Welcome to Explore Your Shore, a new citizen science project run by the National Biodiversity Data Centre and funded by the EPA.

Explore Your Shore is aimed at increasing levels of biodiversity data recording around the coast of Ireland, while exploring the use of intertidal species as bio-indicators of water quality and climate change.

Our new website is exploreyourshore.ie and our site will be updated with new surveys, news, events, blogs and resources as the project is rolled out during 2019. We have two surveys up and running for you to use and to get out exploring the Biodiversity of your local shore.

Seashore Spotter is our entry level survey designed to collect casual species records from anyone who is out and about on our coastline. No matter what you are doing at the coast, you can always submit a marine species record via our online recording form or app (for Android and iPhone). Just record your details, your location and the species – please include a photo to help us verify the what you saw.

The Big Beach Biodiversity Survey is a timed survey, recording bivalve shells and other flotsam cast up on the tide. We are asking you to record both live and dead animals and plants found on the beach. The dead animals will have originated from the adjacent sea area and can provide a really useful indication of the diversity of live living beneath the waves just off the shore. Getting involved is easy and a The Big Beach Biodiversity Survey can be completed in as little as 30 minutes. All you need is a camera and a smart phone or our paper recording sheet.

Keep an eye on our News & Events pages for regular project updates and we will be active on the National Biodiversity Data Centre Twitter and Facebook accounts too using our #ExploreYourShoreIRL hashtag.