Irish Wildlife Trust Winter 2020

ISSN - 1649 - 5705 • WINTER ’20

IRISH MAGAZINE OF THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

S AND’ IREL

TE S BIE F LDLI E W

AZIN MAG

Regenerative

PLUS GORDON D’ARCY WONDERS IF OUR LOVE FOR WILDLIFE COULD BE CAUSING MORE HARM THAN GOOD

Farming

SPOTTED IN IRELAND: • PREMIE SEAL • FUNGI • COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLY

POWER OF THE (YOUNG) PEOPLE

OFC_IWT Winter_2020_Cover_V1_REV.indd 1

SAVE OUR SEALS

ONE YEAR OF COILLTE NATURE

17/11/2020 15:10

Everything for wildlife, ecology and conservation Bat detectors Camera traps & accessories Moth traps & insect nets Field guides Conservation handbooks Binoculars & spotting scopes Hand lenses & microscopes Pond dipping nets 1000s of natural history books Huge product range

Rapid shipping

Exceptional customer service

Over 140,000 books & equipment products

UK & Worldwide

Specialist help and advice

www.nhbs.com | Serving conservation since 1985 | +44 1803 865913 2L_NHBS_JM_IWT Winter 20.indd 1

11/11/2020 11:52

Introducing the new Irish Wildlife Trust membership card.

Please fill in your name, cut out and keep your new membership card to present at talks and other events.

Cards valid until the end of 2021.

Your 2022 card will be printed in our 2021 Winter issue.

IWT_2L_Membership_Card 2021.indd 1

Advert template.indd 1

Membership Card 2021

Individual members, please fill in your full name. Family members, please fill in your family name. Card valid until end of 2021. Your 2022 card will be printed in our Winter 2021 magazine. Š Irish Wildlife Trust 2020.

11/11/2020 11:48

11/11/2020 12:10

WELCOME

Chairman’s Comment

G

Cover credit: Water Rail by Karol Waszkiewicz Contents page credits: Three Mute Swans by John Murphy Moorhen by Dave McGrath Goldcrest by Piotr Rak Wasp by Elspeth Hall Male Sparrowhawk by Feargal Quinn Common Blue by Chris Bolton Badger by Conor Rowlands Red Squirrel by Andrew Garrigan

Published by Ashville Media Group www.ashville.com

All articles © 2020. 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

Printed on

Trust cannot be held responsible for any inadvertent errors or omissions contained herein.

Please recycle this copy of Irish Wildlife

reetings from IWT! I hope this winter edition of our magazine finds you and yours in good form and health despite the ongoing COVID situation and challenging restrictions.

With another winter now upon us, like myself, you are probably looking back and feeling somewhat nosatalgic for many of the events that we have missed out on this year; trips to our favourite areas of the country for hikes and walks, attending public talks and meeting up with others who all share our passion for wildlife. Whilst many of us did manage to improvise to get our ‘fixes’ of wildlife spotting, often in our own localities, the absence of many events and activities that we take for granted highlights how important interacting with nature and wildlife is for so many of us.

With tentative optimism, 2021 is shaping up to be a better year and without tempting fate, will hopefully allow us all to get back to doing what we enjoy; exploring and interacting with biodiversity. The IWT has weathered the crisis and we are looking forward to getting out and about once again to meet our members and supporters and continuing with our work on the ground all across the country.

Since the last edition of our magazine, a lot has been going on in the conservation and political world. Of note was the welcome increase in funding for the NPWS announced in the recent budget. €29 million has been allocated to this organisation, more than double the paltry €13 million figure allocated in the previous budget. In our pre-budget submission, IWT called for a budget of €50 million and while the figure allocated this year falls short of this hoped for amount, it is a good start and we hope and expect that future allocations will be improved upon in subsequent years. The NPWS has been a woefully under resourced body, overlooked and shunted between departments over the years by different governments. Hopefully, this increase in budget will permit staff

recruitment and funding for conservation initiatives for our most important habitats and species. Designation of protected areas such as SACs and SPAs have been in place for many years, but unless actions as per site and species management plans are implemented, then these designations have been nothing more than box ticking formalities, simply to fulfil legal requirements.

If we cannot protect and manage designated habitats and species, then what hope is there for biodiversity outside these areas?

IWT’s Campaigns Officer, Pádraic Fogarty, writes more on this issue in the Conservation News section.

