Nature in the City of the Tribes
Galway City has a particularly diverse range of natural habitats, many of which are of international and national conservation importance. These include peatlands, wetlands, woodlands, rivers, canals, semi-natural grassland and the many coastal habitats found along the city coastline including sandy, muddy and rocky shores. These wild areas, and the many city parks, private gardens and green spaces, help create a vibrant and colourful city where people and nature co-exist.
Those parts of the city where nature is allowed to flourish provide food and shelter to a wide range of wildlife. The inner part of Galway Bay and Lough Corrib are internationally renowned for their wealth of birdlife. Galway City has a relatively rich small mammal fauna for an urban area of its size, including hares, foxes and otters, which reflects the abundance wild areas that occur in the city.
Galway City’s rich natural heritage or biodiversity is a major part of its attraction and charm for the people who live, work and visit the city. It adds to the city’s distinctive identity, and has shaped the cultural heritage that Galway City is famed for.
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Wildlife habitats
- Waterways and wetlands
- Peatland
- Woodland
- Coastal zone
- Exposed limestone rock and pavement
- Urban habitats