Volunteers needed for Dromore Wood BioBlitz

OVER 50 ecologists from throughout Ireland will flock to Clare this Friday and Saturday to participate in the Dromore Woods Bioblitz 2011.
The competition sees ecologists competing to identify which national park can record the most species, from butterflies and birds to flowers and fungi, over a 24-hour period. The winner of last year’s event, Connemara National Park recorded a massive 542 species.
Again this year, five of Ireland’s State-owned properties will be vying for the BioBlitz perpetual trophy. From soaring eagles to the smallest bugs in the undergrowth, teams of scientists and volunteers will comb the parks recording what they find.
Dromore Woods will be competing with Ballycroy National Park in Mayo, Killarney National Park in Kerry, Liffey Valley Park in Waterstown and Raven Wood Nature Reserve in Wexford.
Among the wide range of groups, organisations and institutions that will be represented in Dromore Woods is Clare County Council, National Parks and Wildlife Service, National Biodiversity Data Centre, Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland, National Parks and Wildlife Service, My Kids Time, NUIG and GMIT.
According to Shane Casey, Clare biodiversity officer, “Public events will be held over the two days including pond dipping, bat walks, plant identification, butterfly catching, kick sampling, dawn chorus walks, exploring traps and activity trails. Events are free and open to all, so come along and experience the biodiversity of Dromore Woods.”
Liam Lysaght, director of the National Biodiversity Data Centre said, “The BioBlitz is a unique event where scientists, students and the general public will have the opportunity to come together to learn about the biodiversity in their local site. They will also be able to see first hand how scientists and recorders use their skills to study the wildlife of County Clare.
“We are encouraging everyone, young and old, to get involved in this year’s BioBlitz, by either volunteering to record species or just coming along to any of the five sites to see how the recording is being done,” Mr Lysaght said.
Dromore Woods covers an area of approximately 400 hectares. It was a private estate until the 1940s, before being taken over by the Forestry Division. It was worked as a commercial forest until 1985.
The area then became a nature reserve because of the diversity and richness of its flora and fauna and wide variety of habitat types. These include species-rich woodland, rivers, lakes, turloughs, callows, limestone pavement, fen peat and reed beds.
Last year, the BioBlitz event was held for the first time and was a massive success. Dromore Woods Bioblitz 2011 takes place on Friday and Saturday from 5pm to 5pm. For more information, visit www.bioblitz.biodiversityireland.ie