Explore the Shore in Douglas Bay Marine Nature Reserve
Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch presents The Manx Nature Show, a celebration of the wildlife of the Isle of Man and those who work to conserve it.
The show will take place at Cathedral Isle of Man in Peel opening on 18th February and running until 6th May to take in Manx Wildlife Week.
Inside the Cathedral, the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and 22 local environmental groups will be given display boards to showcase their work, allowing people to discover who is group is, what they do, how to get involved and report sightings.
A collection of natural curiosities will be on loan from Manx National Heritage to include bones, shells and other fascinating wildlife specimens. Activities for children will include writing a wildlife pledge and completing a quiz sheet as they work their way around the show and gardens.
The BIG Manx Nature Show Scrapbook will provide a place for people to write down sightings of flora and fauna within the grounds and add sketches, poetry, or notes.
Many of the environmental groups will be running bookable workshops for adults and children within the Cathedral’s ecologically diverse gardens. These will include nature trails, bird walks, nest activities, bug hunts, gardening for wildlife, art sessions and much more. It will also serve as a meeting point for wildlife walks, litter picks and dolphin watches from Peel. A website calendar has been set up to advertise these workshops.
The opening event on Saturday 18th February, 10am-4pm, will provide an opportunity to meet representatives of the various environmental groups. There will be lots of nature activities for the children and Q/As for adults. Tea and coffee will be available for donation, and you are welcome to bring along a packed lunch and stay for as long as you wish.
The Manx Nature Show and Cathedral gardens will be open to walk around 7 days a week 9am-6pm (subject to church services) and bookable workshops will take place on selected dates. There are some dates which are strictly no admittance inside the Cathedral and these are all clearly listed on the website homepage.
The Manx Nature Show is being organised by Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch and celebrates and is made possible through support from UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man.
Entry will be free, but groups may charge admission for workshops. School and youth groups are encouraged to come along, and attendance could also count towards the Scouts’ and Guides’ ‘Biosphere Badge’.
Clare Barber MHK, Environment Minister and Vice Chair of UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man, said: ‘Conservation is one of the major roles of a UNESCO Biosphere and helping people learn about the importance of nature and wildlife and how to encourage and support it is another.
‘As well as my own Department, via its Biodiversity Strategy, we are fortunate to have many conservation groups working hard for wildlife in our Biosphere and this event will showcase everyone’s valuable work and its results.’
Main photo (website): Northern March Orchids taken by Wildflowers of Mann. Main photo (Mailchimp newsletter): Kingfisher taken by Peter Christian.
