Left to Right: Director of Services Patrick Greene, Environmental Awareness Officer Fergal Cushen, Assistant Staff Officer Diarmaid Ó Nualláin, Waste Enforcement Officer David Walsh, Deputy Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr. Niall Mc Nelis
SPACES for Biodiversity Competition will return for a second year, Galway City Council have announced.
Promotion of biodiversity friendly private gardens across the city, as well as public areas is the focus of the competition. The Spaces for Biodiversity Competition seeks to highlight the importance of small-scale spaces that contribute to environmental sustainability and support the vital work of pollinators.
This year, the competition has expanded to include a dedicated School’s Category, allowing schools throughout the city to showcase their creative and innovative efforts to promote biodiversity and create pollinator-friendly spaces. The competition encourages the public to look at areas in and around the city, from residential gardens to public spaces, where biodiversity can thrive.
Participants are encouraged to take creative and innovative approaches to even small spaces, with a focus on food, shelter, and safety for pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies.
The competition winners will be invited to an award night in October where there will be a prize for first place, vouchers, framed certificates and other goodies. Entries are open to all areas of Galway City, including residential properties, schools, community groups, and businesses. It provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate the creativity of Galway’s residents while also encouraging sustainable environmental practices.
Fergal Cushen, Environmental Awareness Officer for Galway City Council, commented, “Collectively, private gardens comprise a huge area in cities and present fantastic opportunities for ‘niches for nature’—vital habitat connectivity for wildlife throughout the city. We’re not looking for pristine spaces, but those that are thoughtfully maintained with consideration for biodiversity, no matter how small the area may be”.
The inaugural competition last year showcased a wonderful variety of creative, wildlife-friendly spaces, with participants demonstrating immense pride in their efforts to enhance biodiversity in Galway. The competition aims to raise awareness of the need to protect and enhance biodiversity in urban spaces, in alignment with both national and local Biodiversity Action Plans.
Chair of Galway City Tidy Towns and Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Neil McNelis (LAB) said, “The standard of entries last year was no surprise to me; the people of Galway have always shown enormous pride in keeping the city clean and engaging with their surrounding environment. The competition gives the City Council a chance to acknowledge this great work and encourage even more people to get involved”.
For more information on how to enter, visit https://www.GalwayCity.ie/Services/Environment/Environment-Services/Spaces-For-Biodiversity-Competition.
