Collinstown Tidy Towns Biodiversity Family Event
As part of the Biodiversity Survey Grant awarded to Collinstown Tidy Towns by the Community Foundation for Ireland, and in conjunction with this year’s National Heritage Week which focused on ‘sustainable heritage’, a family event took place in Collinstown GAA grounds on Friday 19th August from 11-1pm. Heather Bothwell, the ecologist appointed to carry out the survey in Collinstown, facilitated the fully booked day, attended by 10 families involving adults and children of all ages
Ecology is the study of the relationship between living organisms, including us humans and our physical environment, and biodiversity is the variation between living organisms. By studying our environment in this way it may give us more of an understanding of the relationship between living things, of understanding nature and that how everything is connected, and that we are a part of these systems. Research from NUIG has highlighted that human health protection is a fundamental aspect of environmental protection and that access to nature “contributes significantly to our physical health, mental wellbeing, re-connects us to nature while helping to future proof society in the face of wider environmental risks” EPA NUIG NEAR GB spaces project.
The event was held in the undeveloped part of the GAA grounds. The event started off by a meet and greet from Heather, followed by an interactive moth trap exercise whereby Heather had positioned 3 moth traps in different locations around the village the previous night. We then all played a ‘Bat- moth game’, a fun and dynamic way of explaining and learning about the principle of how bats navigate and find insect prey using echolocation. This was then followed by a bug hunt using different nets and equipment, such as a barrel pooter, for catching and inspecting bugs! The morning was rounded off with ‘The web of Life’ game re-emphasising how all things are connected.
Just as the rain clouds came in, we all gathered for a cup of tea in the clubhouse. In supporting the implementation and goals of Healthy Ireland, the national framework to improve health and well-being and the GAA Healthy Clubs we had healthy treats for the children, fresh fruit and herb scones, sourdough bread and locally made jam kindly donated by local award winning jam maker, Paddy Dempsey.
The re-kindling of nature based intelligence and how we impact our environment is of critical importance. Facilitating children with access to explore nature, to experience the relationship between the elements, to see the cycles of nature and how things grow will give them part of an understanding of ecology, nature connection and a sense of place (Cree & Robb, 2021). This vital skill in knowledge can be viewed as part of the journey back to a connected world. Assessing and valuing what we have here in our surrounding environment of Collinstown can be viewed of great importance for our own health on many levels.
Ref: Cree & Robb, 2021. The essential guide to Forest School and Nature Pedagogy. Routledge, New York.
Mile buiochas to everyone that came along and joined in on the day, to members of the Collinstown Tidy Towns group who helped in the planning and organisation of the event and to Heather Bothwell for facilitating the day. We look forward to the next Community engagement part of the project whereby it is envisaged that the findings of the survey will be presented in the local hall over the coming months.
Gráinne Flannery
