Irish Wildlife Trust Summer 2014

ISSN - 1649 - 5705 • SUMMER ‘14

IRISH MAGAZINE OF THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

Re-Wilding

Imagining a New Landscape

IRELAND’S

SIT BIE LDL FE W

MAGAZINE

SPOTTED

IN IRELAND:

•Harlequin Ladybird •Hairy Wood Ant •Wolf Spider

Nature Conservation

IWT Cover Summer 14.indd 1

Yellow Archangel

Irish Biodiversity

19/5/14 17:52:25

CARSTEN KRIEGER PHOTOGRAPHY FINE ART PRINTS - BOOKS - WORKSHOPS

CARSTEN KRIEGER

FINE ART PRINTS - BOO

Join or renew your IWT membership today and make a difference for Irish Wildlife

“There’s a haunting quality to his work that makes even familiar images feel eerily new” Irish Independent

“There’s a haunting quality to his work that makes even familiar images feel e Irish Independent

STUDIO GALLERY NOW OPEN

STUDIO NOW OPEN Kilbaha North, Loop Head, County Clare, GALLERY Ireland Kilbaha North, Loop Head, County Clare, Ireland

wildlife trust half page_Layout 1 02/04/2014 11:55 Page 1

HERITAGE IN

Web: www.carstenkrieger.com “There’s a haunting quality to his work that mak Email: info@carstenkrieger.com Irish Indepe Web: www.carstenkrieger.com Phone: 00353-87-6949385 SCHOOLS SCHEME Email: info@carstenkrieger.com

CARSTEN KRIEGER PHOTOGRAPHY

Phone: 00353-87-6949385

A VISION FOR EDUCATION STUDIO GALLERY A FOCUS FOR PUPILS Kilbaha North, Loop Head, FINE ART PRINTS - BOOKS - WORKSHOPS

Heritage in Schools Scheme: How it works

•

Log on to the dedicated website www.heritageinschools.ie for full details of specialists and online booking system

• A visit can be a half day or a full day duration We are delighted to announce that the Heritage • A small fee is paid by the school for the visit in Schools scheme has re-opened under theto direct “There’s a haunting quality his work thatare always present during a visit • Teachers administration of the Heritage Council.

Web: www.carsten Email: info@carste Phone: 00353-87

Heritage Experts offer a variety of expertise makes even familiar feel eerily new” The Heritage in School scheme is images unique in Ireland including birds and their habitats, tapestry, work horses, and provides a panel of over 165 diverse Heritage bees, flowers and pollination, biodiversity, capturing Independent Specialists who workIrish directly with children in primary

heritage using film and podcasting technology, schools throughout the country, at the request of the creating school gardens, Ireland in the 1950s, our built school. In 2012 just over 1,108 visits were made with environment, marine habitats, weaving and many more. over 87,770 children enjoying and benefitting from usually their visits in or close to their these visits, experiencing the cultural, natural and familiarExperts “There’s a haunting quality to his work that makes even images feel conduct eerily new” own county, although many are prepared to travel. social heritage that is all around them.

Irish Independent

Studio Gallery now open

Kilbaha North, Loop Head, Heritage in Schools Administrator The Heritage Council, Church Lane, Kilkenny STUDIO GALLERY OPEN County Clare, NOW Ireland Email: heritageinschools@heritagecouncil.ie Tel: 056 7770777 www.heritageinschools.ie If you have never used the scheme and would like to find out more, go to our website at

Kilbaha North, Loop Head, County Clare, Ireland 231027-2L-HERITAGE-AMA-IWT.indd 1

IWT cover Winter 13.indd 3 IWT Cover Summer 14.indd 3

Web: www.carstenkrieger.com

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26/11/2013 14:28 19/5/14 14:56:25

Welcome

Chairperson’s Comment

issn - 1649 - 5705 • sUMMER ‘14

When I was a child, I would flick through British field guides and gaze upon wonderful animals such as the Scottish wild cat, weasel, dormouse, woodpeckers, goshawk and osprey only to have my heart sink by the statement ‘absent from Ireland’. Sometimes it’s tough being a wildlife enthusiast living on an island that is notoriously difficult for critters to get to! This sadness was made worse in later years when on further research I discovered that we did indeed have some of these charismatic species, such as the great spotted woodpecker, wildcat, wolf, lynx, wild boar and numerous birds of prey, but they became extinct due to the clearance of our once great forests, the draining of vast wetlands and the barrel of a gun.

IrIsh MagazIne of the IrIsh WIldlIfe trust

Re-Wilding

Imagining a New Landscape

irElanD’S

T bES lifE wilD

magazinE

SPOTTED

in irElanD:

•Harlequin Ladybird •Hairy Wood Ant •Wolf Spider

Nature Conservation

Yellow Archangel

Irish Biodiversity

Cover credit: Red Deer by Andrew Kelly.

Pass it on. If you’re finished with your Irish Wildlife don’t throw it in the bin. Pass it on to someone who you think may enjoy it – or ask your local library or doctor’s office to leave it in the reception. You’ll help the environment and the IWT while you’re at it.

Editor: Pádraic Fogarty, IWT Published by Ashville Media Group www.ashville.com

Printed on

All articles © 2014. No part of this publication including the images used may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. Opinions and comments expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure that all information contained in this publication is factual and correct at time of going to press, Ashville Media Group and the Irish Wildlife Trust cannot be held responsible for any inadvertent errors or omissions contained herein.

Please recycle this copy of Irish Wildlife

However, the loss of these animals goes beyond the hollow feeling one feels when walking among the mountains and forests of Ireland knowing what we have lost. There are ecological consequences for removing these species. Wolves and lynx keep populations of grazing animals in check and keep herds moving through the landscape. Wild boar churn up the soil, creating an ideal seed bed for a myriad of plants, while woodpeckers create homes both for themselves and many other species. When we lose a species, we lose a cog in a vast and complicated machine.

Increasingly conservation is moving away from focusing on a single species or species group but is instead taking an ecosystem approach to preserving biodiversity. There is currently a heated debate as to how we protect habitats in Western Europe; do we manage habitats within an inch of their life or do we stand back and give nature the space to get on with it, regardless of whether we like the outcome or not. In this edition of Irish Wildlife, Mark Fisher discusses what an Irish wilderness might look like and introduces us to the exciting field of re-wilding.

Sadly invasive species have the potential to play havoc in both managed and wild ecosystems and none more so than the Asian harlequin ladybird that threatens all 18 native ladybird species. It is timely then that the IWT is launching a national survey of ladybirds to help build a picture of the current state of play for all species. Gill Weyman, the survey coordinator, introduces us to this fascinating and much loved beetle group and gives the lowdown on the survey.

Also in this issue, Elaine Dromey looks at our much maligned nature conservation agency, the National Parks and Wildlife Service. It quite often gets flack from conservation groups like us for not doing enough and from other lobby groups for existing at all! Lack of financial investment in both the State and NGO conservation sector is a serious challenge and it is a challenge that we at the IWT are currently facing. You can help us by renewing your membership, encouraging friends and family to join and by making a donation. Your contribution will help us make Ireland a wilder place!

Dr Daniel Buckley Chairperson, Irish Wildlife Trust

contriiButors Mark Fisher is an honorary research

John Breen completed his PhD thesis

fellow in the Wildland Research Institute at Leeds University. He writes about wild land for his website www.self-willed-land. org.uk. He is an honorary research fellow in the Wildland Research Institute at Leeds University, working on the national protected area systems of Europe. He thanks Lenny Antonelli, Dan Buckley and Cóilín MacLochlainn for their generous help with this article, and Bill Murphy of Coillte for being a true pioneer of wildland creation.

on the hairy wood ant at University College, Cork in 1976. He studied at the University of Bergen, Norway, and Trinity College, Dublin before moving to the University of Limerick in 1979. He retired recently, but is still involved in research on the wood ants, in beekeeping with the National Apiculture Programme and on bumblebees. He was also one of the early members of the Irish Wildlife Federation (now the IWT) and served on the Council for a number of years.

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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Contents

14

28

12

32

2

03

ABOUT US

04

CONSERVATION NEWS

07

IWT NEWS

12

EDUCATION

13

BRANCH FOCUS

14

WILD IDEAS

17

COMPETITION We have two

08

Discover more about the work of the IWT and how to get involved.

All the latest Irish and international conservation news.

What we’ve been doing over spring.

Katy Egan explores the benefits of spending time outdoors.

IWT Laois/Offaly Branch is open for business.

Elaine Dromey argues the need for greater support of the NPWS.

great prizes to give away - Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ireland by Robert Thompson and Brian Nelson, and your choice of two of ‘Endangered Dave’s’ unique drawings.

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

07 18

FEATURE – IRELAND’S LANDSCAPE Mark Fisher imagines the possibilities for Ireland’s changing landscape.

22

EXPLORING WILDLIFE

24

SUMMER FOCUS

26

FIELD REPORT

28

OVER TO YOU

30

IWT EVENTS

32

ON LOCATION

Gordon D’Arcy reflects on the impact of Ireland’s recent storms on our biodiversity.

Billy Flynn reflects on recent moves to put a price on nature and the ecosystem services it provides.

Seán Meehan introduces us to the beautiful, and elusive, yellow archangel flower.

A selection of letters and photos sent in by Irish Wildlife Trust members.

Dates for your diary.

The hairy wood ant is among our most threatened insects – we enter the woods of Tipperary to find out more.

irish Wildlife trust

About Us The Irish Wildlife Trust was founded in 1979 and aims to conserve wildlife and the habitats it depends on throughout Ireland, while encouraging a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

The IWT is dedicated to creating a better future for Ireland’s wildlife through: M otivating and supporting people to take action for wildlife.

E ducation and raising awareness of all aspects of Irish wildlife and conservation issues.

R esearch of the natural environment.

A cquiring and managing nature reserves to safeguard species and habitats.

L obbying decision-makers at all levels to promote policy in Ireland that provides a sustainable future for wildlife and people.

W orking in partnership with other organisations to achieve results that matter for conservation.

Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT. Images this page: (above top) Galway Landscape, photo

by C. Krieger; (above) Fox, photo by Maurice Flynn.

Have comments?

