Two Mayo schools achieve Nature Hero Award

St Peter's National School, Snugboro, Castlebar and a Mayo homeschool have achieved Nature Hero Awards for committment to biodiversity and environmental education.

The Nature Hero Awards, coordinated by "Biodiversity in Schools" and sponsored by Glenveagh, received registrations from 316 schools around Ireland representing over 93,000 students.

The awards help schools to positively steward their local land, improving biodiversity and educating young nature heroes throughout Ireland.

St. Peter’s National School, achieving Bronze Badger status, and the Mayo homeschool operated by Iranize Freire received a certificate to mark their great effort over the year and commitment to biodiversity and environmental education.

Iranize Freire also received a sustainably-made, Irish, wooden Nature Hero Award plaque for their homeschool’s Golden Eagle award.

Speaking about the partnership, Annette McGarry, Head of Community Engagement at Glenveagh commented, “We’re proud to collaborate with Biodiversity in Schools on this excellent educational initiative, and delighted to see so many schools and children participate this year."

She continued, "we congratulate all the schools on their fantastic achievements. Biodiversity plays such an important role in every community and we’re incredibly proud to support this brilliant initiative over the last four years”.

Speaking about the 2025 competition, Mark Nolan, Director of Biodiversity in Schools commented, “We've been amazed by the incredible work undertaken by schools across the country to help their local biodiversity.

A massive well done to all the schools who achieved 'Nature Hero' status this year. A special thank you to Glenveagh Homes for their continued support of this great initiative.”

Iranize had this to say about her family’s experience with the Nature Hero Awards, “Our family would like to say thank you for the opportunity to learn more about biodiversity. This experience has inspired us to appreciate nature more deeply, from the smallest insects to largest trees”.

For more information and to join the mailing list to be notified when registration reopens for the next academic year, visit www.biodiversityinschools.com