As this is our last edition for 2020, I want to thank our staff, directors, members and volunteers for all their effort and support throughout this difficult year and we all look forward to better times next year. Whilst most of our activities and outreach may have ceased for the time being, we have continued to be a voice for biodiversity both at a national and international level. New volunteers and members are always welcome so if you or someone you know is interested in becoming a member or getting involved with us, please visit our website www.iwt.ie to get in touch and keep up to date with our advocacy and campaigns on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Finally, with Christmas approaching, a reminder that our online shop has plenty of gift ideas and gift memberships for your nature loving family and friends, or indeed yourself.

Have a safe and peaceful Christmas and we wish you all the best for 2021.

Enjoy the read

Seán Meehan, Chairman, Irish Wildlife Trust

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. Irish Wildlife has a new cover to make it 100% recyclable, so if you do choose to throw it out, please put it in the green bin.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

001_IWT Winter_2020_Welcome_V1 REV3.indd 1

1

17/11/2020 14:21

FIELD REPORT

2

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

002_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Contents_V1.indd 2

17/11/2020 14:22

CONTENTS

Contents 4.

ABOUT US

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

5. CONSERVATION NEWS

Tim Clabon compiles the latest national and international news from the conservation world.

7.

FISHING EFFORT

Regina Classenon on

Ireland’s implications for our protected offshore regions

10. IWT NEWS

Read all about our recent activities.

16. FARMING FUTURES

What does the future of farming

in Ireland look like? Sinéad Moran investigates whether an equitable pathway for all can be found.

20. ONE YEAR OF COILLTE NATURE

Ciaran Fallon takes us on a journey around the country, looking at three special projects undertaken by the Coillte Nature Team.

22. WILDLIFE LOVED TO DEATH

Gordon D’Arcy wonders if our

love for wildlife, either native to Ireland or further afield, could be causing more harm than good.

25.

FIADHÚLRA

Beacha agus Beacha Gabhair agus a leitheid.

26.

WINTER FOCUS

Running wild in Dusany

28. CITIZEN SCIENCE

How to create a native hedgegrow

30. CLIMATE CHANGE

Power to the (young) people

32. SAVE OUR SEALS

Seals Rescue’s Krysten Maier describes the essential role that seals play and why rescuing them is so important

34. IWT PHOTOS OF THE MONTH Power to the (young) people

36. COMPETITION

Win a copy of Nature Diary: One Eye, One Finger by John Boorman.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

002_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Contents_V1.indd 3

3

17/11/2020 14:23

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: Motivating and supporting people to take action for wildlife.

Education and raising awareness of all aspects of Irish wildlife and conservation issues.

Research of the natural environment.

Acquiring and managing nature reserves to safeguard species and habitats.

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

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

IMAGES THIS PAGE: TOP: Wasp by Elspeth Hall ABOVE: Moorhen by Dave McGrath

HAVE COMMENTS? Editor: Pádraic Fogarty Magazine queries email: editor@iwt.ie Information on campaigning and policies email: irishwildlife@iwt.ie Snail mail: The Irish Wildlife Trust, 8 CABRA ROAD, DUBLIN 7, D07 T1W2 Web: www.iwt.ie Social media: facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust twitter.com/Irishwildlife instagram.com/irishwildlifetrust/

The IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country: Dublin: dublinbranch@iwt.ie facebook.com/DublinBranchIrishWildlife Trust, dubliniwt.blogspot.ie Waterford: Denis Cullen, iwtwaterfordbranch@gmail.com, deniscullen@eircom.net, irishwildlifetrust. blogspot.ie Kerry: Ger, iwtkerry@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/KerryIWT Galway: Dan, iwtgalway@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/IWTgalwaybranch Laois/Offaly: Ricky, iwtlaoisoffaly@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/IWTlaoisoffalybranch

Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT.

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: • Make a one-off donation to the IWT. • Give IWT membership as a gift.

• Volunteer – we are always looking for people to help out. There are lots of ways to get involved, from helping with important admin work in our office to helping us increase membership by volunteering at public events. See our website www.iwt.ie for details or contact the office directly.