Magazine queries, general wildlife questions or observations email: irishwildlife@iwt.ie All other queries email: enquiries@iwt.ie Phone: (01) 860 2839 Snail mail: The Irish Wildlife Trust, Sigmund Business Centre, 93A Lagan Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 11 Web: www.iwt.ie Social media: facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust twitter.com/Irishwildlife

The IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country: Cork: Gill, corkbranch@gmail.com Facebook: search for ‘Irish Wildlife Trust – Cork Branch’ Dublin: Roisin, dublinbranch@iwt.ie facebook.com/DublinBranchIrishWildlife Trustdubliniwt.blogspot.ie Waterford: Ray, iwtwaterford@gmail.com irishwildlifetrust.blogspot.ie Cavan: Barry, cavanbranch@iwt.ie www.facebook.com/irishwildlifetrust. branch Sligo: Dolores, iwtsligo@gmail.com Kerry: Pat, iwtkerry@gmail.com www.facebook.com/KerryIWT; www.iwtkerry.blogspot.ie wwSign up to their monthly newsletter!

Galway: Tom, iwtgalway@gmail.com www.facebook.com/IWTgalwaybranch Longford/Westmeath: Noreen, iwtlongfordwestmeath@gmail.com Facebook: search for ‘Longford/ Westmeath Irish Wildlife Trust Branch’ Laois/Offaly: Ricky, iwtlaoisoffaly@gmail.com www.facebook.com/IWTlaoisoffalybranch

How can you help?

You, our members, make the IWT what it is. Through your subscriptions and support we can undertake the projects that are benefiting Ireland’s wildlife. If you would like to help more, here’s what you can do: •M ake a one-off donation to the IWT. •G ive IWT membership as a gift.

•V olunteer – we are always looking for people to help out in different ways.

There are lots of ways to get involved, from work experience in specialist areas to getting your hands dirty at our sites or helping us increase membership at events.

See our website www.iwt.ie for details or contact the office directly.

•D o you have land that you would like

used for conservation? We are always on the lookout to establish new sites to enhance wildlife or provide education opportunities.

• Remember us in your will. Why not leave a lasting legacy towards conserving Ireland’s natural heritage? The IWT uses all funds towards our campaigns, managing reserves and our education programmes. Please visit www.mylegacy.ie.

• Set up a branch. Are you passionate about wildlife and are in a county that does not have an IWT branch? Contact the office and we can give you the support you need to get up and running.

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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conservation news

conservation

NEWS

Dr Daniel Buckley keeps us up-to-date on conservation news from Ireland and across the globe. irish news

5 O’Sullivan’s Cascade, Killarney

National Park.

Fears over proposed walking trail through remote oak woodlands in Killarney National Park Tomies Wood and O’Sullivan’s Cascade are one of the remotest parts of Killarney National Park.

Tomies is one of the largest remaining oak woodlands in Ireland.

However, a plan to create a looped walk and car park to facilitate up to 28 vehicles through the area will lead to a large increase in human presence in this sensitive site and has drawn objections from local walking groups, nearby land owners and some environmental groups. Friends of the Irish Environment stated: “People pressure should be kept to a minimum in the more remote areas of the national park.” The group fears that the route could undermine the most sensitive part of this UNESCO biosphere reserve.

5Natural grassland at the Burren, Co. Clare.

Nationwide survey of Irish seminatural grasslands published Since the Neolithic era, grasslands have been the dominant habitat in Ireland. Before modern agricultural methods reduced most fields to monocultures of rye grass, they hosted huge floral and insect diversity. Nowadays semi-natural grasslands are among our most threatened habitats.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service has just published the results of a six-year survey of semi-natural grasslands in the Republic of Ireland. Over 1,000 grassland sites were surveyed covering over 23,000 ha of Ireland. However, the Government stated that the new Bill will legally oblige Ireland to meet international targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions for the years 2030 and 2050.

Ironically the Government is trying to use the carbon sink function of bogland to balance the emissions produced from agriculture at a time when bogs are currently harvested by the state for fuel and previously protected bogs are being de-designated!

Wet grassland was found to be the most widespread semi-natural grassland, covering 55% of the surveyed area. Worringly, Annex I grassland habitats (these habitats are threatened across Europe and therefore of high conservation concern) covered only 5% of the surveyed area and were mainly concentrated in Clare, Donegal and Offaly. Our semi-natural grasslands provide a habitat for many rare plants and animals, which have suffered severe declines due to agricultural intensification, including the corncrake, autumn crocus, marsh fritillary butterfly and pyramidal orchid. The report can be downloaded from the NPWS website www.npws.ie 4

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

Proposed Climate Bill criticised by environmental groups The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill published by Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan TD, has been criticised by environmental groups for lacking specific targets and for the exclusion of agriculture from certain aspects of the Bill. However, the Government stated that the new Bill will legally oblige Ireland to meet international targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions for the years 2030 and 2050. Ironically the Government is trying to use the carbon sink function of bogland to balance the emissions produced from agriculture at a time when bogs are currently harvested by the State for fuel and previously protected bogs are being de-designated!

conservation news

irish news Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for harbour porpoises to be designated in Northern Ireland The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has welcomed the inclusion of harbour porpoises as a qualifying interest for the Skerries and Causeway SAC off the coast of Co Antrim in Northern Ireland.

This will be the first designated site for porpoises in the UK. There are already three SACs for harbour porpoises in the Republic; Roaringwater Bay in Cork, the Blasket Islands off Kerry and the coast off Co Dublin. The inclusion of the Skerries and Causeway SAC follows on from the collation of sightings of porpoises in the area by the IWDG and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. The harbour porpoise is one of six species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest marine mammals and as its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries and, as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers.

Wildlife at Tramore sand dunes seriously damaged by wildfire The Tramore sand dunes in Co. Waterford are part of a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for embryonic dunes, shifting or white dunes and fixed or grey dunes. In April a fire destroyed the surface vegetation on 10 hectares of the site, causing serious damage to flora and the death and displacement of local wildlife. Gardaí believe the fire to have started accidentally and are not treating it as a malicious act.

Local ecologist Grace O’Sullivan said that although the damage was quite severe, the marram grass should regenerate within 3-6 weeks. This is due to the deep roots of the plant.

EPA launches new online application to provide information on your local environment The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has produced a new online application that provides the public with environmental data in an accessible way. ‘Timpeall an Ti’ utilises Geographical Information Systems to provide accurate and up-to-date information about air quality, water quality, soil type, land use, environmental restrictions and the type of aquifer within a radius of your house address. Speaking at the launch, Ms Laura Burke, Director General of the EPA, said: “My Local Environment is the latest in a number of tools developed by the EPA to make environmental data more accessible and, more importantly, to frame it in a local setting. We hope that the addition of this new service will make it even easier to access live data and learn more about the areas of Ireland’s environment in which people have an interest.” She went on to say: “The EPA has an important role to play as an environmental data provider. We understand that part of this role is to make data as easy to access and understand as possible. My Local Environment is accessible via the EPA website (www.epa.ie) and sits with other map tools, such as Splash and EPA Maps, in a suite of services that we are constantly reviewing and improving. We always welcome feedback from users of our website on how we can improve the services we offer and would welcome people’s comments about My Local Environment.” My Local Environment (Timpeall an Ti) can be accessed from the EPA homepage, or via gis.epa.ie/myenvironment#/search.

Sound recordings used to try and attract puffins back to Welsh island Puffins abandoned Ramsey Island, Wales, in the 1800s when rats colonised via ship wrecks. The rats were finally eradicated 14 years ago but since then the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has not been able to entice the birds back. It is hoped that playing a recording of a puffin call will help entice the puffins back there to breed. To aid their temptation to land on the island there are also a number of decoy puffins. This novel method was trialed last year and was met with some success when eight birds landed among the fake puffins. The species has suffered massive declines in the North Atlantic in recent years due to the collapse of sand eel fisheries, their main prey.

5 Puffins on the Saltee Islands, off Co Wexford.

Photo: Birgit Berkenkopf.

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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conservation news

international news

5 Scandinavian Grey Wolf. Photo credit: Malene Thyssen.

The march of the wolf in Europe continues as animals seen in Denmark and the Czech Republic With established packs in Germany and France and wandering individuals in the Netherlands and Belgium, the wolf is making an incredible recovery in Europe. This is down to a declining human population in rural areas who would have traditionally persecuted wolves, legal protection and increases in deer and wild boar, the tradition prey of the wolf. Now records from both Denmark and the Czech Republic add further weight to their range expansion. A camera trap in the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic has captured a single wolf and there may be a breeding pair. Meanwhile audio recordings of wolves howling in the Jutland region suggest that a pack has been established in Denmark, one of the most densely populated countries in Europe. The ability of wolves to live so close to humans has shattered previous beliefs that this species requires vast wilderness to thrive. In fact all they need is our tolerance.

Chernobyl’s birds adapting to long term radiation exposure The nuclear disaster at Chernobyl has created a large and unintended outdoor experiment into how plants and animals cope with increased levels of radiation in the environment. Previous studies of wildlife at Chernobyl showed that chronic radiation exposure depleted antioxidants and increased oxidative damage. An international research team led by the University of South Carolina in the USA found the opposite - that antioxidant levels increased and oxidative stress decreased with increasing background radiation. However, a recent study of birds in the region showed that prolonged exposure to low doses of radiation increases an organism’s resistance to larger, subsequent doses.

This adaptation had previously only been seen in laboratory conditions. The results revealed that with increasing background radiation, the birds’ body condition and glutathione (an antioxidant) levels increased and oxidative stress and DNA damage decreased. Ionising radiation damages cells by producing very reactive compounds known as free radicals.

The body protects itself against free radicals using antioxidants but if the level of antioxidants is too low, radiation produces oxidative stress and genetic damage, which leads to aging and death.

Lead pollution continues to threaten recovering Californian condor population The California condor was one of the first species to be listed under the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1966 when the population was reduced to a handful of birds. Through a massive collaborative effort, the condor population has grown to more than 400 birds, more than half of which are now free-flying in the wild. Unfortunately, there is overwhelming evidence that lead poisoning from accidental ingestion of spent ammunition is the leading cause of

death in the wild population. A review of 20 years of mortality data revealed that lead poisoning as a result of the consumption of gunshot pellets in animal carcasses was the main culprit.

“And this is not just a problem for Californian condors. We can view them as an indicator species, warning us about the hazards of widespread lead contamination in the environment,” said Bruce Rideout, director of the wildlife disease laboratories for San Diego Zoo Global.

5California condor, San Diego

Wild Animal Park.

Photo: Chuck Szmurlo.

Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie 6

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

IWT News

NEWS Learn to spot our ladybirds this summer

By Gill Weyman, IWT ladybird survey co-ordinator.

L

adybirds are beetles that belong to the family Coccinellidae. Ladybirds are larger and more colourful than other coccinellids. They are often considered to be colourful, charismatic insects that assist in managing our gardens by controlling the numbers of aphids. However in the natural world they are carnivorous predators which are in turn preyed upon by birds, spiders and even ants. When disturbed, ladybirds tend to withdraw their legs into their abdomen and exude a yellowish fluid called ‘reflex blood’. This substance gives the ladybird some protection, however there are predators which appear to be resistant to this substance and ladybirds often provide a tasty meal.

