We were delighted to learn that new Biosphere Coordinator has been employed at the Dublin Bay Biosphere Reserve. Congratulations to Dr Pauhla McGrane for securing the role. As there are but two biospheres in Ireland, we have a close working relationship with the Dublin Bay Biosphere. We have collaborated on interesting projects in the past and now have the opportunity to collaborate once again.
Our beautiful Lessser Horseshoe Bat sculpture will be migrating from North Kerry to South Kerry this week, making the trek from Tralee Library to Killarney Library. The sculpture has been roosting in Tralee since September, spending Halloween and a jolly Christmas in the County Town. The sculpture, affectionately known as Helen, will move to the transition zone of our Biosphere, adjacent to the National Park and the woodlands that support this species. Although the Lesser Horseshoe Bat is particularly sensitive to light (photophobic), we're confident that Helen will be tolerant of the bright lights of Killarney.
January is finally over and whilst our bats and hedgehogs are still in hibernation, here at the Kerry Biosphere we are bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for new initiatives. We continue with Year Two of the Rainwater Planter Initiative having installed planters in St. Oliver's, Scoil Bhríde Loreto Road, and Loughquitane National Schools. In continuation of the initiative we will be hosting the ever popular Féidhlim Harty for workshop number two, keep an eye out on our social media and this website for updates on the date and location for this workshop.
The Garden Room at Killarney House was at full capacity on Monday 20th January for the Kerry Biosphere's Rainwater Planter Workshop. Hosted by the Biosphere, the workshop provider Féidhlim Harty delivered an entertaining, informative, and interactive workshop that appealed to all audience members. There were 63 participants present on the morning, and it was noted that the group was particularly interested and willing to engage with the interactive workshop. This made for a very productive morning with networking and collaborative concepts being explored. The Biosphere was delighted to welcome attendees from throughout the Kingdom, from Ballybunion in the North, to Sneem and Kenmare in South Kerry.
We are racing towards Monday 20th January and our Rainwater Planter workshop with expert Féidhlim Harty. We are looking forward to kicking off on Monday at 10am in the pleasant surroundings of the Garden Room in the decadent Killarney House. Places are being booked fast, and though limited, you can book your free ticket on the Kerry Biosphere's Eventbrite page here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/o/kerry-unesco-biosphere-reserve-34191586363
We're delighted to host expert Féidhlim Harty t odeliver a workshop foccussed on suburban drainge systems (SuDS) and rainwater planters. The Kerry Biosphere Rainwater Planter Initiative has been made possible from funding from Kerry County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Our popular webinar 'Sanitation and SuDS, addressing water quality, flooding, biodiversity, and climate.' with author and company director Mr Féidhlim Harty has proven to be a popular webinar. Féidlhlim is the company director for FH Wetlands Ltd. based in Lahinch, County Clare. Féidhlim has 28 years experience working in his sector. Mr Harty delivered an insightful webinar on the morning of Thursday 21st November.
We were delighted to have printed our calendars from the 'Bats of the Kerry Biosphere Calendar Competition'. We received drawings from all over the County, from as far south as Kenmare, and north to Loughfoder. The standard of entry was very high, the pictures and drawings illustrating the intricate beauty of our bats, and the habitats that support them.
The Kerry Biosphere Officer, Brendan Kirwan, delivered an ‘Introduction to the Kerry Biosphere Reserve’ on the evening of Monday 18th November. The aim of the webinar was to provide participants with information on the designation, the scale and location of the reserve, and the ethos / function of the Biosphere.
The year is racing to a close, and 2025 is on the horizon. Here at the Kerry Biosphere, we are busy closing out projects for 2024, and planning actions for our 2025 Strategy. At this stage of the year, we can look back at the year we've had and assess what worked well, and indeed, what did not go well!