• Do 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 4

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

004_IWT_Winter_2020 About Us.indd 4

17/11/2020 14:24

CONSERVATION NEWS

CONSERVATION NEWS

The latest national and international news from the conservation world, compiled by Tim Clabon

IRISH NEWS

Farewell to

Fungie Fungie the dolphin was first spotted in Dingle Bay in 1984 by the then lighthouse keeper Paddy Ferriter, who observed the bottle-nosed dolphin escorting local fishing boats to and from the harbour. Fungie has since been welcoming visitors for over 30 years and has become world famous.

No one really knows where Fungie came from, why he accepts social interactions with humans or why he decided to adopt Dingle Bay as his permanent home. There are several theories as to why he stayed and why he is so welcoming to humans. Some suggest that he was separated from his pod and adapted to a semi-solitary life in the bay. Others think it more likely he was trapped for the entertainment/aquarium trade and either escaped or was released. In the late seventies and early eighties there was huge pressure to

ban live dolphin and orca shows, though, it was finally in 1993 that the last dolphin show in the UK closed. But nonetheless wherever Fungie came from he welcomes all water users, be they in boats, kayaks or swimming.

Dingle Bay is rich in marine life. During the rising tide, fish come in. This bounty of fish probably provided Fungie with enough food, meaning he would not have to venture too far to find food though it is known in the winter months he would have to venture further out of the bay to hunt.

While Fungie would have been seen alone, he was by no means a recluse. Evidence of interactions with other dolphins are well documented and who knows, maybe somewhere out there, there is a son or daughter of Fungie.

It is sad that Fungie is now missing. As well

as providing entertainment to the thousands of tourists and locals who sought out an experience with Fungie, it is hard not to think of him as one of the ocean’s ambassadors. Who knows how many people left after seeing him with a greater appreciation of marine life and our natural environment? How many careers in conservation did he launch by igniting a passion for the natural world? This is a legacy that should be remembered.

The loss of Fungie will no doubt leave a hole in Dingle, but it is important to remember what made Dingle Bay attractive to Fungie. While he has gone, the area remains an important maritime area for both its rich heritage and importance for marine and coastal biodiversity.

All of us at the Irish Wildlife Trust wish Fungie, wherever he may be, clear horizons, fair winds and following seas.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

005_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Conservation News_V2_REV.indd 5

5

17/11/2020 14:28

CONSERVATION NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Abutworrying year for wildlife some successes in 2020 The year 2020 is perhaps a year that has not been one of our greatest. Aside from Covid-19 and the wildlife trade, 2020, has been disappointing in terms of wildlife and conservation.

In Australia, the wildfires of 2019 have left areas of natural importance scarred and while Australian wildlife is robust, it is estimated that over a billion creatures perished with many endangered species now facing the risk of extinction. Wildlife rehabilitation and habitat recovery will take years to return to what they once were. Meanwhile wildfires still burn in the US, affecting the important wildlife species found there.

On the other side of the planet, high temperatures have been affecting the Arctic habitats where, as well as the melting icecaps, permafrost has also been melting.The loss of white snow and ice that would have reflected sunlight has in turn worsened the heating process as dark soils and water absorb more sunlight and heat, causing a cycle of melting that has had a direct impact on Arctic habitats.

This includes receding shorelines, increased erosion (and release of carbon previously held in its soils) and species more tolerant of higher temperatures competing and, in some cases, winning against native tundra species.

And there is also a concern that previously ‘locked’ bacteria and diseases could be 6

released, further effecting species in the area.

Meanwhile it is estimated that globally, 515 species of bird, reptile, amphibian and mammal are on the brink of extinction (defined as having a population size less than 1000) and more than half of these have less than 250 individuals.

Plants have fared no better. It is believed that 40% of plants and fungi face extinction. The report, carried out by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew in the UK, brought together the expertise of 210 scientists from 42 countries to access the state of the world’s plants and fungi. The report noted that this is an increase from 20% from their 2016 report.

While there have been some disappointing and worrying news for wildlife in 2020, there have also been some successes. No one knows how many species of animal inhabit our planet, so it comes as no surprise when new species are recorded. Occasionally, species thought to have become extinct are also rediscovered. One such rediscovery is the Somali elephant-shrew, a species perhaps more closely related to elephants than our native shrew. Having not been recorded since the seventies, the species was thought extinct. Not convinced, researchers from the California Academy of Sciences and the Association Djibouti Nature went off in search of this shrew to see if it could be found elsewhere in eastern Africa. After more than 1,200 live traps,

eight Somali elephant-shrews were found, proving they were far from extinct.