The life cycle of ladybirds is in four stages: egg, larvae and pupae before reaching the adult stage. For many ladybird species the full life cycle takes a year. Eggs are laid in spring or early summer, larvae hatch and the new

generation of adults emerge in the mid to late summer. The adults feed but do not breed until the following spring. Many will become dormant in the latter part of September and it is not unusual to see clusters of ladybirds in leaf litter, in houses etc. Some may remain active throughout the year. The variation in behaviour and the ecology of our native ladybirds makes these little charismatic insects unique and it is therefore important that we undertake this research to find out what species there are and where they can be found.

There are 18 ladybird species recorded in Ireland, three of which have either not been seen for a long time, records of their distribution are scarce, or it is doubtful if they are actually established. There are a lack of confirmed official records of native ladybirds and it is important that we know what species we have before it is too late. The

//There are 18 ladybird species recorded in Ireland, three of which have not been seen for a long time.//

harlequin ladybird is an invasive ladybird originating from Asia. It arrived in the UK in the summer of 2004. It is now found in all of England with a few isolated locations in Scotland, and was introduced to North America in 1988 as an insect pest. It has subsequently invaded much of northwestern Europe and arrived in Ireland in 2009. It is a problem in that it has a wide dietary range and threatens aphids and ladybird eggs and larvae. They can reproduce up to three generations per year whilst most other native ladybird species will only reproduce once.

This year the IWT has gained financial support from Fota Wildlife Park to organise a ladybird survey. Three workshops will be organised in Carlow, Cork and Wicklow as these are the three counties where the Harlequin ladybird has been recorded.

Those in other areas of Ireland can submit records to www.biology.ie. There is also a Facebook page IWTLadybirdsurvey where comments and information can be posted.

For further information please contact: iwtladybirdsurvey@gmail.com.

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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IWT News

5The extent of bottom trawling and dredging in the Irish Sea.

Extent of seafloor damage in the Irish Sea mapped by the IWT

by Alan McCarthy.

W

hen one thinks of the damage caused by the fisheries industry, a common image springs to mind; stock depletion caused by discards and overfishing by large fleets that have been backed by their national politicians for a larger quota than is perhaps fair. However there are other lasting effects brought about by the industry which are damaging and altering the marine habitat.

Cod, scallops, mussels and prawns are creatures which are common features on seafood menus around Ireland. However, before they make it that far they must first

be extracted from the sea by our fishermen.

In the Irish Sea, the prawn fishery is by far the most important (more commonly known as the Dublin Bay prawn, the tails of which are breaded and served as scampi). Like cod, prawns are found on the sea floor so to catch them a trawl is lowered to the seafloor and dragged across its surface. To acquire mussels and scallops one must go even deeper and dredge the sea floor. In the case of mussels, this means dredging inshore sheltered bays where these shellfish are found naturally.

Unfortunately these bays are home to myriad other species and their destruction can have

//The European Commission has agreed that in order to maintain healthy fisheries, 10 to 20% of EU waters should be dedicated to stock recovery zones.// 8

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

wider implications for other fisheries not only due to the damage of the natural habitat but also the ripple effect caused when a natural prey or predator is removed from the food chain.

The European Commission has agreed that in order to maintain healthy fisheries, 10 to 20% of EU waters should be dedicated to stock recovery zones. Special attention should be given to inshore bays in this regard, not only due to their status as nursery grounds, but also due to their use for recreational activities such as snorkelling, SCUBA diving and angling. These sectors can produce as much profit as fisheries and cause less damage while doing so.

Currently in Ireland, vessels under 10 metres long do not have to submit logsheet data. It is these smaller vessels that are responsible for inshore dredging in the bays of the east coast. Any efforts to apply stronger regulation to this area must ensure that it is done in a way that will protect the long-term sustainability of the industry, as it is often the smaller boats that lose out to the more efficient trawlers, factory ships and the larger elements of the industry who have a stronger political lobby. Small inshore fisheries also account for the more traditional elements of the industry whose loss would be lamented by coastal communities. The sector needs to be protected by ensuring its sustainability.

Increasing the amount of regulation and introducing protected areas can help achieve this and rebuild the health of the Irish Sea.

IWT News

National Peatlands Strategy moves backward 6Bog Cotton.

There have been some welcome elements, but continued habitat loss represents a retrograde step in the Peatland Strategy, writes ecologist Elaine Dromey.

T

he IWT has made a submission to the draft National Peatland Strategy. The draft strategic plan is composed of a number of draft documents including a National Peatlands Strategy, a National Raised Bog SAC management plan (bogs protected at a European level) and a review of the network of Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs, protected under national legislation). The strategy applies to all 1.47 million hectares of peat soils in the State whether privately or publicly owned.

The IWT submission, while acknowledging that the draft documents are a step forward towards conserving Irish peatlands, expressed concerns about their adequacy to ensure conservation and restoration of these habitats.

The IWT welcomes the acknowledgement in the report of the valuable ecosystem services provided by peatlands, the plans to regulate private turf-cutting activities under planning legislation, the proposed peatland education plan and the establishment of an inter-departmental peatlands working group, in order to introduce a unified and cohesive approach to peatland issues from the Government.

The IWT outlined a number of concerns with some of the proposals in the strategy document, namely the de-designation of NHAs, the allowance of limited turf-cutting on protected sites and the strategy of providing alternative bogs for affected turf cutters. We emphasised that the value of peatlands in adapting or mitigating climate change cannot be understated, in addition to the benefits they provide in mitigating flooding and protecting water quality. It would be far more progressive and proactive to designate the additional sites while enforcing conservation of existing NHAs and SACs.

//In future years, the landscape of Ireland may be altered significantly to allow the development of onshore windfarms. While the IWT supports the development of clean renewable energy, it is critical that windfarms are sited appropriately.//

The IWT also raised concerns with the protocol used for de-designation, which balanced the ecological value of the site versus the cost of compensating turf cutters and restoration. We argued that the de-designation process should only take a scientific approach and at the very least any sites of high ecological value that have been selected for de-designation should retain their NHA status and turf-cutting should be stopped, despite any potential short-term costs to the tax payer. The IWT strongly urged the Government and Peatlands Council to reconsider the de-designation of these sites and to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of conserving these peatlands for the future.

The IWT wants the National Peatland Strategy to take a long-term approach to compensation by working with the local communities affected by the designation of bogs to provide alternative renewable heating fuel. The full text of the IWT submission can be downloaded from our website.

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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IWT News

Killarney National Park Under Threat F

or 29 years from 1981 until 2009, volunteers travelled from all over the world to clear invasive rhododendron ponticum from Killarney National Park as part of the Groundwork Conservation Volunteers’ Killarney Oakwood Project.

Groundwork is a voluntary organisation affiliated to the IWT. During this time around 40% of the oakwoods of Killarney National Park were cleared by Groundwork in annual summer work camps subsidised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Groundwork’s clearance methods have always been determined by a detailed knowledge of the ecology of the plant and our aim has always been to ensure that no seed is produced in an area once initial clearance has been undertaken. Because of our attention to detail, our systematic scientific approach and our strict adherence to a planned work schedule, we were always able to stand over the work that we did.

From 2005 onwards, Groundwork’s autonomy was gradually eroded. The Groundwork work schedule outlined in the 2005 Killarney National Park Management Plan was increasingly disrupted due to volunteers being diverted from essential maintenance of priority woodlands to work in areas previously cleared by contractors. Our use of hand tools was questioned and then banned outright and we were forced to adopt experimental methods that proved to be slow and ineffective.

After 2009, Groundwork ceased operations in Killarney with considerable regret.

We have continued to meet with Park management and to submit work schedules but our offers to continue rhododendron

clearance in a systematic scientific manner have so far been refused.

Since ceasing to work in the National Park, we have monitored the woodlands.

A recent report available to view on our website www.groundwork.ie/news.htm shows clearly how areas of the park which were formerly maintained free of rhododendron by Groundwork have now returned to infested status with flowering rhododendron that has already set seed.

Unfortunately our letters and e-mails to local Park management, NPWS senior

management and the responsible Minister, Jimmy Deenihan TD, over the past few years have met with little response. In recent weeks however, a social media campaign started by two former volunteers has been attracting considerable attention.

Please visit their Facebook page at www. facebook.com/savekillarneyoakwoods and follow the link to sign their petition.

Killarney National Park is a unique place that mustn’t be allowed to decline due to Government neglect and mismanagement.

//A recent report available to view on our website www. groundwork.ie/news.htm shows clearly how areas of the park formerly maintained free of rhododendron by roundwork have now returned to infested status with flowering rhododendron that has already set seed.// 10

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

COMMERCIAL Profile

Getting Closer to Nature Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre offers a chance for visitors to experience the beautiful and varied wetland habitat of the Tralee Bay estuary.

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ituated against the backdrop of the Slieve Mish Mountains with stunning views overlooking the Tralee Bay estuary, Ecotourism Ireland accredited Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre is a beautiful place for a visit, offering close views of nature, especially wetland birds, a wide variety of wetland habitats to explore and a light watersports lake where pedalos, rowing boats, and water-walker zorbs can be found (and you won’t need your wellies!).

A guided boat tour (suitable for wheelchair users) will help visitors get up close and personal with the wetland denizens; waterfowl, waders, amphibians, vibrantly-coloured dragonflies, and abundant migrant warblers can all be seen en route through the reeds of the marsh. The tour will also introduce the rich history and folklore of the region and give insight into the management of this newly constructed wetland microcosm. Visitors will be delighted by how close they can get to the wildlife, and entranced by the beauty and tranquillity of the reserve.

A climb to the top of the 20m tall viewing tower (binoculars can be provided) is rewarded by beautiful panoramic views of Tralee Bay

itself, a Natura2000 and Ramsar wetland of international importance.

The centre houses a wonderful interactive exhibition that tells the story of Tralee’s natural heritage from its ancient geological formation to the management challenges of the future.

Discover the magnificence of these wetlands and the creatures that live in and visit the Nature Reserve via the static and interactive exhibits, high definition video, aquatic tanks, sound boards, children’s area and much more.

There are beautiful walks around the grounds of the wetland where you can take in the peace and quiet and a trail with bird hides from which to watch wildlife throughout the seasons – from waterfowl and songbirds in the summer to our migrant waders in the winter.

