Maigue Rivers Trust.
The group will host a series of free, practical, and family-friendly workshops this weekend and on Monday (June 20-23) to learn more about invasive species and how we can all help protect local rivers, wildlife and biodiversity.
The workshops form part of Maigue Rivers Trust’s LEADER-funded invasive species education programme, delivered with StreamScapes and Nature Network Ireland. The programme is designed to help communities, landowners, farmers, anglers, walkers, families and volunteers understand which invasive species to look out for, how they spread, and what simple actions can make a real difference locally.
Invasive species such as Giant Hogweed, Japanese Knotweed and Himalayan Balsam can damage riverbanks, crowd out native plants, affect habitats and create risks for people, landowners and wildlife.
Animals such as American mink can also place pressure on native species and river ecosystems. Once invasive species become established, they can be difficult and expensive to manage, so spotting them early and preventing their spread is very important.
The workshops will be lively, informative and rooted in local places. They will cover how to identify common invasive species, the “Check, Clean, Dry” approach, how invasive species affect rural and river environments, and what communities can do to protect streams, rivers, lakes and local habitats.
Free workshops will take place at Lough Gur Visitor Centre on Saturday, June 20 from 3-6 pm and before that a Guided Farm Walk with Tom Stack in Ballingarry, V35 NY07 from 11 am to 1 pm.
On Sunday, June 21, workshops will take place at Granagh Community Centre from 10:30 am and Thomas Fitzgerald Centre, Bruff from 3 – 6 pm. The final workshop will be held at the Adare Heritage Centre on Monday, June 22, from 10 am to 1 pm.
Christine Reidy, Project Officer with Maigue Rivers Trust, said: “These workshops are a chance to learn something really useful in a friendly and practical way. Invasive species can sound like a complicated environmental issue, but once you know what to look for, and how they spread, there are simple things we can all do to help. Whether you are a farmer, angler, gardener, walker, parent, volunteer or just someone who cares about your local river, you are very welcome to come along.”
No registration is needed for the June workshops. People are welcome to come along to any session. For more information, contact Maigue Rivers Trust at [email protected] or Christine on 086 0669606.