This is but one species thought extinct that has turned up and researchers hope more species that have been assumed extinct may be out there, waiting to be discovered. In actual fact there is a “Most Wanted” list of species that are hoped to be rediscovered.

While the news that over 500 species of vertebrate are threatened with extinction is distressing, in the past 10 years conservation efforts have saved between two to seven mammals and nine to 18 birds from extinction.

The reduction of extinctions were part of an ambitious plan by the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) which in 2010 set 20 targets to be achieved by 2020. One target aimed to prevent the extinctions of threatened species.

Researchers from around the world investigated how successful this target had been. Since the beginning of the CBD in 1993, conservation action prevented the extinction of between 21-32 bird species and between 7-16 mammal species. Without the convention, it is believed extinction rates could have been up to four times higher.

Although species have become extinct during the convention’s lifetime, the fact that some have been saved gives some hope for the future, but only if efforts to address biodiversity losses are made.

Irish Wildlife Winter '20

005_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Conservation News_V2_REV.indd 6

17/11/2020 14:29

CONSERVATION NEWS

Fishing effort

Implications for our protected area targets by Regina Classen

in Ireland’s offshore regions Fishing boat sailing through rough seas

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

007_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Marine Conservation News_V2_REV2.indd 7

7

17/11/2020 14:30

CONSERVATION NEWS

Ireland has committed to protecting 30% of the Irish exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by 2030, which will amount to roughly 128,000 km2 worth of marine protected areas. Currently, this figure stands at 2.4% (or 12,000 km2), half of which is located in the offshore region (beyond 12 nautical miles from the coast). To make up the additional 27.6% as quickly as possible, new Marine Protected Area (MPA) designations will likely cover large offshore areas. The establishment of meaningful protection measures in the offshore regions, however, involves a lengthy process of negotiation with other EU Member States that hold traditional fishing rights inside our EEZ. These negotiations are regulated under Article 11 of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

In this article we will look at fishing effort in the Irish EEZ, where this effort is located, and what this means for future MPA designations.

CURRENT OFFSHORE MPAS There are seven MPAs located beyond 12 nautical miles of our coast. Of these, six are protected for cold water coral reefs and according to Bord Iascaigh Mhara, these areas are so-called ‘Coral Protection Areas’ where bottom contacting fishing gear is not permitted.

Nevertheless, pelagic gear (midwater) is still allowed in these areas and large trawlers (>100 metres in length) often fish inside our offshore MPAs. After years of negotiations, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands have come up with a

management proposal that would protect merely one third of the MPA from bottom trawling, with seine netting even permitted to continue on 95% of protected sandbanks.

The seventh MPA, the Codling Fault Zone, is located in the Irish Sea. This MPA is designated for the protection of bubbling reefs (rare methane seeps created by bacterial activity) which harbour a diverse mix of sponges,

 Offshore MPAs and fishing effort for all towed gear (pelagic and demersal) between 2015 and

anemones, feather stars, hydroids, and much more. Analysis by the Marine Conservation Society revealed that vessels spent a total of 539 hours fishing with bottom towed gear inside this MPA between 2015 and 2018.

Analyses such as these show how meaningless MPA designations can be. Ireland has not yet attempted to negotiate fisheries management measures under the CFP Article 11 – however, other member states’ efforts have shown that even where the CFP Article 11 process has been concluded, conservation measures often came out pretty weak. A good example of this is the Dogger Bank MPA in the North Sea. After years of negotiations, Germany, UK and the Netherlands have come up with a management proposal that would protect merely 1/3 of the MPA from bottom trawling, with seine netting even permitted to continue on 95% of protected sandbanks. The implications for future Irish designations are stark. We can either designate areas where fishing pressure is already low (e.g. the deep sea) to avoid lengthy negotiation procedures or identify areas of high biodiversity value which are currently heavily fished. The first option defeats the purpose of ‘protection’ as you are not in fact protecting the area from anything. The alternative option risks confrontation with the powerful fishing lobby – and potentially end up with paper parks that still offer no real protection from fishing as in the Dogger Bank. Both scenarios are less than ideal and NGOs have voiced strong

2018. Effort is concentrated along highly productive continental margins and off the south coast.

8

Irish Wildlife Winter '20

007_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Marine Conservation News_V2_REV2.indd 8

17/11/2020 14:30

CONSERVATION NEWS  Large red Palmate sea fans

 Ireland’s EEZ

"The implications for future Irish designations are stark: we can either designate areas where fishing pressure is already low (e.g. the deep sea) to avoid lengthy negotiation procedures. " criticism of Article 11 of the CFP. It is clearly not fit for purpose.

