Our Native Glens

04/06/2026

Our Native Glens Meeting tonight 7.15 at an Áit, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim. All Welcome to attend.

19/05/2026

Biodiversity evening focusing on Birds, Bats and Moths at Parkes Castle, Lough Gill (F91FP71) Tonight, 7.30 pm - 10.30pm. Tea and Biscuits.

15/05/2026

Dive into National Biodiversity Week 2026 with our Noticing Nature Walk this evening at 5.30pm at The Basin in Ballinamore. All welcome for this free biodiversity event along the Shannon-Erne Blueway in collaboration with Waterways Ireland

06/05/2026

Training course this Sat May 9th, 10.30 - 5pm, Invasive Species Action Day. book NOW on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/invasive-species-action-day-learn-identify-remove-tickets-1987400785248?aff=oddtdtcreator
This is a free event, Hot Drinks & Sandwiches included....Just 20 spaces left!...
Learn about Himalayan Balsam and how to remove it, so Sligo Bay Catchment Rivers Trust and Our Native Glens can work together to rid it from Sligo and Leitrim's rivers this Summer.

29/04/2026

Next meeting this Thursday April 30th 7:15PM at the art studio across from the Manorhamilton Library library (corner building of the old florist shop). All are welcome as we always need fresh ideas. Tea and biscuits provided!

Also Invasive species removal training course coming up.....

9th May Sligo ATU 10.30 am
Really good training course being organised by Sligo Bay Catchment Rivers Trust who we will be working with over the summer on the removal of Himalayan balsam from the North Leitrim rivers that flow into County Sligo.

23/04/2026

Calling all parent of primary school children! Please send a message to your school principal asking them to send this book back to SEEFA or the society of Irish Foresters (details below)!
or email [email protected] and/or [email protected] to let them know what you think of their 'booklet'
It is an inappropriate, unbalanced, greenwashing booklet portraying sitka spruce in a green light. Yes it may be good as a commercial crop for timber for the construction industry, but it is not good for our environment, particulry when poorly managed or planted in the wrong location (clear felling/planting on bogs/cliffsides/mountains/beside rivers etc.)
Apparently, two copies of this booklet, along with a digital version (including a narrated story with sound effects), are being sent to every primary school on the island of Ireland. This book is an 'almost copy' of a UK booklet produced in 2024., which was supported by the UK construction industry. The digital resources are also not updated for the Irish context, and also include the sounds of a 'generic eagle soundbyte' often heard on hollywood movies!!! 😲 (Producers of this booklet are - Society of Irish Foresters, DCU Alpha, Old Finglas road, Glasnevin, Dublin 11; SEEFA, IBEC, 84-86 Lower Baggot street, Dublin 2.

15/04/2026

We have our first cherry laura/rhodo clearing day of the year in Milltown woods. They are devastating the beloved local woodland and if we get on top of it early, we can prevent huge loss in the future!

Sunday 19th 10:30AM - Milltown Woods Carpark A. Please carpool from the Manor Castle if possible at 10:20AM
Tea/Biscuits provided. Please bring proper footwear and gloves. We will have all the gear required and spare gloves if you need them.

13/04/2026

Many thanks to Eoin Gallagher Leitrim Observer / Leitrim Live for coverage of our screening of Beta Bajgart 's The Forest Midwife.

Leitrim venue hosts screening of film investigating local forestry practices

Leitrim's Bee Park Community Centre hosted a screening of ‘The Forest Midwife’ followed by a discussion last Thursday night

Leitrim's Bee Park Community Centre hosted a screening of ‘The Forest Midwife’ followed by a discussion last Thursday night

10/04/2026

What a wonderful evening at our showing of The Forest Midwife at the Bee Park Community Centre, Manorhamilton last night. Almost 50 people squeezed in to see the film and hear the panel discussion that followed. Film maker Beta Bajgart See the Light, one of the panelists shared the experience of her portrayal of Catherine Cleary's Social Entrepreneurs Ireland project of growing native trees in Roscommon. Oscar Mooney a PhD student from Trinity College chaired the panel discussion. Also on the panel were Anja Murray ecologist, author & broadcaster Yosef Dvores, ecologist and chairperson of Our Native Glens, and Tommy Earley from Mountallen Eco Tours

The thoughtful and insightful after screening discussion included topics such as monoculture forestry and how that has led to negative connotations with the word ' forestry'. Loss of people & animals from the landscape was highlighted and the gender imbalance in the female heavy attendance, posing the question "Is it women only who care about the environment?" Anja Murray stressed the importance of having trees in the right place. Leitrim is lucky to still have important semi-natural grassland, a habitat for rare & important species.

People enjoyed a post event cuppa and several pockets of discussions continued. Watch this space for our next event!

Leitrim Local Environmental Network Leitrim PPN Leitrim Development Company Sligo Environmental Network

08/12/2025

Just been updating Our Native Glens Website with our next events this Sunday the 14th of December , 10am (tree planting) and Sunday the 11th of January (Lichen Walk n Talk with Howard Fox). Meet up this Sunday is at 10am at Manorhamilton Castle Car Park. further details at

Our Native Glens will be going Tree Planting around Manorhamilton this Sunday. Meet up at 10am at the Castle Car Park for Car sharing. Bring your wellies and waterproofs, a spade (if you have one), and water bottle.