Offaly Local Development Company have launched a free training programme on Water Biodiversity and water resource management for the County of Offaly. The programme is aimed at community groups and individuals with an interest in raising awareness of their local rivers, lakes and waterways and promoting and protecting the quality of our water resources and biodiversity.
The programme offers participants the opportunity to learn about water biodiversity and to gain the skills and knowledge to develop Water Biodiversity Action Plans for their local catchment and community.
Two training courses are to run simultaneously in two areas of County Offaly and modules will be delivered online, with hands-on practical field sessions on location. The series of interactive sessions will be facilitated by environmental experts and will also include a facilitated in-person session to create local Water Biodiversity Action Plans.
Course participants will be introduced to Citizen Science monitoring methods, with kick sampling, micro-invertebrate identification, and determining a stream or river's water quality. They will learn how to record and report data as well as how to create Biodiversity Action Plans. The aim is to promote conservation and sustainable management of water resources in County Offaly in partnership with local communities, by empowering participants with the knowledge and expertise to put together Local Water Biodiversity Action Plans and identify potential funding sources to facilitate local communities to put the plans into action.
The programme, organised by Offaly Local Development Company in partnership with Local Authority Waters Programme – LAWPRO, is funded under the Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2022.
For further info or to register please email projects@corknaturenetwork.ie or Tel: 087 228 2040
For FULL Water Biodiversity Training Prospectus 2022 please click HERE