WHERE ARE THE FISHING HOTSPOTS IN THE IRISH EEZ? Fishing effort is concentrated in the shallower waters of the Irish EEZ. The two maps show the highest concentration of fishing in red – one shows all towed gear and one shows demersal (bottom) gears only. Of particular note is the effort to the west of Ireland which follows the continental slope, where nutrient upwelling from deeper waters brings high productivity.

These areas are also rich in biodiversity.

One map shows the location of vulnerable marine ecosystems such as coral reefs which in many cases overlap with high fishing effort.

The French demersal fleet is extremely active in this area, while the Irish demersal fleet is more active on the Porcupine Bank and off the south coast.

Bottom trawling is a very destructive way of fishing that scrapes the seabed for species such

 Location of vulnerable marine ecosystems (e.g. coral reefs) in Ireland’s offshore regions.

as cod, plaice or prawns (Nephrops). Impacts of this type of fishing include bycatch and damage to slow-growing corals (the oldest living coral ever found was around 4,000 years old).

Sedimentary habitats are considered relatively robust, but trawling can be an issue here too ocean sediments store a lot of carbon, which is released with every scrape of the gear. Longlived or sessile (those that cannot move) organisms, such as rays or sea pens are quick to disappear from regularly trawled areas.

To capture the most possible biodiversity, future designations should aim to protect the highly diverse, productive and vulnerable

marine ecosystems along the upper continental slopes. A network of MPAs where no fishing is allowed – whether demersal or pelagic would permit highly mobile as well as sessile species to recover. Unfortunately, this requires negotiations with the countries that fish in these areas. France, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK are the most active in this region and would most likely make it very difficult for Ireland to introduce any meaningful management measures. The process would take years, and if we are to fulfil a target of 30% MPA coverage by 2030 (that aren’t paper parks), the government has no time to lose

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

007_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Marine Conservation News_V2_REV2.indd 9

9

17/11/2020 14:31

IWT NEWS

A C T I V I T Y U P D A T E By Kieran Flood, IWT Coordinator

Barn Owl by Mike Brown

IWT Members

Wildlife Photo of the Year

As we approach the end of the year winter has arrived and what a very strange year it has been.

To add a little fun to what has been a challenging time, we are introducing our new IWT members ‘Wildlife Photo of the Year’ competition, a photo competition run exclusively for members of the Irish Wildlife Trust.

Many of our readers will be familiar with our monthly Facebook competition ‘Photo of the Month’ (see photomontage in this issue).

Our long-running monthly online photo competition attracts tens of thousands of “likes”. It is clear that wildlife photo competitions bring a lot of joy and are a great celebration of nature. So when one of our members suggested we run one just for the IWT membership, we thought it was a brilliant idea and that now would be a great time to launch it.

We plan to build on this members-only photo competition and other members-only activities as we go forward in order to engage more directly with an essential part of the IWT – you, our members. In future, we may introduce various categories to the photo competition 10

and when social distancing recedes, we will run an awards ceremony where we can meet the winner in person. But for 2020, we’ll keep it simple. We have one category entitled ‘Irish Wildlife’ and we are inviting IWT members to enter this competition by submitting one of your photographs, which celebrates Irish wildlife, before 31st December this year. Your photo can include animals, plants, fungi or any aspect of Irish biodiversity.

In the New Year, a panel of judges will select a shortlist of images, which will be published on our social media. From this shortlist, the judges will pick our winner. The winning image will be published in our Irish Wildlife magazine. The prize for the winning photographer is a framed print of their winning photograph as well as a €100 voucher to spend in our online shop, where you’ll find a great collection of wildlife books and IWT clothing.

See page 34 or at https://iwt.ie/get-involved/ members-photocomp/ for details of how to enter.

The Rules and Regulations • The deadline to enter the competition is 31st December 2020 • The competition is open to paid-up members of the Irish Wildlife Trust only.

You must be a member at the time of submitting your photograph.

