National What Week?

N aturenet has every fact the good environmentalist needs or wants... Calenderand this is the one page you've been asking for for years. An incomplete guide to the national and international days and dates in the wildlife and living environment calendar, which might stimulate some idea for events you can run yourself in support.. A few are included which, whilst not strictly environmental, might be good themes for events. We don't list events that are location-based, as the idea is that these are events that others can join in with.

Something missing? You know the details? Tell us here.

We include a few days which seem to have reached the end of their natural lives - but there's always room to revive them so the most recent information is still given. Where only the last year's date is shown it may be that the next date is not announced yet - or we haven't noticed it. Some of the dates only get set quite late in the year, so check the link in the right-hand column if there is one. It might be helpful - but some of these websites don't make it easy for you!

Event
Next date/last known date
Every year?
Contact/Link
Big Garden Bird Watch 28 - 30 January 2017 ? last weekend in January RSPB Birdwatch
World Wetlands Day 2 February 2 February Ramsar
National Bramley Apple Week 6–12 February 2017 ? National Bramley Apple Week
National Nest Box Week 14-21 February 14 - 21 February every year BTOPages marked with this symbol are exclusively written for Naturenet or Birdcare
Biodiversity Month March March every year Going for Green. Now apparently defunct
National Outdoor Week 12-20 March Same date every year, we think. Countryside Agency initiative, not updated since 2005, probably no longer supported
World Day for Water 22 March 22 March every year UNESCO
World Meteorological Day 23 March 23 March United Nations (UN)
International Dawn Chorus Day 7 May 2017 First weekend in May Wildlife Trusts; IDCD website
Walk in the Woods May Yes - every May The Tree Council. Tel:020 7828 9928
Walk in the Woods
National Pet Month 1 April - 1 May 2017 ?

National Pet Month.
Used to be National Pet Week. It's grown!

National Beanpole Week 9-17 April 2016 Annually since 2008

Small Woods Association - http://www.beanpoles.org.uk/

International Compost Awareness Week May 7-13, 2017 Yes

Supported by various composting organisations

World Fish Migration Day April 21, 2018 Appears to be biennial Fish Ecology Network
National Mills Weekend 13-14 May 2017 Second weekend in May SPAB Mills section
National Moth Night 12 - 14 October 2017 Varies widely National Moth Night (actually more than one night now)
Be Nice to Nettles Week 14 - 25 May 2014 Late May each year Be Nice to Nettles Week; CONE
Scotland's Nature Festival 2016 "Scotland's Nature Festival is taking a break in 2017" SNH - event used to be Scottish Biodiversity Week.
International Day for Biological Diversity 22 May 22 May (formerly 29 December) United Nations (UN)
European Day of Parks 24 May 24 May every year EUROPARC
World Turtle Day 23 May Every year The Humane Society of the United States
Dragonfly Week 23-31 July 2016 Varies British Dragonfly Society
Wildlife Week ? Not sure this is still a thing. Wildlife Trusts.
Volunteers Week 1-7 June 1-7 June every year Volunteers Week
World Environment Day 5 June 5 June every year United Nations (UN)
World Oceans Day 8 June 8 June every year BMLSS
International School Grounds Month May Every May

International School Grounds Alliance
Incorporates National School Grounds Week from Learning through Landscapes.

National Insect Week 20 June to 26 June 2016 Every two years, varies. National Insect Week
Run by the Royal Entomological Society since 2004
Wales Biodiversity Week 3th- 11 June 2017 Annually, around first week of June Biodiversity Wales.
International Mud Day 29 June Annually, we think it's always the same day World Forum
The Big Butterfly Count 14 July -6 August 2017 Yes Butterfly Conservation. Supesedes the now defunct Save Our Butterflies Week
National Parks Week 24 - 30 July 2017 Varies.

Association of National Park Authorities
Don't confuse with identically-named events held in other countries.

National Mammal Week 21-29 October 2017 ? The Mammal Society.
Enjoy Your Local Nature Reserve Week 14-25 July 2004 ? Enjoy your Local Nature Reserve.
No sign of an update since 2005
International Bog Day 27 July, 2014 4th Sunday in July Scottish Wildlife Trust.
Event seemingly no longer supported centrally, but date used by various bodies still.
World Ranger Day 31 July Every year International Ranger Federation
National Marine Week 23 Jul - 7 Aug 2016 Varies Wildlife Trusts
National Allotments Week 14 to 20 August 2017 Annually since 2005 National Allotment Gardens Trust
International Bat Weekend 27-28 August 2016 Last weekend of August each year Bat Conservation Trust
Great British Beachclean 15-18 September 2017 Annually, third weekend of September Marine Conservation Society, event was formerly Beachwatrch
International Coastal Cleanup 17 September 2017 In September Ocean Conservancy. This event is part of Great British Beachclean in the UK.
International Car Free Day 22 September 22 September 22september.org
National Badger Day 4 October 2014 First Saturday in October every year The Badger Trust.
Red Squirrel Week 24 Sept – 2 Oct 2017 Yes Red Squirrel Week; Wildlife Trusts
World Habitat Day   1st Monday in October UN. Although it sounds like biodiversity, is about human housing and shelter. Thought we'd better include it though.
European Shark Week 15th to 23rd October 2011 Annually from 2007-2011. Now finished. The Shark Alliance. Event now finished.
Will for Wildlife Week October? ? Wildlife Trusts - varies by local trust
Seed Gathering Season 23 September - 23 October every year Annually The Tree Council; Seed Gathering Season.
Used to be 'Seed Gathering Sunday' but has grown. We think the dates are the same each year.
Apple Day 21 October 21 October every year Common Ground
Feed the Birds Day 28-29 October 2017 Last weekend of October RSPB (yes, it's a weekend, but it's called a day)
Make A Difference Day (volunteers day) 28 October 2017 Last Saturday in October CSV 0800 284 533
Youth Work Week 6– 12 November 2017 1st week in November The National Youth Agency
International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 6 November 6 November every year United Nations (UN)
National Tree Week

25 Nov - 3 Dec 2017

Yes The Tree Council 020 7828 9928
National Tree Week
Tree Dressing Day 2-3 December 2017 1st full weekend in December Common Ground
International Volunteer Day 5 December 5 December United Nations (UN)
Festival of Winter Walks 17 Dec 2016 - 8 Jan 2017 Over the Christmas-New Year period every year Ramblers

2010 is the...

International Year of Biodiversity

2009 was the...

Year of Science

Year of Astronomy

International Year of Natural Fibres

2008 was the...

International Year of Planet Earth
International Year of the Reef
and, perhaps more importantly: International Year of the Potato

2007 was the...

Year of the Dolphin
International Polar Year

2006 was the...

The International Year of Deserts and Desertification
Year of the Outback

2005 was the...

International Year for Sport and Physical Education
Year of the Volunteer

2004 was the...

We couldn't find anything for 2004 to be the year of, except the CAMRA 'Year of Beer with Food'. That wasn't too bad.
International Year to commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition
Oh, and the International Year of Rice. But we don't really care about that as much as we do beer.

2003 was the...

International Year of Freshwater 2003

2002 was the...

International Year of Reviewing Ecotourism
and International Year of Ecotourism
International Year of Culture Heritage 2002
International Year of Mountains 2002

See Also

Count Me In: for dates of just about every week/month/day etc there is, including all the above and many others.
Reuters AlertNet List
UN list of international annual days and weeks, years decades etc

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