16/02/2026
On Saturday, we held a talk in Trim Library on the topic 'Biodiversity on the Boyne' ππ¦π¦¦π¦π¦’ππ±
Over 30 people joined us to hear all about the different projects taking place in the area from habitat restoration, to education and wild animal rehabilitation π₯
I spoke about what biodiversity is, how and why we record species and gave some examples of the work done locally to both educate the public and to restore habitats πΏ In particular, I spoke about the success of the Sand martin (Riparia riparia) wall that was constructed in August 2024. Information from local Terrence Cassidy of was shared, including how the 72 nest sites provided for Sand Martins were all occupied in 2025 which would equate to approx. 500 chicks fledged! πͺΊ
Thanks so much to Sarah Austin of who taught us the importance of our river ecosystems and how riparian habitat restoration is crucial not only in terms of the ecological health of our rivers but also when it comes to flood alleviation π She also shared information on all the wonderful projects taking place in our catchment and informed us on how we can get involved with tree planting and seed collecting events π³π
Thanks also to SeΓ‘n Byrne from who shared some of the wonderful animal rehabilitation stories in KWR. It was great to get an understanding of how the modern world isn't suited to many wild animals, from herons becoming entangled in fishing lines, to swans mistakenly landing on newly surfaced roads. The time, effort and money (~β¬2k per otter?! π¦¦) put into rehabilitating each animal is astonishing. Hopefully sharing this work will help people to appreciate the value of our animal neighbours and the crucial work KWR do! π
Thanks as always to the wonderful staff in Trim library who provided us with a beautiful space as well as teas, coffees and biscuits to keep everyone happy β