• We will only accept one photo entry per member. Multiple photos will not be accepted from any entrant • You can enter a photo taken at any time in 2020 • Email the original photo file to membersphoto@iwt.ie and please include the date and the location (eg Co. Offaly) of the picture • As this competition is celebrating Irish wildlife, we request you only enter photos taken on the island of Ireland • We will not accept images of nests, eggs, fledglings or animals in cages, tanks and other forms of captivity

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

010_IWT Winter_2020_IWT News_V2_REV5.indd 10

17/11/2020 14:33

IWT NEWS

C A M P A I G N U P D A T E By Pádraic Fogarty

Fishing Trawler

Ban on pair trawling overturned After an extensive public consultation period in 2018 by then Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, it was decided that trawling by boats over 18m in length would be prohibited within six nautical miles off the coast. This is something the IWT had been campaigning on for some years up to then and which got an incredible response, not only from environmental groups but also anglers and the “small boat” fishing sector which relies on the six mile zone. We were told at the time that a public consultation on fisheries matters had never before received such a large response. This is in part thanks to the many IWT members who responded to our calls to get involved. The decision to then ban trawling by large boats was probably the most positive single step in marine conservation we have ever seen. However, it was not to last long. In early October we learned that a challenge which had been taken by two of the trawler operators, backed by the larger fish producer organisations, had been successful. The High Court ruled that the ban was null and void due to a lack of consultation – an odd assertion given the process that was followed. Within days the trawlers were back into Kenmare Bay and other shallow inlets, cleaning them out of sprat which were destined to be churned up into fish meal.

The IWT immediately wrote to Ministers McConalogue and Hackett at the Department of Agriculture to express our dismay.

Later in October, in an unprecedented move, 14 environmental groups joined forces with the National Inshore Fisheries Forum, the representative group for the smaller boats, to write to Minister McConalogue demanding that the ban be reinstated. Although we’ve had no official response since the High Court decision, the Minister was reported to have said that they are studying the ruling.

I know from the contacts I have had with fishermen and anglers in the south-west region that there is a lot of anger at what has happened. Certainly, any recovery which may have been underway since the ban came in in January has been undone. The ban was not the be-all and end-all; it still allowed for bottom trawling by boats under 18m and dredging, e.g. for scallops and razor clams, was unaffected. Broad-stroke rules are no substitution for good management of marine areas, something that must be progressed through the designation of marine protected areas. It was nevertheless a vitally important policy and it’s a cruel blow for all to see it undone.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

010_IWT Winter_2020_IWT News_V2_REV5.indd 11

11

17/11/2020 14:33

IWT NEWS

C A M P A I G N U P D A T E By Pádraic Fogarty

EU’S COMMON

AGRICULTURAL POLICY

AT ODDS WITH ITS GREEN NEW DEAL 12

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

010_IWT Winter_2020_IWT News_V2_REV5.indd 12

17/11/2020 14:34

IWT NEWS

Plowing

I

t’s three years since then-agriculture commissioner for the EU, Phil Hogan, launched a continent-wide public consultation on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The CAP is a beast, consuming nearly €60 billion in public money every year. According to the European Commission, the CAP has a number of objectives including ensuring a fair income for farmers, maintaining vibrant rural areas, climate action and preserving landscapes and biodiversity. On these fronts the CAP has markedly failed – biodiversity is in decline, particularly on farmland, while there is yawning inequality in farmers’ incomes (most farmers do not earn a living wage from farming). The IWT took part in the public consultation at the time, a process that included a nationwide roadshow by our then-minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, which we also attended.

Across the EU, 322,000 submissions were made and the overwhelming majority – 85% of them – wanted greater environmental ambition. But you’d have to wonder why they bothered. After three years of “listening to citizens”, committee hearings and mounting evidence showing just how ecologically destructive the CAP has been, in the end it was a last-minute deal in the European Parliament to wrong-foot dissenting MEPs which then voted through a CAP that is virtually unchanged since last time. The Council of Ministers backed the parliament’s decision, something our Minister, Charlie McConalogue, said protected “Ireland’s interests” (for full details on the background to what is a convoluted issue, see www.arc2020.eu).

This is not the end of the road. The Greens in the parliament have written to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen asking that she withdraw the CAP altogether (that is, withdraw the proposal, not do away with the CAP entirely as has been portrayed in some quarters). The Fridays for Future movement, including Greta Thunberg, are also campaigning for this. The three arms of the EU, the Parliament, the Commission and the Council of Ministers now go off to hammer out a final deal.

However, it is evident that the CAP as it stands is not compatible with the aims of the Commission’s Green New Deal. It will not affect the changes needed to address the climate and biodiversity crises.