A boardwalk across the marsh gives visitors a bugs-eye view of what is living in the reedbeds and among the colourful wildflowers.

On the shore of the lake there is an excellent purpose-built eco-friendly visitor centre which includes a gift shop and licensed cafe. Enjoy 4-star quality, freshly prepared meals, snacks and homemade cakes or simply enjoy a coffee whilst relaxing overlooking the picturesque lake.

Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre is Kerry’s newest and most unique visitor attraction.

Located a short drive from the hustle and bustle of Killarney, the centre is located off the main Dingle touring route (N86), on the WAW (Wild Atlantic Way) and is within walking distance of Tralee town centre.

The centre is the perfect destination for a variety of groups, from keen birders and wildlife enthusiasts, photographers or conservation and environmental groups through to those simply seeking a relaxing, fun day out.

Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre is open daily 10am – 5pm (March – October), 10am – 7pm (July and August) and 11am – 4pm (November – February), Please note Christmas and New Year closures.

For more information please visit our website www.traleebaywetlands.org, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. To contact the centre directly please call 066 7123700 or email info@traleebaywetlands.org

//Visitors will be delighted by how close they can get to the wildlife, and Entranced by the beauty and tranquillity of the reserve.// Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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Education

Cultivating a Connection to

Nature with Children Sometimes just exploring the outdoors is more important then knowing the names of everything, by Katy Egan.

//you don’t need to be Bear Grylls to play at surviving in the woods. You can try your hand at building a shelter using just sticks and leaves or test out your camouflage skills. //

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ummer is here at last, the leaves are on the trees, the dawn chorus is in full swing and the flowers are in full bloom on hedgerows. Generally speaking, during the summer we spend more time outdoors than at any other point in the year. The benefits of time outdoors are never-ending; research now suggests that time spent outdoors in natural environments can potentially restore physical and mental health.

I often hear from parents that they feel like they don’t know enough about nature to share it with their children. They worry because their children ask for the names of things, raising an obscure leaf or bug and expectantly asking what is it. You do not need to be a wildlife expert to share nature with children – in fact it often helps if you are not. Saying I don’t know, and then observing the item with your child is often far better, learning what questions to ask or observations to make so they can look it up in a book or on the internet back at home. Here are a few easy ways you can help the children in your life connect with nature this summer.

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Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

Explore with your senses Blindfolds are BRILLIANT; using blindfolds you can transform a simple woodland trail into a fantastic adventure.

Place the blindfold on the participant and take them gently by the arm leading them to a distinctive tree or rock nearby.

Be sure to tell them if there are any obstacles in front. Allow them to feel the tree or rock, smell and listen to it (using all their senses).

When they feel they know it, lead them away again to another spot in the park. Remove their blindfold and allow them to try and find their tree or rock.

Perfume/potion making; gather leaves, flowers and mud and see what beautiful or horrible smells you can come up with. Add a little water to the concoction, stir with a stick and give your new scent a name. This is a useful activity to do along a trail or path to help children observe around them and keep them interested along the walk.

Memory scavenger hunt; this is a great activity even if you don’t know the name of a single plant in the woods or park; you can still try your hand at finding them.

Find 10 different natural objects from the park or woodland you are visiting and lay them out on a scarf (do not let the players see them).

Allow the players 30 seconds to look at the objects and commit them to memory and then give them 10 minutes to search the area and try to find them.

Bush craft skills; you don’t need to be Bear Grylls to play at surviving in the woods. You can try your hand at building a shelter using just sticks and leaves or test out your camouflage skills. Give players five minutes to camouflage themselves, cover themselves in leaves and twigs, and then hide. This game is similar to hide and seek, but in a smaller space!

Branch focus

Charleville Woods, Co. Offaly.

//What started out as a few Interested individuals has evolved quickly into a respected group across Laois and Offaly. Our work with other groups has opened up new doors and opportunities.//

Irish Wildlife Trust Laois/Offaly Branch is open for business. Ricky Whelan sets out his stall.

The IWT Laois/Offaly Branch was formed in November last year. We aim to promote wildlife and habitats across the counties and nationally through our own work, partnerships with other related groups and by supporting the campaigns of the IWT. Our three main targets are to: 1. Run a year-round calendar of events to enthuse new audiences into noticing and enjoying all things wild in their local area.

2. Form a children’s branch, known as the ‘Badger Club’, to give kids the opportunity to explore and learn about nature and wildlife in a safe and fun way.

3. Promote wildlife recording locally and encourage the participation in ‘Citizen Science’ projects.

To-date we have managed to run monthly events, our children’s Badger Club started off with its first event in May and we are making massive progress with wildlife recording and local conservation projects. What started out as a few interested individuals has evolved quickly into a respected group across Laois and Offaly. Our work with other groups has opened up new doors and opportunities.

We have been working with organisations such as Men’s Shed, The OPW, The Abbeyleix Bog Project and many more.

Recently we sourced funding to carry out a barn owl, kestrel and bat box scheme, so stand by for more news on that soon!

We are always looking for new people to help with our work; we are open to new ideas and suggestions for projects and events. If you would like to get involved, attend our events or just say hi please give us a shout at: iwtlaoisoffaly@gmail. com. You can follow us on Twitter @iwtlaoisoffaly or like us on Facebook – irishwildlifetrustlaoisoffalybranch.

We also have a new Badger Club website that has great up-to-date resources and wild news for kids: thebadgersett.weebly.com

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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Wild Ideas

Nature Conservati Our nature conservation agency – neglected, underfunded and disrespected, is this what the green economy looks like? writes Elaine Dromey.

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he National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) section of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht manages the Irish State’s nature conservation responsibilities under national and European law. A particular responsibility of the NPWS is the designation and protection of our most important areas for nature and you would be forgiven for thinking that this was a highly regarded and important body within the workings of Government. With such an important role, why is the NPWS one of our most underfunded and under-resourced government bodies, so oft maligned by local and national representatives and public alike?

Stretched The NPWS, like the rest of the public sector, has been subjected to a recruitment freeze but unlike the rest of the public sector during the so called ‘Celtic Tiger’, the NPWS did not undergo a surge of investment of public money or a 14

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

recruitment drive. NPWS staffing levels were being eroded even in the halcyon days of plenty during Ireland’s boom time. There are many current vacancies within the regional field staff, and many areas have been without a ranger on the ground for years. One area in the west has not had a ranger in over eight years and part of Tipperary, where the first Irish white-tailed sea eagle chick in over a 100 years was discovered dead earlier this year, is currently without one.

The lack of rangers means staff are stretched to the limit as their areas have become significantly larger over time. NPWS rangers fulfil a demanding and broad role from working with the Gardaí and investigating wildlife crime to responding to requests for consultation on development applications.

Are the unfilled NPWS positions due to lack of interested or suitably qualified applicants? The answer to both is no. The requirements to become a conservation ranger are minimal. Over the years, despite 5This page and overleaf: Galway Landscape. Photo: C. Krieger

Wild Ideas

ion?

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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Wild Ideas

//NPWS rangers fulfil a demanding and broad role from working with the GardaĂ­, and investigating wildlife crime to responding to requests for consultation on development applications.// the job not specifically requiring it, the position came to be filled by eager young science graduates who saw it as a stepping stone in their career in nature conservation.

There was, and still is, no shortage of (over) qualified applicants willing to fill the roles, so why is the NPWS so understaffed?

The answer is simple – successive Governments have displayed an unwillingness to assume responsibility for the NPWS and the issue of nature conservation particularly with regard to our obligations under EU environmental legislation.

The NPWS has been shunted from department to department, renamed on a number of occasions and isolated from other government departments with which it should be working closely.

Successive governments have ignored the value of our natural heritage, have gloried in shorttermism, poor planning, poor compliance with environmental legislation and their appeasement of vested public interests at the cost of our environment. This is particularly clear when you consider their lack of investment in the NPWS, their lack of interest in building the service when money was flowing into every other sector and when you see the onerous demands placed on NPWS staff stretched to the limit.

The NPWS has been unsupported by their employers and far too often used by them as a

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sacrificial lamb to pacify the cries of the disgruntled public. How often have we seen and heard blame laid at the door of the NPWS? How can we expect the public to respect and applaud the efforts of the NPWS when it can easily be seen how little respect is given to them by our elected representatives both within Government and in opposition?

Is it any wonder then that the general public often holds such a distorted view of the NPWS and its role in the countryside?

Yet here in Ireland we have the situation where the responsible Minister, Jimmy Deenihan, who, by his silence, has condoned the disrespect shown to the NPWS, the ongoing harassment of field staff and the persistent laying of blame at their door for problems which are far beyond their responsibility.

Our wildlife service is supposed to function on behalf of the citizens to protect and enhance our wildlife, protected areas and national parks. If the NPWS continues to be undermined and under resourced in the manner they are now, then we as citizens will suffer the longterm consequences. We need to voice our support of the NPWS, we need to demand they are supported, that every part of the country has a conservation ranger again, and that the hard work of the staff is recognised and respected.

competition

n o i t i t e p m o C

In this issue we have more great prizes to be won by our avid readers.

Guide to the Dragonflies and Damselflies of Ireland by Robert Thompson and Brian Nelson - Fully illustrated with lavish close-up photography and detailed artwork, this is a field guide to the Irish dragonflies and damselflies designed primarily for naturalists, photographers and others who want to improve their field identification skills. The aim is to provide the reader with a quick reference guide to the adults of all the resident and migrant species which have been recorded in Ireland since 1980. There are brief texts on aspects such as behaviour, ecology and distribution, and descriptions which highlight the key diagnostic features of each species and the average flight period. The artworks by Richard Lewington on each species page illustrate mature males (occasionally teneral males) and females (not exactly to scale). The adult length and wingspan indicates the average size of the insect from the head to the tip of the abdomen and the typical wingspan.

Our second prize is gives you the chance to own a painting by ‘Endangered Dave.’

The Endangered DAVE project is an innovative art project that aims to raise awareness of the many endangered species in Ireland by placing paintings of threatened animals in urban spaces. Dave, the artist and creator of the project, was inspired to start it when he moved back to Ireland. Dave places paintings of animals in urban areas with a note on the back offering the painting to the person who finds it. Dave hopes that by placing the paintings in locations where wildlife is unlikely to be seen, or where attractive habitats have given way to concrete, people will think about nature and our treatment of the environment.

We have two of ‘Endangered Dave’s’ unique drawings to give away in this issue.

Winners can choose from a barn owl or a humpback whale.

Make sure to like the project on Facebook (www.facebook.com/endangereddave) and follow @EndangeredDAVE on Twitter to stay up to date!

