Firstly it should be said that you don’t always have to pay the membership fee and become a member of a non-profit organisation to get great benefits! Often, many non-profit organisations will have the option for the public to subscribe/sign up for newsletters, updates and general happenings of that organisation. This is usually done by means of signing up with your email address and receiving weekly, monthly, annual updates etc. But in the case that a wildlife enthusiast would like to have more contact with the organisation and become more involved, becoming a member of an organisation of interest is always a great to do so!

Becoming a member can often come with great advantages for those who want a bit more than newsletters and general updates. Memberships often come with more detailed information, events, networking and communication as well as opportunities to become directly involved with their work as well as many discounted materials and personal benefits that the general public would not avail of. Being a member of a group that you have a personal interest in is an excellent way to branch out socially and can often lead to discovering new hobbies you never thought you would like or even consider!

Here’s a list of just some of the popular conservation-based organisations that offer memberships to the general public in Ireland: 

The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT)

Irish Wildlife Trust is absolutely brilliant to be involved with, especially for mammal lovers such as myself! The IWT offers a few different membership types such as Individual membership, discounted membership for OAP’s, Juniors and Students and Family bundle memberships! These kind of memberships range from €15 – €50! Membership to this organisation is greatly beneficial as it provides its members with award-winning quarterly magazine called ‘Irish Wildlife’, welcome packs and access to IWT publications as well as access to their events including projects, special-interest lectures, wildlife walks and talks on wildlife in local areas.

Have a look for yourself on their membership options here!

Birdwatch Ireland 

Birdwatch Ireland are fantastic for their constant campaigning for bird protection in Ireland and they are an excellent organisation to be connected with! For anyone with a keen interest in birds, this is 100% the organisation for you! This organisation offers a large range of different membership types to suit pretty much anyone with an interest in birds!! These memberships range from discounted memberships (€25) to Key memberships (€80). The organisation have a huge range of events that happen every month all over the country which includes excursions, birdwatching activities, surveying, talks, presentations etc.

If you love birdwatching and any type of bird-related activity then have a read of the options that Birdwatch Ireland offer here!

Seal Rescue Ireland

The Seal Rescue is a personal favourite of mine, the work they do at their centre is incredible and they are an inspiring charity for wildlife rehab and conservation in Ireland. This charity offer great memberships monthly that range from €5 (Basic Membership) to €50 (Platinum Membership). Memberships include free passes to be ‘Seal Rescuer for a day’ and annual calendars as well as info packs, discounts, behind the scenes access, etc! It is definitely worth being a member of this charity if you have a love for marine mammals!

If you love seals and would like to find out more info on their membership options then click here to see more!

Bat Conservation Ireland

I can’t say enough about the Bat Conservation Ireland organisation, it really is fantastic! The organisation offers everything from bat info packages to scientific research access. Like many of the other organisations I’ve mentioned, the Bat Conservation Ireland do school visits to education children of all ages about bats and their conservation work. If you are interested in Bats and conservation in Ireland, this organisation is well worth the membership! The Bat Conservation Ireland offers a range of different memberships to suit everybody. Memberships include concessions for students, OAP’s, etc from €10 to a LIFETIME membership for just €100. 

Click here to find out more about their offers and membership packages!

These organisations are just a few from a huge range that can be offered in Ireland! There are so many different types of biodiversity and conservation based organisations that offer amazing memberships and subscription offers for the general public.

For anyone, novice or veteran of conservation charities, who would like to become more involved in outdoor conservation work, the best place to start is locally, get involved in local branches of these types of organisations and go from there! Not only will you be broadening your social network, you will be learning more about your local environment and noticing things you wouldn’t have considered before!