One thing that will be different is that member states like Ireland will have greater autonomy in developing strategic plans to implement the CAP locally. However, if the level of ambition at EU level remains low, it will be too easy for national governments to continue with business as usual. The messaging, as we’ve come to expect, will be glossed over with a prodigious sheen of greenwashing but the pollution and extinction will continue for another seven years, something we really can no longer afford

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

010_IWT Winter_2020_IWT News_V2_REV5.indd 13

13

17/11/2020 14:35

IWT NEWS

C A M P A I G N U P D A T E By Pádraic Fogarty

ILLEGAL TURF-CUTTING

IN SPECIAL AREAS OF CONSERVATION AN ONGOING PROBLEM

14

E

arlier this summer I happened to be near Newbridge, Co Kildare and decided to take a walk up to Mouds Bog Special Area of Conservation (SAC).It’s one of 57 SACs which are designated under EU law for their raised bog habitats. I hadn’t set out to look for anything in particular, I was simply killing a couple of hours on a nice afternoon. I walked up one of the many narrow trackways that are typical of these bog areas and admired the extent of native birch woodland that has colonised what was once the edge of the bog. The trackways eventually lead to the bog face, a vertical cliff of bare peat which marks the interface between the “high bog” and the lower level cut away. There was an almighty row over turf-cutting on these bogs when they were first designated in the late 1990s. This came to a head in 2011 with the prohibition of turf-

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

010_IWT Winter_2020_IWT News_V2_REV5.indd 14

17/11/2020 14:35

IWT NEWS

Mouds Bog Mouds Bog SAC

cutting on raised bog SACs and the implementation of a compensation package for affected turf-cutters.

However as I approached the bog face, something didn’t add up. There were fresh track marks where heavy machinery had clearly recently passed. The bog face itself looked like freshly cut chocolate cake, not the dried out and crackly near-black of old peat.

I made a few calls the following week which confirmed that turf-cutting has been going on at Mouds Bog SAC for some time.

When you are told about turf-cutting for personal use you might think about someone out digging peat with a sleán, a speciallydesigned spade and then ‘footing’ the turf into little pyramids to dry it out. This is not what is happening in places like Mouds Bog SAC, however, where diggers are scooping out the wet peat and transferring it to hoppers where

it’s shaped into sods. It’s an unregulated commercial operation that results in catastrophic damage to raised bog habitat – once the peat is scooped out it cannot be put back. The bog edge haemorrhages water, drying out the centre so that the area of active peat, i.e. where peat is still growing, shrinks.

The last time the area of active bog was calculated, nearly 10 years ago, it was found to be 0.6% of its original extent. That figure today however is likely to be a lot smaller.

The peatlands unit of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) declined to answer my questions about the extent of illegal turfcutting at Mouds Bog SAC, how long they had known about it given that they use helicopters to carry out aerial surveillance or how many other SACs are affected. They did give me a generic email confirming that “in accordance with the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 and the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011, turf-cutting may not take place on raised bog SACs or NHAs [Natural Heritage Areas] unless with the prior consent of the Minister of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht or of another public authority, if applicable”.

However, following a request under Access to Information on the Environment rules, I did get a table of all raised bog SACs and the known records of turf-cutting since 2016. Turfcutting has taken place at 27 SACs in this time.

Turf-cutting took place at 16 SACs in 2020.

Mouds Bog SAC and 13 others including Barroughter Bog SAC in Galway, Callow Bog SAC in Roscommon and Coolrain Bog SAC in Laois have been cut every year since 2016 (as far back as the figures I asked for went).

The NPWS was keen to remind me that The Living Bog project, with the support of EU funding, is actively restoring raised bog habitat at 12 raised bog SACs and it is likely that this will result in an expansion of active raised bog in these areas. However, it remains astonishing that despite everything that has happened in the last 15 years, we are still losing raised bog habitat under the noses of the authorities who seem unwilling or unable to stop it.

Meticulously recording the disappearance of these precious habitats is not good enough; we need the state to actually uphold the law.

