More than 600 primary level students across Ireland and Northern Ireland participated in Biodiversity Week workshops through Waterways Ireland’s education programme.

Biodiversity Week is one of seven different education programmes organised free of charge by Waterways Ireland both in the classroom and on the water throughout the school year.

This past week, seven workshops involving schoolchildren from 15 schools took place on Ireland’s inland waterways in Naas on the Naas branch, Drumshanbo on the River Shannon, Toomebridge on the Lower Bann, Mosstown on the Royal Canal, Ballyconnell on the Shannon-Erne Waterway, Robertstown on the Grand Canal, Killaloe on the River Shannon and Enniskillen on the Erne.

Tailored to each individual area, the workshops aimed to connect people with nature and communicate the importance of biodiversity, motivating people to play their part in protecting it.

It’s also about entertaining, showing the fun and wonder that can be found in nature, and inspiring people to learn more, see more and do more.

Students discovered the vast array of wildlife that call the waterways their home. Each group learned how to identify some of the plants and trees along the waterway and came face to face with some mini-beasts living there.

Environmental experts from across a range of disciplines delivered the workshops in conjunction with Waterways Ireland education and environment teams.