To be in with a chance to win one of these prizes, just answer the following question:

The IWT has launched a citizen science survey this summer for what colourful insect?

Send your answer, name and address and the prize you would prefer to irishwildlife@iwt.ie before July 1st.

SPRING issue winners

In our spring issue we gave our members the chance to win one of two beautiful new books: Parklight by Norman McCloskey and The Wildflowers of Ireland by Zoë Devlin. We asked: The IWT is concerned about the spread of what type of oyster which is now reproducing in Irish waters? The answer is the Pacific oyster, which can outcompete our native oyster.

We received a phenomenal response and our lucky winners were Meabh Boylan from Celbridge, Co. Kildare, Jim O’Donnell from Dunmore East, Co. Waterford, Catherine Bushe from Malahide in Dublin and Michelle Stapleton from Killarney, Co. Kerry. Congratulations and thanks to all who entered for your support of the IWT! Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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Feature

5Bittern. Photo: Marek Szczepanek.

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Feature

Floating wild seeds in the sea of Irish landscapes Mark Fisher imagines the the possiblities for Ireland’s changing landscape.

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ith the designation of its first wilderness last year, Ireland joined the State of Brandenburg, Germany, in being at the forefront of wildland creation in western Europe. The Foundation for Natural Landscapes in Brandenburg has 127 km2 of former military training grounds, with a mosaic of primary and secondary habitats that include sand, heath, conifer plantation, natural forest, lakes and fens. Plantation forests have been thinned to open it to regeneration with native deciduous trees, but the overall aim is for a secondary wilderness to develop through non-intervention. In a similar vein, Coillte, the national forest agency, has identified the 46km2 conifer plantation of Nephin Forest in Co. Mayo as having the potential

to become an Irish wilderness. Wild Nephin also has primary habitats in its many loughs and water courses, as well as a significant presence of important flora and a scattering of native trees. After restructuring under a 15-year plan to steer the forest towards a wilderness goal, it will be left to itself.

Recreation is important in both developing wilderness areas: the Foundation has constructed 30km of hiking trails, and offers guided hikes into core areas. In contrast, the whole of Wild Nephin is open to hiking, with visitors making their own way in the core area, but with trails and signage in the outer zone.

Self-assembly will be the key process in these nature-led lands. Whether you think of it as a reversal of landscape simplification, or

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

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Feature

‘rewilding’, it cannot be predetermined, since it depends on the potential for previously absent species to colonise the area, as well as the reordering of ecosystems with new winners and losers. Now, people no longer take the decisions. It is an approach that cuts across mainstream conservation, in particular the narrow and static approach that the European Union’s Natura 2000 system has to biodiversity conservation, of maintaining species and habitats.

Natural Change The argument against wildland creation is that withdrawal of human intervention will lead to species and habitats being lost. The Brandenburg Foundation is at a disadvantage because of this, if they did not have a shrewd way of sidestepping the Natura designation of its heathland, a transitional habitat that is only maintained through strong grazing pressure. Nephin Forest, lacking formal nature conservation designation, does not have to contend with any stricture that could block the dynamism of natural change. What Wild Nephin doesn’t have is the potential for reinstatement of species at all levels of the food chain which would give it the greatest possible dynamic interaction in natural processes. The Brandenburg Foundation’s land has witnessed the settlement of wolf packs, as the result of natural migration from Poland, and with a top predator in place, rebalances the food chain with their deer.

Ireland will either have to hope that a pair of wolves are strong swimmers, or that it can come to the mature decision at some point to reintroduce the wolf! There is a natural process that could be restarted in Wild Nephin, allowing habitats to function in a more natural state, and that is reintroduction of wild boar, currently classified as an invasive species.

Wildland creation would be contested on existing nature conservation areas in Ireland, but there are great opportunities presented by plantation lands, or areas of cut-over peat.

The example of Nephin should provoke a re-examination of our attitudes to what is native and natural in the new context of a wilder land. Maybe we should not look so negatively on areas of non-native trees, such as conifers, sycamore and beech, when they have gone some way to naturalising, and offer great opportunities for wildland recreation. Coillte’s recreational forests in the Slieve Bloom Mountains of Counties Offaly/Laois spring to mind, where it is easy to see native regeneration of trees within plantations. I find it irresistible to imagine 20

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

the recreational, hydrological and wildlife benefits – perhaps of bringing back lynx and wildcat, or reconnecting the forests over the top of the mountains by allowing natural processes over that large area. This would likely produce a natural mosaic of wood and heath at different successional stages, rather than the sharp dividing line at present of plantation and open moorland. It is of course the designation of that upland area as a European Natura 2000 site for wet heath and bog that frustrates this vision.

Future Promise The Native Woodland Scheme is an incentive for land owners to seek ecological gain, with 60,000 native hardwood trees recently planted in the Delphi Valley, Co. Galway. The oak, birch, alder, rowan and willow add diversity and will support a wider range of insect and bird life as well as stabilising the banks of the rivers and lakes, improving water quality. The owner looks forward to some beautiful natural nature trails around the valley. On a larger scale, Cóilín MacLochlainn tells me of his vision for a Forest of Avonmore, based on the existing large area of semi-natural oakwoods found along the Avonmore River valley and its tributary valleys, Glendalough and Glenmalure, and stretching from Luggala to Arklow in Co. Wicklow. The variety of land ownership and use suggests a long process

Grey wolf. Photo: John and Karen Hollingsworth.

of engagement for buy-in to the vision, but Cóilín believes this provides the greatest opportunity in all of Ireland for a landscapescale restoration project, from source to sea.

He has no doubt that lynx could be released there and would thrive.

Lough Boora Parklands in Co. Offaly shows what can be done with cutaway bogs, where early evidence of natural colonisation and succession in 1994 inspired Bord na Móna to give a new purpose to these industrial sites. The Parklands encompass lakes, wetlands, woodland areas, and extensive walkways, whilst providing a home to wildlife, including the grey partridge.

We should not begrudge wild nature the restrictions on visitor access to Drinagh Wetlands and The Derries, areas recently added to the Parklands, for they provide a sanctuary where wildlife can exist with minimal human disturbance, but also the opportunity to study the evolution of wetlands through allowing natural processes to steer the vegetation and shape an environment. I have heard of the opportunity to create a large-scale wetland system on Bord na Móna land in the Midlands, along the banks of the River Shannon between Counties Roscommon and Longford. These are artificially-drained bogs that would naturally revert to wetlands of lakes and reed marshes if the pumps were turned off. They would be fringed with woodland habitats

Feature

5 Lynx in Numedal, Norway. Photo: Andreas Tille.

on drier ground from natural regeneration of willow, birch, pine and perhaps aspen; all hopefully providing an enticing mix of habitat for bittern and marsh harrier – two birds driven to extinction in the 19th century.

As in the Parklands, there would be core areas with minimal human disturbance as sanctuaries for wildlife, but there would be much access outside these areas to ensure contact with wild nature.

Missing Habitats Missing native landscapes could also be part of a future wildland mix. In common with Britain, two key habitats missing from Ireland are significant areas of dune and floodplain woodland. The guide to habitats in Ireland describes a dune scrub and woodland habitat, but says it is rare due to high levels of disturbance in dune systems from grazing and agricultural improvement.

I’ve seen the juniper and creeping willow on the dunes at Sheskinmore, Co. Donegal, but

also the few areas of birch scrub developing there amongst the low, rocky slopes above the dunes. There is an estimated 73km2 of stable (known as fixed or grey) dunes with herbaceous vegetation in Ireland, and I leave it to others to consider where best colonisation with native dune woodland could take place.

Ireland has an estimated 45km2 of small areas of occasionally flooded woodland of willow and alder. However, these are not the floodplain woodlands characteristic of the major rivers in Europe. What is really needed are large areas of woodland along some of Ireland’s major rivers, large enough for natural processes to occur, and which offer the potential for flood control. Valuable ecological gains could be made, including the opportunity of restoring black poplar, which is already seeding along the River Shannon, and especially on the shores of Lough Allen in Co Leitrim. As a guide to locations, the map by John Cross of the

likely natural vegetation of Ireland shows the potential of alluvial forest on the River Suir in Co. Waterford; on the Rivers Nore in Co. Kilkenny and Barrow in Co. Kildare; two stretches of the River Shannon centred on Lough Derg and Lough Ree; and the River Moy in Co. Mayo.

I know there are two issues that will haunt wildland creation in Ireland. I walk the Burren, steering clear of the more obvious farmed areas, so the dominant driving forces I see are from climate and geology. I read the special edition on the Burren in the Royal Irish Academy’s journal from 2003, and thus wonder why there is now only one, subsidydriven vision. We take students to see grazed and ungrazed limestone pavement in the Yorkshire Dales. The three-fold greater plant diversity in the latter, coupled with its bird, insect and small mammal life, is a strong message for a variety of approaches. The issue of rhododendron requires an article of its own!

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Exploring Wildlife

Uprooted Future?

Gordon D’Arcy reflects on the impact of Ireland’s recent storms on our biodiversity.

As we stroll through our local woodland engulfed in greenery, conscious of the perennial miracle of re-growth, it’s easy to forget the devastating impact of last winter’s storms. From early December till March our little island was ravaged by a succession of at least seven major storms, one or two of which attained hurricane status. We were forewarned, of course: we should expect more of the same. Ominously, we are admonished that ‘we are bringing this upon ourselves.’

While science has indeed verified such daunting predictions, we can take some comfort (if that is the right word) in the knowledge that we have had stormy episodes in the past which were probably unconnected to global warming. One such event, remembered as the ‘Night of the Big Wind’ occurred over a night and day in January 1839. Much has been written about this incident, so extraordinarily violent was it. Some four hundred people died (most

//What effect (if any) will the creation of so many broken and damaged trees have on our biodiversity? Clearly it will provide new habitats for myriad decomposers.// 22

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

by drowning), and property was damaged on a scale not seen before; most Dublin buildings were affected to some degree. It is recorded that ‘hundreds of thousands of trees were felled,’ some 100,000 alone estimated by the owner of the Castle Coole estate in Fermanagh. It would take at least half a century of new growth for recovery to occur.

Subsequent reports showed that planted conifers were more affected than hardwoods and that plantations suffered more than (even venerable) isolated ‘standards’. It was noted, understandably, that trees already weakened by previous storms were the first to go. The devastation of 1839 was all the more significant since the sparse tree cover of the whole island was nearly all retained in the large ‘landed’ estates like Castle Coole. The establishment of most of these estates in the early 17th century and the management of timber as the raw material for expanding industry had seen a depletion from perhaps 15% to about 1% land cover by the mid-19th century.

