The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
In COVID-19 times, we must appreciate nature more than ever
Every year, May 22 is ‘International Day for Biological Diversity Day’ and is marked all over the world to increase awareness and understanding about biodiversity and our natural world.
Biodiversity is the variety of all living things and the interconnections between them. It is the very web of life and we are part of it.
Kerry Biodiversity Week usually runs around May 16 to May 24 with many public events around the county. Communities celebrate the biodiversity that they share their lives with all around our beautiful kingdom with public free events. But due to current circumstances and restrictions, unfortunately this year it has to be cancelled.
Cathy Fisher is the Biodiversity Officer with Kerry County Council. She is hoping that Heritage Week, which usually runs from August 15 to August 23 will run this year and she is asking that groups who were planning to organise events this May would consider running their event during Heritage Week instead, all going well. Cathy’s contact details are below.
Kerry County Council declared a Biodiversity & Climate Emergency in 2019, after the Government had done so. This action recognises our vital dependence on biodiversity and the need to protect and conserve it. We will write about this in a future article.
We depend on biodiversity for everything: from the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the buildings that shelter us, to the beauty of the living landscapes that surround us. This can inspire poetry, art and a feeling of deep connection with our spirit and all other living things. If we are brought up caring for nature, we will want to protect, cherish and defend it.
Many of us have memories from when we were young, being shown the wonders of the natural world by our parents, grandparents, teachers, or other influential people in our lives. This is why it is so important for children to spend more time outdoors in nature, as it will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
In the current situation that we are in, more than ever we can appreciate the nature that surrounds us. Many of us are very fortunate in that we can be in our gardens at this time. It can give us peace of mind and moments of calm when we step into nature and breathe.
Birds are waking us up with their birdsong. Trees are coming into leaf. There is a feeling of everything coming into life with the warming of the soil. Dandelions and daisies are splashes of colour and food for the bees and other pollinators. The recent sunsets have been incredible. All of this can help us to ‘come into the peace of wild things’, as described by a line from a poem by Wendell Berry.
Many community groups had planned for activities to celebrate their local natural environment and biodiversity and do so every year.
- Sea Synergy, based in Waterville, were planning Bio-Blitz’s explorations along the seashores. - Ballyduff Tidy Towns group planned to have a nature walk with a plant & insect survey and a public meeting to plan for biodiversity projects.
- Gortbrack Organic Farm was planning for a food & biodiversity walk around the farm, near Tralee.
- Sneem Tidy Towns planned for a nature walk to learn how to carry out plant and insect surveys.
- The MacGillacuddy Reeks EIP planned to host a walk and talk about biodiversity.
- The Kerry Branch of the Irish Wildlife Trust planed to host some events.
Let’s hope that all of this can take place in August.
For more information, you can keep an eye on the following Facebook pages: - https://www.facebook.com/kerrybiodiversityweek2020/
- Cathy Fisher: cathy.fisher@kerrycoco.ie - Heritage Week: https://www.heritageweek.ie/