Irish people identify nature and the environment as the most important part of our heritage, according to the Heritage Council.

At the launch of the details of the 2007 Heritage Week, the council's Isabell Smyth said she had noted an increase in the public's interest in natural heritage. "People are more concerned with the protection of heritage and they are focusing on natural heritage, such as waterways and walk paths, rather than built heritage."

Irish people had begun to correctly identify the environment as part of the national heritage, said Smyth. She referred to statistics in the Valuing Heritage in Ireland survey, published by the council last month, where it was reported that 92 per cent of respondents said people should be penalised for not protecting our heritage, compared with 52 per cent in 1999.

This year's Heritage Week, which runs from August 25th to September 2nd, includes 900 events taking place in 26 counties. The number of events has doubled since 2005 and the council estimates that 250,000 people will be involved. The eight-day celebration is intended to increase awareness in national and local heritage. "It's a great vehicle for promoting heritage locally," Smyth said.

Events are organised by the Office of Public Works, libraries, local clubs and societies and include art exhibitions, food demonstrations, free museum tours and guided walks.

The OPW is holding events such as a tour of Dublin's Kilmainham Gaol in Polish, a "medieval village" featuring historical crafts and demonstrations in Roscrea Castle, Co Tipperary, and a historical re-enactment of the early Irish Christian period in Portumna Castle, Co Galway.

Local and community events feature even more significantly with activities taking place in every corner of the country.

These include a talk on how to archive family documents at Cootehill library in Co Cavan, a compost-making workshop in Abbeyleix, Co Laois, and a walk through the forests of Sliabh Aughty in Co Galway.

This year's events were not specifically aimed at tourists but the council estimated 30 per cent of participants last year were visitors from overseas, said Smyth.

"The country's heritage impacts on all of us. Even if we are not conscious of it, natural heritage is hugely important."