Award-winning nature writer to judge Young Nature Blogger 2021
Kerry Biosphere Reserve is hosting a writing open competition for anyone under 21 years of age – closing date August 12th 2021.
Are you a nature enthusiast, an aspiring writer or do you simply want to share a story about a place that means the world to you, then this competition is your perfect summer challenge!
Open until August 12th, the Young Nature Blogger Competition invites anyone under 21 years of age to share their nature experience. This can be a place, an activity in nature or your favourite animal. Entry is simple, blog style entries up to 500 words are accepted, you can add your own flair with photos and drawings too. Once completed send your piece to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before the closing date.
This event is part of an international celebration of nature, hosted in Kerry by the Kerry Biosphere Reserve. This competition is also taking place in Dublin Bay Biosphere, the Isle of Man Biosphere and Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere.
The Kerry Competition will be judged across three age categories – under 12, 13-16 and 17 -21. Winning entries in each category will get to keep a piece of Killarney National Park with them forever as they receive a hand turned sculpture made from wood salvaged within the park. An overall winner will also be chosen, with entry going forward to compete against the top entries from the three other Biospheres.
The international competition will be judged by Dara McNulty, author of the book ‘Diary of a young Naturalist’. The book has won high-profile plaudits. It saw him named the youngest ever winner of The Wainright Prize for nature writing and, most recently, earned him British Book of the Year in the non-fiction (narrative) category, where it was shortlisted with titles by Sir David Attenborough, Barack Obama and Captain Tom Moore.
Dara, who is now 17 and lives in Northern Ireland, has appeared on BBC1 TV’s Countryfile and Springwatch programmes and his book was Radio 4’s Book of the Week. He has featured in national newspapers. His next book, ‘Wild Child: A Journey Through Nature’, will be published in July.
Dara is also the youngest recipient of the RSPB Medal for Conservation.
Young Nature Blogger began in 2020 as an initiative by UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man. This year, Galloway and South Ayrshire, Dublin Bay and Kerry Biospheres are joining in, running their own local challenges, with entrants aged 21 and under invited to submit up to 500 words by 12th August. Each Biosphere will put forward their winner for an overall prize, which Dara and Professor Martin Price, Chair of the UK Man and the Biosphere Programme, will judge.
Prior to his book success, when already an established voice for nature via his own blog, Dara visited the Isle of Man at the invitation of UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man in 2019 to speak at the Voices of Our Future event, part of Manx Wildlife Week.
Dara said: ‘I’m so delighted to be judging this wonderful competition.
‘In a world that is so fast-paced, writing is an important way to connect with ourselves and all the people and creatures we share our lives with. It can expand the mind and imagination and grounds our hopes, dreams, knowledge.
‘Deeper understanding of our place in the world is generated when we search for words to express our curiosity and emotions. I’m very excited to read the entries. I know they will be amazing.’
Malcolm Noonan T.D., Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform said of the Young Nature Blogger competition “Ireland’s Biosphere Reserves work to connect people of all ages to our natural and cultural heritage. Biospheres are places where we can work towards sustainable development and one of the first steps on this journey is to understand and connect with the natural world around us.”
“This competition invites young people to do just that. The Young Nature Bloggers competition offers young people the chance to share their passion for nature through creative writing. With four Biospheres taking part, including the Kerry and Dublin Biospheres, we look forward to hearing you share your love of nature, of your wonderful adventures in the wild and why we should all care for these beautiful places.”
“In many ways our young people have led the charge in highlighting impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss and this competition is an opportunity to celebrate this passion and share it with our neighbours in the UK.”
Wherever you are in Ireland this competition is for you, to enter the competition or to request more information: in the Kerry Biosphere Reserve, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., in Dublin Bay Biosphere, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Each Biosphere will award prizes in three age categories and an overall winner will be selected to be out forward to the international competition.
The four Biospheres’ overall winner will receive a nature experience in their Biosphere and a signed copy of ‘Diary of a Young Naturalist’ and matching notebook in which to record their blogs.
The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme celebrates its half century this year and Young Nature Blogger 2021 is an accredited 50th anniversary event.
