Invasive Species workshops this week

This is Invasive Species Week 2026, running from Monday, 22 June to Sunday, 28 June, organised by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, writes Brian Byrne. It aims to raise awareness about invasive species and promote actions to prevent their spread, and, as part of the week’s activities, two engaging workshops will be held at Kilcullen Heritage Centre on Wednesday and Thursday. 

These workshops will focus on aquatic invasive species, both plant and animal, and will feature live samples. Attendees will have the opportunity to use microscopes to examine smaller species. Each workshop is limited to 25 participants, so booking is available on Eventbrite here.

The exhibition and talk will run from 6pm to 7.30pm at Kilcullen Town Hall, followed by the outdoor demonstration from 7.30pm to 8.30pm at the River Liffey.

The events will feature Dr Jan-Robert Baars of University College Dublin’s School of Biology and Environmental Science and Ethan Bannon, a research assistant and junior ecologist with an MSc in Wildlife Conservation and Management from UCD. 

Common invasive species in Ireland include plants such as Rhododendron ponticum, Himalayan Balsam, and Japanese Knotweed, as well as animals like the Asian Clam, Zebra Mussel, and Asian Hornet. Last year, public sightings of the Asian hornet in Cork led to the swift removal of two nests.

For more information about Invasive Species Week, visit invasives.ie/invasivespeciesweek/. To report a sighting of an invasive species, go to https://invasives.ie/reportsightings/.

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