Leave No Trace Ireland

Leave No Trace Ireland Leave No Trace Ireland is Ireland’s countryside code providing responsible outdoor recreation

19/06/2026

Before heading out to the beach this weekend, remember…
Knowing and loving our landscape makes it easier to protect it 🌊

When we take the time to notice and care for these places, we connect with the Anam Na Háite, the soul of the place. That connection reminds us that our coastlines are more than somewhere to visit; they're living ecosystems that deserve our respect.

So remember:

Leave nature where you find it.
Give wildlife space.
Stay off the dunes.
And Leave No Trace behind! 🌿🐚

Follow along as we explore Ireland's diverse habitats throughout the campaign, sharing simple ways we can all help protect the places we love.

Love This Place.
Because when we truly love a place, we want to protect it.

18/06/2026

You might walk past it without a second thought, but marram grass is one of the most important plants on Ireland's coastline. 🌾🌊

Found across our sandy beaches and dunes, marram grass acts as nature's coastal engineer. Its deep, spreading roots trap and hold sand in place, helping to build and stabilise dunes that protect our shores from wind, waves and erosion.

These dunes are more than just piles of sand... They are living habitats that support insects, birds and other wildlife, providing shelter and food in an environment that can seem harsh and exposed.

That being said, marram grass is surprisingly vulnerable!

When dunes are repeatedly trampled, the roots can become damaged, making it harder for the grass to hold the sand together. Over time, this can lead to erosion and the loss of important habitat.

That's why staying on marked paths and boardwalks matters so much. A small choice from each visitor helps protect an entire ecosystem!

Next time you're by the sea, take a moment to notice the marram grass swaying in the breeze. It's doing more for the coastline than most of us realise. 💚

Love This Place.
Because when we truly love a place, we want to protect it.

Ireland's beaches give us so much! 🌊They are places to slow down, reconnect, explore and create memories. But they're al...
17/06/2026

Ireland's beaches give us so much! 🌊

They are places to slow down, reconnect, explore and create memories. But they're also living ecosystems - home to wildlife, fragile dune systems and countless species that depend on these habitats to survive.

As the first habitat we're exploring in this year's Love This Place campaign, beaches remind us that every landscape has its own story, its own challenges, and its own ways we can help protect it.

The good news? Protecting them starts with simple choices.

Leave nature where you find it. Give wildlife space.

And when you're visiting the coast, stay on the beach - dunes are a habitat, not a shortcut. The dune grass and root systems hold these landscapes together, and even small disturbances can cause damage that can take decades to recover. Where a boardwalk is provided, use it.

Small actions from each of us can make a big difference.
Different Landscapes. Shared Responsibility.

Taking the time to understand the places we visit helps us connect with them more deeply and care for them more meaningfully.

Anam na háite - the soul of the place.

If you love spending time by the sea, take a moment to learn what makes these places so special and help keep them that way for future generations. 💚🌊

Save this for your next beach adventure.

Follow along as we explore Ireland's diverse habitats throughout the campaign, sharing simple ways we can all help protect the places we love.

Love This Place.
Because when we truly love a place, we want to protect it.

Fáilte Ireland Tourism Ireland Waterways Ireland Sport Ireland CIE Tours National Parks and Wildlife Service OPW - Office of Public Works Inland Fisheries Ireland Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Coillte

And just like that, our 2026 AGM is complete 🙌Today we gathered at Airfield Estate to reflect on an extraordinary year a...
11/06/2026

And just like that, our 2026 AGM is complete 🙌

Today we gathered at Airfield Estate to reflect on an extraordinary year and look ahead to the next chapter of our journey!

Surrounded by nature in one of Dublin's most beautiful outdoor spaces, it was a fitting setting to celebrate the collective effort behind protecting Ireland's landscapes, coastlines, rivers, forests and wild places.

To everyone who joined us, in person and online, thank you! Your commitment to responsible outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship continues to drive our mission forward.

📌 2025 By The Numbers:
→ 2.35 million people reached through the Love This Place campaign
→ 14,000 volunteer hours contributed nationwide
→ 200,000 people reached annually through training, events and programmes
→ 192 accredited Leave No Trace courses delivered across every county
→ 500+ members and 800+ wider stakeholders engaged
→ 32 corporate partners supporting our work
→ 19 staff delivering impact nationwide
→ 34% campaign recall nationally - more than 1 in 3 adults recognise Leave No Trace messaging
→ 3 active EU research projects advancing responsible outdoor recreation
→ Strategic Plan 2026–2029 launched, setting the direction for the years ahead

Wow…

The AGM gave us an opportunity to reflect on a year that marked the successful completion of our previous five-year strategy - our most impactful period to date. To reaffirm our commitment to conserving and protecting Ireland's outdoors for future generations.

A sincere thank you to our CEO Maura Kiely for sharing the story of a transformational year for Leave No Trace Ireland, to Pearl Clarke for presenting the organisation's strong financial performance and governance foundations, and to our Chair Paddy for his leadership and stewardship throughout the year.

As Clare reminded us in her closing remarks, protecting nature isn't simply about following rules, it's about caring deeply for the places we love. Through collaboration, education and community action, every conversation, every training session, every volunteer hour and EVERY responsible choice creates a ripple effect.

Together, we're building a culture where people can enjoy Ireland's outdoors while protecting them for generations to come. 🌿

Thank you to our Board, staff, trainers, members, volunteers, partners and supporters for everything you've contributed this year.