Exploring Wildlife

5Ancient forest along the coast of Galway Bay revealed by recent winter storms by P. Fogarty.

Ironically, the recent storms have both destroyed and revealed. 7,500 year old trunks protruding from the peaty bottom of Galway Bay, exposed due to the removal of their stony covering, provide a rare picture of a pine forest lost to rising sea-level and subsequent reconfiguration of the shoreline.

The destruction wrought by the recent storms has been dramatic, particularly in the south and west. I spent a sad day in March walking through the woods in Killarney National Park where the devastation was everywhere to behold.

Hundreds if not thousands of trees, many of them mature hardwoods – oak, beech, ash, birch – lay uprooted or broken-off and strewn lengthways across the floor of the forest. Among the conifers, pines were most affected.

Remarkably little damage was evident to the precious yews. Many trees in falling had blocked off tracks and even roads. Fuel for next winter, they were being cut up and removed by Park staff, conscious no doubt

of the negative effect on tourism. Hopefully, some of the less obstructive boughs and trunks will be left to rot and return their nutrients to the woodland floor.

The extensive woods of Dromore Nature Reserve in Clare and Coole Park in Galway were also affected, losing many mature trees. The impact however was nothing like as serious.

The widely separated ancient oak ‘standards’ at Charleville in Offaly, including the great 400-year-old behemoth - despite losing a few massive boughs survived the winter relatively unscathed.

Interestingly, this reflected the experience of isolated trees during the Great Wind.

What effect (if any) will the creation of so many broken and damaged trees have on our biodiversity? Clearly it will provide new habitats for myriad decomposers.

Will it aid or repel the threat of recent arboreal attacks – bark beetle spread, fungal contamination etc? It could have a positive effect in removing the disease-weakened

specimens or making them more accessible to controlling agencies. The great-spotted woodpecker – a bird recently returned to Ireland – which once filled this role, will undoubtedly benefit. Its arrival in Killarney would be welcome compensation for the woodland devastation.

Extensive storm damage to trees is undoubtedly a cyclic phenomenon in Ireland, as it is in other ocean-bordered countries. However, a future of cycles of increasing ferocity and reduced periodicity, particularly one brought on by our own negligence, is a daunting prospect indeed.

Thankfully we have the ongoing efforts of our state and semi-state bodies, several NGOs and numerous local community groups stimulated by the upsurge in enthusiasm for tree-planting since the new millennium, to counter the worst that the weather can throw at us.

The welfare of our precious trees highlights the challenge we all face, not just on our little island, but on the entire planet.

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SUMMER Focus

Nature’s

Value

In light of a recent conference held in Dublin, Billy Flynn asks if, and how, we should put a price on nature and the ’ecosystem services’ it provides.

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SUMMER Focus

3Main image: Fox. Photo Maurice Flynn.

5Above: Lough Cloghan, County Offaly. Photo: Carsten Krieger.

A

major conference, the first of its kind in Ireland, has called on us to look at nature in a different way. Natural Capital: Ireland’s Hidden Wealth, was organised by Natural Capital Ireland, a working group that includes Woodlands of Ireland, Trinity College’s Centre for Biodiversity Research and Bord na Móna.

This event aimed to work towards two commitments made by EU leaders in March 2010 in the wake of the failure of the last EU Biodiversity Action Plan. One of these commitments is the 2020 ‘headline’ target: “Halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, and restoring them in so far as feasible.” The other is the ‘2050 vision’: “By 2050, EU biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides – its natural capital – are protected, valued and appropriately restored for biodiversity’s intrinsic value and for their essential contribution to human wellbeing and economic prosperity, and so that catastrophic changes caused by the loss of biodiversity are avoided.”

So we are told that we must, along with our European partners, put a value on what nature provides to us, for free. There can be no doubt that this conference is timely, even putting aside the 2020 and 2050 deadlines. The ability and capacity of nature to continue to do things for us that we might have taken for granted appear to be facing great threats. These ‘things’ are often referred to as ecosystem services. Two small words that encompass massive necessities to human wellbeing that include climate control, pollination, flood attenuation and water treatment.

The key task that Natural Capital Ireland faces is to put a monetary value on such services. Simple enough in terms of (say) pollination of commercial crops, this has already been done (and the results are scary). A huge proportion of food crops depend on the wild pollinators nature provides and whose populations have mysteriously declined in recent decades. Recent flood events in Ireland, with the tab to be picked up by local authorities and government agencies, show clearly how much we’ve ignored the pro bono work that wetlands and healthy watercourses do for us.

Other aspects are harder to pin down between a euro sign and a decimal point. How can we decide on how much the aesthetics of nature are worth? What price can we put on the landscape services nature provides? Who says how much that view or vista means and why? Evasive answers to be sure, but are we asking the right questions?

//The ability and capacity of nature to continue to do things for us that we might have taken for granted appear to be facing great threats.// The most pervasive argument for the assessment of ‘Natural Capital’ is made like this: “up until now we have placed no economic value on nature, therefore it has been used, abused and lost, as no one placed any monetary value on it. Basically, it was perceived to be worthless.

This has resonance, especially given our recent rush for development and the loss of habitats that resulted. However, that reduces us all somewhat - do none of us feel deep-down that the loss of something natural is wrong? Gerard Manley Hopkins asked: “What would the world be, once bereft of wilds and wilderness? Let them be left.” He didn’t need to say how much they were worth or even why they were valuable. In a world still reeling from the blatant failure of economic theories, are we on the brink of yet another, even graver, error? Are we correct to invite ‘experts’ in economics to prepare pricing schedules for things we value so highly? Once we allow wildlife to be put into this framework, it mightn’t be so easy to extract it. See more at www.naturalcapitalireland.com and on our Over To You section on page 29.

EU Strategy Targets The EU and the European Commission have adopted a strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU by 2020. There are six main targets, and 20 actions. Biodiversity loss is acknowledged as ‘an enormous challenge in the EU’, with around one-in-four species currently threatened with extinction and 88% of fish stocks over-exploited or significantly depleted.

The six targets cover: • Full implementation of EU nature legislation to protect biodiversity • Better protection for ecosystems, and more use of green infrastructure • More sustainable agriculture and forestry • Better management of fish stocks • Tighter controls on invasive alien species • A bigger EU contribution to averting global biodiversity loss.

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Field report

Yellow Archangel a rare beauty Seán Meehan reveals the beautiful, but elusive, yellow archangel flower.

5Yellow archangel growing in native woodland along the Liffey Valley in Dublin, by P. Fogarty.

A

walk through a long-established deciduous woodland in late spring is a truly enchanting experience.

The colourful carpet of woodland plants contrasting with the more sombre tones of the trees are a compelling reminder that although spring is in the air, it will take another few weeks until there is enough light and warmth to allow the trees to fully exhibit their new foliage. It is this short canopy-free period between the first mild days of spring and the warmth of early summer that provides us with an iconic wildlife scene; deciduous woodlands in spring.

Although in Ireland our lack of deciduous woodland is well documented, we still have a number of woodland fragments

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Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

remaining which offers us the opportunity to experience this glorious spring spectacle.

Many of our woodland plant species are well-known and beloved, such as bluebell, primrose and wood anemone, whilst others are less so. It is one of these lesser-known species, the yellow archangel, which is the focus of this article.

An Unmistakeable Find A rare species, occurring in only four counties in Ireland – Dublin, Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford – it is typically found in alkaline woodlands. These woodlands are recognised by the abundance of ash accompanied with an understorey of hazel.

Although yellow archangel is rare and perhaps one of the least-known members

of our native flora, it is unmistakable once you come across it. The flower, with its impressive yellow hooded flowers speckled with brown flecks, is perhaps one of the most strikingly beautiful amongst our native flora.

The season’s first flowers bloom in April and by late May they reach their zenith.

The plant is a member of the mint family and displays the square stem and stingless nettle-like opposite leaves that distinguish this family. People familiar with some of the more common related species, such as red deadnettle and ground ivy, will quickly notice these characteristics.

Yellow archangel is found growing in clumps and in one or two favourable sites there can be hundreds of plants growing together, forming a sea of glossy green leaves

Field report

heavily peppered with fluorescent yellow flowers. The species spreads vegetatively in Ireland, although in southern Britain and on the continent it produces seed. Seeds have been noted on the plant in Ireland but it has not yet been determined if they are viable or produced on an annual basis. It is believed that this lack of seed production is due to the species in Ireland being on the very edge of its European range, a common phenomenon amongst plant species occurring along the periphery of their ranges.

Another form of yellow archangel may be familiar to some readers who are also keen gardeners but this is the non-native subspecies ‘argentatum’. This plant is easily distinguished from the true native form by its variegated leaves, paler yellow flowers

and generally less robust appearance. It is occasionally encountered in areas where garden waste has been dumped and is a very vigorous coloniser. Although there is no evidence of hybridisation occurring in Ireland between the two forms, it is potentially a concern regarding the protection of the genetic purity of yet another member of the Irish flora.

Locations If you are interested in seeing yellow archangel for yourself then May is the best time of year to do so. There are a number of very accessible sites that you can visit, particularly in Co. Dublin, which is the stronghold of the plant in Ireland. The war memorial gardens at Islandbridge

offer a decent showing with the plants growing adjacent to the main footpath along the River Liffey. Another location is St. Catherine’s Wood between Lucan and Leixlip, where the plant can be seen growing beside the main footpaths. Outside of Co. Dublin, the most stunning display can be viewed at Knocksink Wood nature reserve in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. Here there is a swathe of plants congregated around the Norman motte and bailey castle mound accompanied by an array of other woodland specialists such as bluebell, primrose, wild garlic, bugle and birds-nest orchid. For those of us who are enthralled by woodlands in their spring glory, yellow archangel is definitely a plant that should feature on everyone’s ‘must see’ list.

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MEMBERS’ LETTERS

Over to you Healthy debate, argy-bargy, or just a good aul scrap – we love a good ‘frank exchange’ in the IWT – how else would we get to the bottom of things? So if you disagree vehemently with something you’ve read in our magazine don’t just stand there, write a strongly worded letter!

E c o - h ero to the r es cu e!

Hi IWT, I was at Birr castle when we found a huge mound of frogspawn. It had been left on the grass by the side of the pond after flood water had gone down. We thought it was probably ruined, so we left it and went home. I kept thinking about it all night, because I didn’t want to see it all die. I went back the next day and took a sample from the edge of the mass. When I put the spawn in a fish tank it began to hatch. I had lots of tadpoles swimming around. The next day I went back and decided to try and save some more, I met one of the gardeners and showed him the mound. I asked if they could put it back into the pond and he said they would. We needed to help nature out after the storms!

