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 30 - 31 January 2010 ? last weekend in January RSPB Birdwatch
World Wetlands Day 2 February 2 February Ramsar
National Bramley Apple Week 1st-8th February 2009 ? None shown for 2010 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
National Science & Engineering Week 12 – 21 March 2010 Some time in March every year

The BAAS - used to be National Science Week

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 1 May 2010? 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 3 April - 3 May 2010 ?

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

Welly Week 21-27 April 2008 ?

Garden Organic
Not updated since 2008

National Beanpole Week 17-25 April 2010 Annually since 2008

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

International Compost Awareness Week Sunday 2 May - Saturday 8 May Yes

The Association for Organics Recycling although it's not clear if they are still supporting this event in the UK

Low Tide Day or LowTide May The Saturday in May with the lowest tide RiverOcean Website not fully updated since 2008, but date not centrally fixed anyway.
National Mills Weekend 8th & 9th May 2010 Second weekend in May SPAB Mills section
National Moth Night 15 May 2010 Varies widely National Moth Night
Be Nice to Nettles Week 19 - 30 May 2010 Late May each year Be Nice to Nettles Week; CONE
Scottish Biodiversity Week 16-24 May 2009 ? SNH
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 May 2009 Varies British Dragonfly Society
Wildlife Week 30 May to 20 June 2009 ? Wildlife Trusts.
That's some week!
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
National School Grounds Week 9 - 13 June 2010 Varies. Always in June

Learning through Landscapes. Unclear if this event is still running.

National Bike Week 12th to 20th June 2010 Annually, varies National Bike Week
Garden Moths Count 20-28 June 2009 Annually, varies Butterfly Conservation Is this different from National Moth Night? Not sure.
National Insect Week 21-27 June 2010 Irregular National Insect Week
Didn't run for a few years -made a resurgance in 2008, missed 2009 and now back in 2010
Great Landscapes Week 19-27 June 2004 ? CPRE. This event does not seem to be supported any longer
Wales Biodiversity Week 5th - 13th June 2010 Annually, varies Biodiversity Wales.
Save Our Butterflies Week 19-26 July 2008 Annually Butterfly Conservation.
Big Arts Week 19 - 23 June 2006  

Big Arts Week Don't think this happened after 2006. Do my Arts look big in this?

National Parks Week 27 July to 2 August 2009 Varies.

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

National Mammal Week 1-9 July 2006 ? The Mammal Society. No current info on the week on this website.
Enjoy Your Local Nature Reserve Week 14-25 July 2004 ? Enjoy your Local Nature Reserve.
No sign of an undate since 2005
International Bog Day 26 July 2009 Last Sunday in July Scottish Wildlife Trust.
Event seemingly no longer supported centrally, but date sometimes used still.
World Ranger Day 31 July Every year International Ranger Federation
National Marine Week 31st July - 15th August 2010 ? Wildlife Trusts
National Allotments Week August 10th - 16th 2009 Annually since 2005 National Allotment Gardens Trust
European Bat Weekend 28th-29th August 2010 Last weekend of August each year Bat Conservation Trust
Beachwatch 19-20 September 2009 Annually, third weekend of September Adoptabeach
International Coastal Cleanup 20 September 2008 In September Ocean Conservancy
International Car Free Day 22 September 22 September 22september.org
National Badger Day 3 October 2009 Every year The Badger Trust.
Red Squirrel Week 3 - 11 October 2009 ? Red Squirrel Week; Wildlife Trusts
World Habitat Day 5 October 2008 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 8-14 October Annually? Project AWARE
Will for Wildlife Week 20-27 October 2008 ? Wildlife Trusts
Seed Gathering Season 23 September - 23 October Annually in autumn The Tree Council; Seed Gathering Season.
Used to be 'Seed Gathering Sunday' but has grown. We think the dates are the same each year but it's not clear.
Apple Day 21 October 21 October every year Common Ground
Feed the Birds Day 18 October 2009 Third Saturday of October RSPB
Make A Difference Day (volunteers day) 31 October 2009 Last Saturday in October CSV 0800 284 533
Youth Work Week 2-8 November 2009 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 November - 6 December 2009 Yes The Tree Council 020 7828 9928
National Tree Week
Tree Dressing Day 5-6 December 2008 1st weekend in December Common Ground
International Volunteer Day 5 December 5 December United Nations (UN)
Festival of Winter Walks 26 December 2008 - 4 January 2009 Yes 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