Onwards to 2026–2027 💚

10/06/2026

The Wildflowers ('bláth fiáin') blooming all over Ireland right now is something special! Our hedgerows, woodland edges and quiet paths are filled with life! 💮✨

Down at our feet, Herb Robert is everywhere at the minute - bringing little bursts of pink to roadsides, stone walls and shaded corners. Particularly good for bees and butterflies!

Elderflower is bloom as well, providing an important food source for pollinators.

Look closely and you might spot orchids appearing in grasslands and roadside verges, some of Ireland's most remarkable wildflowers (if you ask me) - incredible for our biodiversity too!

And scattered through lawns, meadows and field edges, clovers are quietly supporting bees and other pollinators throughout the summer.

Then there are the little wildflowers - the ones easy to miss if we rush past. Tiny mouse-eared chickweed, delicate vetch, soft blue forget-me-nots, and countless others tucked into the landscape around us.

And honestly, that's the beauty of this season in Ireland - the more you walk, slow down… the more you notice.

Every wildflower here matters. For pollinators. For biodiversity. For the health of our landscapes. And for that feeling of being connected to what’s going on around us.

So wherever you are today, slow down for a moment.

Take a closer look.

See what's blooming around you.

Love This Place.
Because when we truly love a place, we want to protect it.

From the wild Atlantic swells to quiet sheltered coves, the ocean helps shape our island. Our stories, biodiversity, lan...
08/06/2026

From the wild Atlantic swells to quiet sheltered coves, the ocean helps shape our island. Our stories, biodiversity, landscapes.

Today, on World Ocean Day, we celebrate the waters that connect us to nature, to place and ourselves.

The sea gives us so much. In return, we can help protect it through the choices we make! Leaving no trace, respecting wildlife and caring for our coasts.

Because when we truly love a place, we want to protect it. 🌊💙

Ireland's lakes tell the story of this island.They are places of heritage, biodiversity, memory and community. Yet many ...
04/06/2026

Ireland's lakes tell the story of this island.

They are places of heritage, biodiversity, memory and community. Yet many are facing unprecedented environmental pressures.

Thursday 11 June 2026, 10.30am | Ulster University, Belfast

The Irish Association will bring together scientists, environmentalists, policymakers, heritage experts and community leaders at Ulster University, Belfast for:

Saving Our Lakes: Shared Island Challenges and Opportunities

The conference will explore a simple but important question:

What can we learn from one another to help secure the future of Ireland's lakes and waterways?

From the challenges facing Lough Neagh to the lessons emerging from freshwater restoration projects across the island, the day will focus on practical solutions, shared learning and long-term stewardship.

We're delighted to welcome keynote speaker Professor Catherine Dalton, alongside an outstanding panel of speakers from across academia, conservation, policy and heritage.

At a time when environmental challenges do not recognise borders, conversations like these have never been more important.

We look forward to welcoming attendees from across the island for what promises to be a thoughtful and timely discussion.

03/06/2026

Today marks the official launch of Love This Place - our summer campaign celebrating the spirit of Ireland’s landscapes! Encouraging all of us to care for the places we love most. 🌿

From mountains and lakes to beaches, parks and woodlands, more people than ever are getting outside to experience nature - and with that comes a shared responsibility to protect it.

Because every place needs to be cared for differently!

Love This Place is about helping people better understand the impact of small actions!

Because when you truly love a place, you want to protect it.

This is just the beginning, and we’re so excited to bring this campaign to life. 💚

Anam na Háite
'the soul of the place'

Swifts are back in Ireland and summer has arrived! 🐦‍⬛☀️These remarkable birds return to Ireland each May after an extra...
03/06/2026

Swifts are back in Ireland and summer has arrived! 🐦‍⬛☀️

These remarkable birds return to Ireland each May after an extraordinary journey from sub-Saharan Africa, travelling thousands of kilometres to breed here before departing again in late summer.

Swifts are among nature's most impressive aerial specialists! They spend almost their entire lives in the air, eating, drinking, sleeping and even mating while flying?! Their short visit to Ireland is focused on one thing: raising the next generation.

June is one of the best times to see them. Look skyward around towns and villages where groups of swifts race through the air at incredible speeds, often calling loudly as they pass. These "screaming parties" are a familiar sound of summer and play an important role in helping young birds learn the location of nesting sites.

Despite their spectacular abilities, swifts are in trouble. Loss of nesting spaces in buildings has contributed to significant declines across Ireland. Conservation groups are encouraging communities to protect existing nest sites and install swift boxes to help these iconic summer visitors.

Simple ways we can help?

Protect existing nest sites:
Swifts often nest in small gaps and cavities in older buildings. If swifts are using a building, avoid blocking access holes or carrying out roof repairs during the nesting season (May to August).

Install swift nest boxes:
Specially designed swift boxes can provide safe nesting spaces where traditional sites have been lost. They work best when installed high on buildings, at least 5 metres above ground, with a clear flight path.

The best thing we can do for swifts is surprisingly simple: protect the places they call home. By safeguarding nest sites today, we can help ensure that the sound of screaming swifts remains a part of Irish summers for generations to come.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for the Lake Keel clean-up! ☀️🩵 It was a beautiful, positive and productive mo...
28/05/2026

A big thank you to everyone who joined us for the Lake Keel clean-up! ☀️🩵

It was a beautiful, positive and productive morning! With volunteers working together to remove litter from the water and surrounding landscape.

From bottles and cans to plastics caught in gorse, every piece removed makes a real difference. It was fantastic to see local groups and clubs getting involved - proof that caring for nature is a shared responsibility, and that collective action has real impact. 💪

@‌regenerawatersport Achill outdoor education centre Achill Surf Achill Island Surf Club

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