Cork roots with a national reach

After ten years of grassroots conservation and public engagement, Cork Nature Network has now rebranded.

Now called Nature Network Ireland, it reflects its national reach and a decade of impact in wildlife conservation, citizen science, and biodiversity protection.

This evolution reflects the organisation’s community-powered action for biodiversity across the country.

Gill Weyman, Chairperson of Nature Network Ireland, said: “This evolution reflects our ambition and the scale of our work.

“We’ve grown into a national network of people and partners who care deeply about nature and who believe that conservation starts with community.”

Founded in 2015, the group began with a local otter survey and has since evolved into a national leader in wildlife conservation, citizen science, and nature-based education.

Its flagship initiative, the Otter Spotter, remains a cornerstone project inviting people across Ireland to report sightings and signs of the Eurasian otter, generating ecological data and strengthening public connection to local waterways.

Elsewhere, the Beaumont Quarry project has become a leading example of urban biodiversity restoration, transforming a once-disused quarry in Cork city into a vibrant sanctuary for native flora and fauna.

Through active community involvement, careful habitat management, and ongoing species monitoring, the project showcases the potential for nature to thrive even in the midst of a bustling urban environment.

In 2024, the organisation ran 34 events, including two webinars educating the public as well as its members, clean-ups, biodiversity walks, and information stands across Cork city, county, and beyond.