Zach Gallagher, aged 10, Co. Laois

 Frog Spawn.

Arachnophobes, look away now!

Hi IWT, outside and Just wanted to share this recent snap as I was unsure what it is. Its lives thumb. your of size the is normally found in long grass and is very small, about attention! the loving there sat just he but fast, Normally shy and moves extremely I really enjoy macro photography. Any idea what it might be?

Thanks, Joe Mc Callion, Inisowen, Co. Donegal to think we know a thing or two about our creepy Hi Joe, here in the IWT we love spiders – really – and while we like it to Myles Nolan in the Natural History Museum sent we So expert. crawlies we thought we’d pass this one on to a real in Dublin, and thanks so much to him for his response: Hello Joe/IWT, ta, one of the more common species of wolfNice pic Joe! A wolf spider from the genus Pardosa, possibly P. amenta tell this from the slightly swollen palps can you spiders found in Ireland. The photo looks like a submature male; of the head and a row of four small ones front the on ones large two – (short legs near the head). The eye arrangement diagnostic of the family in Ireland (and much else of underneath (two more to the side and back of the large ones) – is the world).

Best regards, Myles

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Members Letters

Can we put a price on nature? opposing views AG AIN ST

from Cóilín MacLochlainn in Dublin Putting a price on nature is symptomatic of a world in thrall to the power of the markets; it is an extreme expression of freemarket capitalism. In its current form, global economic activity is driving the unsustainable depletion of natural resources – of our forests, fertile land, fresh water, and clean air. The model of debtbased, finance-driven growth that we follow is unsustainable in a world of finite resources; and it has reached its limits. To keep going, it needs to keep finding and exploiting untapped natural resources, but it is running out of options. Now big business wants what remains of the global commons, it wants it opened up for exploitation. That is what putting a price on natural capital will mean in practical terms.

Our common heritage, the global commons, will be exposed to the competitive pressures of the marketplace and to private-sector profiteering. We can see this unfolding at Doonbeg, Co. Clare, for example. Against much opposition, a golf course was permitted at Doonbeg, with environmental conditions attached. When it fell on hard times, it was snapped up by billionaire Donald Trump.

Now Trump is threatening to sue Clare County Council for the expected profits he won’t make if prevented from developing the site as he sees fit. Can the local authority afford to contest such a case against a lawyered-up billionaire? It won’t try; it will negotiate and compromise and the environment will take another hit.

Pricing nature will put a reductive pressure on natural habitats, leaving only ecosystem functions of commercial value and losing everything else. Ecosystem ‘services’ will not be used sustainably; they won’t last. We’ve seen this in agriculture: modern industrial agriculture is systematically degrading its own fertile soil, and is now approaching the limits of environmental sustainability.

The economy is a subset of the environment and not the other way around. The economy needs to be managed and regulated with the health of the environment and the future of the biosphere as its pre-eminent objective.

IN FAV OUR from Declan Little, Woodlands of Ireland Coilín, You raise an important concern re: valuing natural capital (NC) as there are genuine, and justified, fears that NC valuation-based approaches may be hijacked by industry and government and used for green washing. The intention from all of us involved in organising the NC conference is to ensure the future protection, conservation and restoration of natural resources and not its erosion for commercial ends. We believe that unless we try and put values on natural resources they will continue to be eroded as humans continue to see nature as something removed from us rather than something we are all inextricably linked to, and dependent on. For example, the criteria devised for ‘offsetting’ biodiversity (i.e. replacing features that are destroyed during a development) are quite stringent and would not allow for the removal of, say, an ancient woodland for development by substituting it with the planting of an equal area of native trees. That would be absurd and reprehensible.

The whole point is that biodiversity off-setting is used as a last resort at the very bottom of the mitigation hierarchy, i.e. after avoid, minimise, rehabilitate...then offset. The metric is designed to account for the uniqueness of the habitat and the risk/difficulty involved in establishing a replacement habitat.

So the choice is to put nature on the radar of economic life or allow it to compete with the pressures of ‘progress’ as is currently ongoing. Part of the counter-view espoused by some is based on a reluctance to engage in real-world negotiations: “If we stay pure, and others mess things up, then it’s not our fault.” The real questions are: what knowledge/analysis is the valuation based on, how well is it done, and in whose interests? Simply saying we won’t put any economic value on nature is no answer at all.

Declan Little was among the organisers of the Natural Capital Conference (see our Summer Focus feature on pg24).

Remember, if you have a story, question, or an image you’d like to share with us, or, God forbid, even a complaint, send it to irishwildlife@iwt.ie

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IWT Events

Events What’s happening in GALWAY JUNE Guided Ranger Walk Date/time: TBC Venue: Coole-Garryland complex Guided walk with the local wildlife ranger at the Coole-Garryland complex, exploring ancient woodland, limestone pavement and turloughs.

July Guided Walk Date/time: July 20th Venue: Ballyconneely, Connemara Contact: iwtgalway@gmail.com Guided walk with the local wildlife ranger at the Coole-Garryland complex.

What’s happening in Cork MAY Butterfly SlidEshow and Walk Date/time: Sat 31st May, 2pm Venue:Tracon Community Centre Contact: Tracton Community Centre at 0860711910 or corkbranch@ gmail.com Rodney Daunt, who has a keen interest in wildlife and and photography, particularly of butterflies, will lead a walk near a Coilte woodland, followed by a slideshow of butterflies and other wildlife that Rodney has photographed locally in Gortigrenane. This event is free.

Children welcomed however the event is not appropriate for wheelchairs.

JuNE Quarry Clean-up Date/time: Sat 14th June, 10.30am Venue: Beaumont Quarry Contact: Jo Goodyear, 085-7276738 or email corkbranch@gmail.com Meet by SPAR on Beaumont Drive / #202 bus stop at 10.30am. We will provide gloves, hi-vis vests, bags and litter pickers.

Guided Plant Walk and Picnic Date/time: Sun 15th June, 11.30am-3pm Venue: Beaumont Quarry Contact: Jo Goodyear 085-7276738 30

Irish Wildlife Summer ‘14

There are plenty of Irish Wildlife Trust events going on around the country this summer, from Galway to Kerry and everywhere in between. Enjoy! beaumontquarry@gmail.com.

Jo Goodyear, a botanist and herbalist, will introduce us to some of the wonderful plants to be found in Beaumont quarry, followed by a picnic from 1-3pm. Please bring a contribution of food. We will supply tea and coffee.

JULY Guided Walk Date/time: Sat 12th July, 12 noon Venue: Beaumont Quarry Contact: corkbranch@gmail.com The leader - Dr Isobel Abbott - has a keen interest in wildlife and has been carrying out regular surveys of the bees and butterflies in Beaumont quarry for the National Biodiversity Data Centre. Dr Abbott will guide us through the quarry and introduce some of the bees and butterflies.

Invasive Plant Workshop Date/time: Thurs 17th July, 5.30pm Venue: Silver Key bar, Churchyard Lane Contact: Isobel, 086 1516391 or emailcorkiwtknotweed@gmail.com There will be a short presentation about invasive plant species, and ecologist Dr Isobel Abbott will explain how to take part in the Cork Knotweed Project survey.

There will also be an opportunity to visit the nearby Beaumont quarry to see the impact of these invasive species.

Table Quiz Date/time: Thur 31st July, 7pm Venue: Mr Bradleys, Barrack Street Contact:corkbranch@gmail.com or Aideen at 0876644623 This event is a family event. It is suitable for up to 20 children, ages 4-10. It will run from 1pm -3pm. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Ecologist Lorna O’Mahony will explain the wonders of the miniature natural world in this family funfilled activity.

AUGUST Bug Hunt Date/time: Sun 3rd August, 1pm Venue: TBC Contact: Lorna O’Mahony, 085 7329374 This event is a family event. It is suitable

for up to 20 children, ages 4-10. It will run from 1pm -3pm. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Ecologist Lorna O’Mahony will explain the wonders of the miniature natural world in this family funfilled activity.

Whale Watching Date/time: Sun 24th August, 2-5pm Venue: Galley Head Contact: Padraig Whooley, padraig. whooley@iwdg.ie

Heritage week 23rd – 31st August; Marine theme. This is not a Cork Branch event, but we have been invited to join the IWDG as part of their whale watch day.

Coastal Lichen Walk Date/time: Sun 24th August, 11am Venue: Roches Point Contact: corkbranch@gmail.com We are very fortunate to have lichenologist Paul Whelan as our guide for this event, who has a keen interest in the nature.

Rocky Shore Walk Date/time: Sun 31st August, 2pm Venue: Roches Point Contact: corkbranch@gmail.com or Aideen on 0876644623 The walk will be lead by Gill Weyman and Aideen Kane; Gill has previously worked on Sherkin Island Marine Research station as a Biologist, and has specialised in marine ecology for the Isle of Man Government and as part of a Masters course. Aideen is a Marine biologist, science teacher and has led groups at Galway aquarium. Please contact the Cork branch at corkbranch@gmail.com or on our Facebook page Irish Wildlife Trust – Cork Branch for further information.

What’s happening in LONGFORD JUNE Derragh Lough Wildlife Walk Date/time: Sun June 15th, 3pm Venue: Derragh Lough Derragh Lough is near Abbeylara, in north Co. Longford. It is also by the River Inny and there should be plenty of wild flowers and maybe even some kingfisher.

IWT Events

JULY Wildlife Walk Date/time: Sat July 19th, 3pm Venue: Streamstown, Co. Westmeath Contact: iwtlongfordwestmeath@gmail.com or our Facebook page Longford/Westmeath Irish Wildlife Trust Branch Meet at Streamstown school.

What’s happening in DUBLIN JUNE Ireland’s Eye Boat Trip Date/time: June 7th, 15th; times TBC Venue: Ireland’s Eye Contact: dublinbranch@iwt.ie Join us on our annual Dublin branch boat trips to Ireland’s Eye! We’ll be exploring the beautiful scenery, spotting a wide variety of bird species including gannets, puffins, razorbills and gulls. Places are strictly limited.

JULY Bull Island Wildflowers Date/time: July 12th, 2pm Venue: Bull Island Interpretive Centre (meet on the causeway) Contact: dublinbranch@iwt.ie to reserve Join Niall Mac Coitir to look at the amazing range of wildflowers to seen on Bull Island in the summertime, including many varieties of orchids, wild peas, violets and much more.

aficionado) will be at hand to help identify the various plant and tree species we come across and give some background on the ecology of the area.

