Recent BioBlitz at Lough Boora Parklands

BioBlitz is a scientific race against time! The aim is to find as many species as possible within a park over a 24 hour period. This exciting event allows scientists, students and the general public to come together and learn how scientists and recorders use their skills to study the wildlife of an area.

In Ireland, the event is coordinated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre and this year Lough Boora has been selected as one of the four participating sites. The other three sites taking part are Phoenix Park, Dublin; Glengarriff national Nature Reserve, Co Cork and Crawfordsburn Country Park, Co Down.

Lough Boora is a diverse site largely comprising cutaway bog with regenerating wetland and woodland habitats. There are also significant areas of forestry and agriculture. The Lough Boora site encompasses lands owned and managed by Bord na Móna, National Parks and Wildife Service, Coillte and the Irish Wildlife Trust as well as a whole medley of county, community and local interest groups.

So far, we have over 30 experts to join us in identifying all the species of Lough Boora, but we need more! If you are interested in helping out, please go to the Lough Boora Parklands website, or learn more at Bioblitz.BiodiversityIreland.ie

Connemara came out on top in 2010 with 542 species, while in 2011 Killarney National Park was the winner with a staggering 1,088 species. Let’s see what we can record in Lough Boora!

Learn more about this, and other Lough Boora Parklands events and amenities here.

Source: Bord Na Mona - BioBlitz at Lough Boora Parklands this May