National Parks & Wildlife Service Education Programmes

The National Parks & Wildlife Service runs a series of Education Centres around the country. The Education Centres aim to raise awareness of the natural world and of conservation. Programmes are free of charge to schools, and to the general public. Each centre offers site specific programmes, but typically, they may offer Nature Awareness programmes to primary schools and ecology and geography fieldwork to secondary schools. They may also offer special events and tours for the public.

Aims of National Parks & Wildlife Service's Education Programme:

To promote respect, understanding and care for heritage and particularly for the natural world.
To encourage the development of environmentally friendly practices.
To inform the public about the National Parks and Wildlife service and their role in conservation.

Currently there are ten sites where persons can avail of Education Programmes with NPWS and these include:

Ballycroy National Park Education Programme

The Education Programme for Ballycroy National Park is now fully booked for 2011. We will be taking bookings again in Spring 2012.

If you would like to register your interest for the Education Programme in Spring/Summer 2012, please call 098 49872 or email us ballycroyvisitorcentre@ahg.gov.ie.

The visitor centre offers a varied education programme. We try to accommodate any interested group that would like to use our facilities, this includes primary schools, secondary schools, third level groups, senior citizens groups to name just a few.

The Education Programme is FREE of charge.

Primary Schools

The primary schools programme focuses on nature awareness, with themed days for all classes from junior infants up to 6th class. We have 2 themed programmes available at the moment. Nature Awareness which gives an insight into the animals and plants within the National Park and surrounding area and Bog Detective Challenge where the children go out and explore what plants and animals are found in the bog habitat.

NOTE: At least one adult leader per ten children with a maximum group size of 30.

Secondary Schools

The secondary schools programme focuses on bog ecology for Leaving Certificate & Junior Certificate students. The programme complies with the curriculum requirements.

NOTE: At least one adult leader per ten children with a maximum group size of 30.

Interest Groups & Senior Citizen Groups

They may wish to avail of a lecture and/or guided walk.

How to Book

Please note that our diary can fill up very quickly. So, please, if you wish to book a place, ring as early as possible.

We only take bookings by phone (098-49872) and our service is free of charge.

We insist that groups bring at least one adult leader per ten children with a maximum group size of 30.

These leaders are responsible for the supervision of the group.

For the NPWS Code of Behaviour for Child Protection please click here (pdf)

Practicalities

• Minibuses and coaches can drive up to the visitor centre and park in the designated bus parking spaces.
• Children are advised to bring full rain gear and suitable footwear and to bring a spare pair of clothes.

How to Find Us

The Visitor Centre is located in the village of Ballycroy on the N59 road between Mulranny and Bangor Erris.