Knocksink Wood Education Centre

24/06/2026

This Week is a great opportunity to talk about invasive species and the impact they can have on our local environment.

Invasive species are plants, animals or other organisms that spread outside their natural range and compete with native species for space and resources.

Recently, we have been carrying out invasive species management in woodland areas, focusing on invasive plants such as Winter Heliotrope in Knocksink Wood Nature Reserve.

Have you spotted it? Winter Heliotrope is often mistaken for native plants such us Butterbur or Coltsfoot because their leaves look very similar.

Winter Heliotrope is highly invasive and can regenerate from small root fragments, making it difficult to control once established.
By learning and identify invasive species, we can all help protect our native wildlife and habitats.

For more info Biodiversity Ireland

23/06/2026

Arising from current weather patterns and high temperatures a high fire risk is deemed to exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as dead grasses and shrub fuels such as heather and gorse exist.

Current conditions are forecast to largely remain in place throughout the span of this notice with further increase in temperatures possible. Elevated fire risks are expected in all areas
during this period. Expected fire behaviour, rate of spread and difficulty of suppression should be reduced due to high levels of live vegetation available but may be affected by higher windspeeds during Thursday June 25th.

Members of the public and visitors to recreational areas should cooperate with all requests regarding fire safety, obey all relevant bye-laws and be considerate in parking vehicles so as not to impede access by emergency vehicles. Where fire outbreaks occur at or near recreational areas the following actions should be taken by visitors in the interests of safety.

1. Do not light fires in and around forests or open land.
2. Do not attempt to intervene or fight fires under any circumstances.
3. Gather all family/group members and move to a safe fuel-free location such as a car park, upwind of the fire.
4. Telephone Fire and Rescue Services via 112 and report the fire and its location.
5. Evacuate if instructed to do so, and cooperate with all Emergency Service Instructions.

Updated Fire Weather information can be found at:
https://www.met.ie/forecasts/farming/graphs/fire-weather-index
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/01773-fire-management/ -danger-notices

18/06/2026

Grey squirrels are an invasive species of EU concern and remain widespread in many parts of Ireland. Local authorities and the National Parks & Wildlife Service are exploring management options and want to hear your views. Take part in the survey and have your say.

https://biodiversityireland.ie/grey-squirrel-feasibility-study/

15/06/2026

Join us this Saturday at 10:00 am!

📍We'll be meeting at Kilcoole Train Station before setting off. Everyone is welcome.

It’s that time off year again so we are heading to Kilcoole on Saturday 20th June for our annual visit to the Little Tern colony. NPWS folks will be on hand to tell us about the Cooldross breeding project, and of course we will see and hear all sorts of interesting species on our walk from the station car park.

Full details in the poster (designed by Noelle Doyle). We’ll look forward to seeing you there!

15/06/2026

13/06/2026

NPWS Wicklow at Beyond The Pale!

Come and see us! 🥳

09/06/2026

21/05/2026

Friday 22nd May: Special Screening of “Catchment” Short Film Series
Knocksink Wood Education Centre*, 7.30pm

From mountains to sea, from headwaters to estuary, the catchment of a river connects and encompasses entire ecosystems, carrying animals and plants, people and pollutants alike. This beautiful series of short films explores river catchments across Wicklow and beyond, introducing the lives of river creatures and the people who protect them.

Refreshments at 7pm, screening at 7.30. *Please note that the carpark at Knocksink Wood Education Centre is currently closed; the Education Centre is a pleasant 15-20 minutes stroll from the Bog Meadow Car Park in Enniskerry village.

20/05/2026

Meet the night fliers of Deputy's Pass to wrap up Natura 2000 Day!

Thursday 21st May: Bat Walk at Deputy’s Pass Nature Reserve

Meet at Deputy’s Pass Car Park 9.30pm

Nocturnal and numerous, and source of much folklore, bats are among our most common and at the same time least understood native mammals. Join us at Deputy’s Pass this Natura 2000 Day for a bat walk in the woods at night. Learn about their lives and their role in the woods, and how we find out which bats live where!

For all ages. Wrap up warm for the walk at night, bring a torch if you have one, and even better a bat detector – if you don’t, we’ll be sharing some round on the walk and showing you how to use them! Unfortunately dogs (excluding guide dogs) are not permitted on this walk.

16/05/2026

Join the Education Team - this time at Cahore!

3:00 pm – Meet the NPWS Education Team for a pop-up talk about the Little Terns at Old Bawn Carpark.

7:00 pm – Guided Walk to meet the plants which make Cahore Dunes their home and the invasive species which threaten their delicate habitat! Starting from Old Bawn Carpark. In partnership with Ballygarrett Tidy Towns and the Clean Coasts Roadshow.



Wrap up for an evening walk and join us for some refreshments after! Unfortunately dogs (excluding guide dogs) are not permitted on this walk.