May

Great Blasket Island and E co-marine Tour Date/time: 13th July, 8am-7pm Venue:Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre Contact: €45 (25% discount) A day-long island and marine tour with Eco Marine Tours of Ventry. In the morning the group will be ferried to the Great Blasket Island where there will be a wildlife- based guided tour with local guide Britta Wilkens, and a full eco-marine tour with both Britta and skipper Mick Shearan in the afternoon.

For more details and to sign-up, visit iwtkerry.blogspot.ie/2014/05/marinetour.html

Bat Night Date/time: Fri May 30th, 9.15am Venue: Emo Court Demesne What to bring: Insect repellent, warm clothes and the kids!

Equipped with bat detectors, we will observe bats as they emerge for a night of foraging, listen to the ultrasonic sounds generated while bat experts interpre all the sounds and activities as they happen.

August

Meet The Chicks Date/time: Sun 15th June, 3pm Venue: Lough Boora Parklands Contact: For more info and to book, visit: www.thebadgersett.weebly.com Take advantage of a rare opportunity to see newly hatched Grey Partridge and Corncrake chicks before they are released into the wilds of Offaly.This outing will be led by: Paddy Kelly - Captive Breeding Manager.

Curraheen - Raised Bog Walk Date/time: 24th August, 2-3.30pm Venue: Curraheen Contact: Free for IWT Members, €5 for nonmembers. VISIT iwtkerry.blogspot.ie Dr. David McCormick, ecologist at Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre and IWT Kerry Branch Chair, will lead this walk, and will be at hand to identify the various flora and fauna that depend on this habitat and will give details on their importance for the wider environment.

What’s happening in Waterford

What’s happening in KERRY JUNE Ballyseedy Woods Native Woodland Walk Date/time: 22nd June, 2-3.30pm Venue: North Entrance, Ballyseedy Woods Contact: Free for IWT Members, €5 for nonmembers. Visit iwtkerry.blogspot.ie The branch will visit a native woodland - Ballyseedy Woods. Ger Scollard (plant scientist) and Claire Horan (wildflower

What’s happening in Laois/Offaly

July

August Heritage Week Date/time: 23rd - 31st August Heritage week August - Dublin branch celebrates Heritage Week by exploring the Hill of Carrickgolloghan and the old lead mines and associated tunnels of Ballycorus.

Details TBC.

Venue: Kilbarry Bog Meeting Point, Kilbarry Nature Park.

September will see the start of the new season of shorter evening walks – see our blogspot at irishwildlifetrust.blogspot.ie JUNE Summer Evening Walk Date/time: Thur June 10th, 7.30pm Venue: Fenor Bog (meet in car park) July Summer Evening Walk Date/time: Thur July 8th, 7.30pm Venue: Tramore (meet at the Surf Centre, Tramore Promenade) AUGUST Summer Evening Walk Date/time: TueS August 5th, 7.30pm

Badger Club Events June

July Den Building & Seed Collecting Day Date/time: Sun July 13th, 12pm-4pm Venue: Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Co Offaly Contact: For more info and to book visit: www.thebadgersett.weebly.com Heritage Week Events (subject to change so check Heritage Week brochure for confirmed details) August Bug Hotel Build and Bug Hunt Date/time: Sat 23rd August, 11am-2pm Venue: Emo Court Hedgehog Celebration Family Fun Day Date/time: Sat 30th August, 10am-4pm Venue: Birr Castle Bug Hotel Build and Bug Hunt Date/time: Sat 30th August, 10am-4pm Venue: Abbeyleix Bog

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on location

Saving the Hairy d n a l e Ir in t n A d o o W  Hairy wood ant workers with aphids on birch. Photo: John Breen.

Careful management of the hairy wood ant species is needed, writes John Breen, University of Limerick.

T

he hairy wood ant builds large mound nests in woods. The workers forage along trails up to 70m long to collect honeydew from aphids and this is the main food of the adults. They also collect various invertebrates as prey which they feed to the larvae. A genetics study showed that the species is native to Ireland and is classified as near-threatened on the IUCN global red list. In Ireland there has been a serious decline in the distribution and only about 40 nests are known overall: in woods near Cahir in Tipperary; Woodford, Co. Galway; and in woodland on cut-over bog near Dundrum, Co. Tipperary. The remainder are a few widely-scattered nests in Killarney National Park.

The genetics study also showed that nests of the Irish population have only a single

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queen per nest and a single nest per colony.

This means the actual breeding population of egg-laying queens is precariously low. Since the nests have only one queen, splitting nests is not an option. Furthermore the production of new nests is a slow process. New nests are usually formed by budding off daughter nests.

Or, sometimes, after their mating flights, newly mated queens take over the nests of the large black ant and turn them into new wood ant colonies.

Careful management is needed where the species still occurs. Clear-felling of large areas is a problem and the size of areas being felled needs to be limited. The re-planting should be with tree species which support aphids Scots pine and spruces but not Lodgepole pine (no aphids!), native birches and oaks.

This is to encourage the development of a

 Nest of the hairy wood ant.

Photo: John Breen.

mosaic of mixed-aged trees. Hopefully this will encourage the development of new nests and conserve this species for future generations.

Further reading: Irish Wildlife Manual number 68 available at: www.npws.ie/ publications/irishwildlifemanuals

IRISH RESEARCH IR IS H RRAPTOR A P TO R RESE A R CH CENTRE CEN T R E

EAGLES E AG LES FLYING F L YI N G BALLYMOTE, CO. SLIGO.

TEL: 071 918 9310

www.eaglesflying.com

Beat the rain – Now with indoor display area

Scientifically managed sanctuary for birds of prey and owls

A visit to Eagles Flying is fun for all the family. The highly entertaining and interactive shows at Ireland’s largest Bird of Prey Centre mean excitement, photo opportunities and the chance to get close up with birds of prey.

Experience Eagles, Hawks and Vultures flying right over your head or landing beside you.You have never been that close to such a bird. There are more than 100 birds of prey – some with a wingspan of more than 3 metres. If you are lucky, you can fly or touch one of them during the show. If you like more cuddly creatures you can stroke the animals in our large Pet-Zoo. Bird Shows daily at 11am & 3pm (60 min. each approximately) Open: 10.30am-12.30pm & 2.30am – 4.30pm April – 7th November inc.. inc 1st April – 7th November

Pet Zoo

We have rabbits, guinea-pigs, geese, raccoons, hens, lambs, goats, donkeys and more, so a visit is fun for all the family.

FREE PARKING FOR CARS & COACHES Fully wheelchair accessible

FindUs: Us:Drive Drivefrom fromBallymote Ballymotetowards towardsTemple TempleHouse House/ /Ballinacarrow Ballinacrrow or from the N17 ToToFind towards Temple House / Ballymote. Our GPS co-ordinates: N54°06.207’ W8°34.053’

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Saturday 11th October & Sunday 12th October 2014 Killegar, Carrigallen County Leitrim

Specialist Talks • Guided Forays • Wild Food Cookery Demonstrations • Places on forays are strictly limited!

Book early at: www.internationalmushroomfestival.com

BADGER • WOOD MOUSE • RED SQUIRREL • BUZZARD

P I N E M A R T E N • F O X • BIRD'S NEST FUNGI • OWL

A N C I E N T N AT I V E WO O D L A N D • B AT

OTTER • RARE MOTHS & BUTTERFLIES

Marine Institute

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Foras na Mara

Our Ocean - A Shared Resource Ár n-Aigéan - Acmhainn Comhroinnte Ireland’s National Agency for Marine Research and Innovation An Ghníomhaireacht Náisiúnta um Thaighde Mara agus Nuálaíochta

www.marine.ie

IRISH RESEARCH IR IS H RRAPTOR A P TO R RESE A R CH CENTRE C EN T R E

EAGLES E AG LES FLYING F L YI N G BALLYMOTE, CO. SLIGO.

TEL: 071 918 9310

www.eaglesflying.com

Beat the rain – Now with indoor display area

Scientifically managed sanctuary for birds of prey and owls

A visit to Eagles Flying is fun for all the family. The highly entertaining and interactive shows at Ireland’s largest Bird of Prey Centre mean excitement, photo opportunities and the chance to get close up with birds of prey.

Experience Eagles, Hawks and Vultures flying right over your head or landing beside you.You have never been that close to such a bird. There are more than 100 birds of prey – some with a wingspan of more than 3 metres. If you are lucky, you can fly or touch one of them during the show. If you like more cuddly creatures you can stroke the animals in our large Pet-Zoo. Bird Shows daily at 11am & 3pm (60 min. each approximately) Open: 10.30am-12.30pm & 2.30am – 4.30pm April – 7th November inc.. inc 1st April – 7th November

Pet Zoo

We have rabbits, guinea-pigs, geese, raccoons, hens, lambs, goats, donkeys and more, so a visit is fun for all the family.

FREE PARKING FOR CARS & COACHES Fully wheelchair accessible

FindUs: Us:Drive Drivefrom fromBallymote Ballymotetowards towardsTemple TempleHouse House/ /Ballinacarrow Ballinacrrow or from the N17 ToToFind towards Temple House / Ballymote. Our GPS co-ordinates: N54°06.207’ W8°34.053’

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Saturday 11th October & Sunday 12th October 2014 Killegar, Carrigallen County Leitrim

Specialist Talks • Guided Forays • Wild Food Cookery Demonstrations • Places on forays are strictly limited!

Book early at: www.internationalmushroomfestival.com

BADGER • WOOD MOUSE • RED SQUIRREL • BUZZARD

P I N E M A R T E N • F O X • BIRD'S NEST FUNGI • OWL

A N C I E N T N AT I V E WO O D L A N D • B AT

Marine Institute

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Foras na Mara

Our Ocean - A Shared Resource Ár n-Aigéan - Acmhainn Comhroinnte Ireland’s National Agency for Marine Research and Innovation An Ghníomhaireacht Náisiúnta um Thaighde Mara agus Nuálaíochta

www.marine.ie

OTTER • RARE MOTHS & BUTTERFLIES

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TRALEE BAY WETLANDS CENTRE Where activity and nature combine!

ATTRACTIONS INCLUDE:

Nature Wetlands Area Interactive Exhibition Guided Nature Boat Tour 20metre Viewing Tower Nature Boardwalk Bird Hides

Watersports Activity Lake Padelo Boats Rowing Boats Waterwalker Zorbs Coming Soon: Climbing Wall

Lakeside Café & Gift Shop Area OPEN DAILY 10am – 5pm Mar – Oct 10am – 7pm July and August 11am – 3.30pm Nov – Feb (Note Christmas and New Year Closures)

Ballyard Road, Tralee, Co Kerry 066 712 6700

info@traleebaywetlands.org

www.traleebaywetlands.org

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