We have written to the European Commission and Ministers Malcom Noonan and Darragh O’Brien with our findings.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

010_IWT Winter_2020_IWT News_V2_REV5.indd 15

15

17/11/2020 14:36

FEATURE

Farming Futures

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF FARMING IN IRELAND LOOK LIKE? SINÉAD MORAN INVESTIGATES WHETHER AN EQUITABLE PATHWAY FOR ALL CAN BE FOUND

16

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

016_IWT Winter_2020_Farming_V3.indd 16

17/11/2020 14:37

Sinead Moran and Mick McGrath run Gleann Bui farm in Aghamore,Ballyhaunis, County Mayo.

"

FEATURE

Sinéad and her partner Micheal McGrath

M

ost of us are aware that the current 'expansionist' approach in Irish agriculture is not environmentally sound. We cannot continue to degrade the very foundation on which farming stands. Research focuses on ways to reduce enteric fermentation in ruminants, ways to be more 'efficient' in using inputs (i.e. precision agriculture, manure management) and all of these are valid. All the while, herd numbers and production are increasing and so too are afforestation with non-native Sitka spruce. Bioenergy, such as anaerobic digesters, no-till agriculture, repairing semi-natural grasslands and agroforestry with native species have received mere lip service. As for any idea of constrained production… We need to have an honest discussion about where we are going, what's the future of Irish agriculture, the future of our farmers and rural communities - Irish Agriculture and carbon neutrality, Foodture 12/10/17" I wrote that paragraph about this time three years ago.

At that time, I also wrote “agriculture is at a crossroads”.

After last month’s EU parliament vote on Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), I fear the direction has been set.I had to "I CAN’T HELP BUT THINK walk away from reading about it AND ADMIRE THOSE to spend some time with the cows.

I stand with them in the field, WHO WENT BEFORE scratch an ear, rub another’s back, ME, WHO STILL FARM/ listen to the birds and the odd buzz CAMPAIGN TODAY AND sound, watch as the last of the HAVE THE ENERGY TO oxbow daisies, well sheltered by KEEP PUSHING FOR A hawthorns, stands tall against the BETTER WAY TO FARM chilled autumn wind and I feel THAT IS FAIR TO PEOPLE, better, for now.

I haven't put pen to paper once PLACE AND PLANET." this year. I’ve tried but every time I start to write, I feel like I’m just repeating myself in a roundabout way. I can’t help but think and admire those who went before me, who still farm/campaign today and have the energy to keep pushing for a better way to farm that is fair to people, place and planet. Maybe I’m just having an off day, so I put the pen down. I don’t enjoy giving out about my fellow agriculturalists.

I notice a piece of land on our 5km by-road with a white sheet of laminate paper – an application for forestry. Of course it’s not the “right trees in the right place” kind of forestry, it’s more of the same – Sitka spruce. Not long after, it's difficult not to notice another stretch of land, about the same size as our farm, sprayed off, hedges removed, gorse scraped back, eight paddocks reduced to three, rolled and reseeded. Another ryegrass field for an expanding dairy enterprise. I head for a walk again up the meadow to the cows. They know how to live. Eat, digest, socialise and rest. Simple, connected, slow, real.

Agriculture both relies on and alters the very biological and material world in which it operates. Most of us are aware that these alterations have not been of benefit to the natural world. I would also argue, nor has it been good for rural communities and farmers themselves.

It always comes back to the same big question for me.

I used to start that question with ‘how?’, but I now realise that maybe that's not the right interrogative to begin with.

Maybe it’s ‘what?’ What does our farming future look like? Then, depending on what we envision we can ask, how do we get there? If things are to change, what does this pathway of transition to a better way of farming look like on the ground? Will this pathway be equitable to all?

When we talk about agriculture and its impact on the environment, the solutions put forth follow two very different paths. One is based in and around ‘ecomodernism’ and in my opinion, involves nominal changes. Think stuff like precision agriculture, remote sensing, production efficiencies, carbon pricing/ sequestration and technological fixes. The other is agroecology and involves structural changes. Think

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

016_IWT Winter_2020_Farming_V3.indd 17

17

17/11/2020 14:38

FEATURE

Cows graze flower-rich meadows

ecological intensification, cultural changes, transformative approaches and natural limits. It's hard to see where these two might meet.

In May of last year, on behalf of Talamh Beo, I attended an EU funded event called “Farmers of the Future” in Brussels. This was my chance to answer that first question – what does our farming future look like? Trust me when I say I was "THIS IS WHAT I CALL A beyond excited to learn that there STAKEHOLDER EVENT! were representatives in the room from Big Ag to Big Tech, nature-led SO MANY AGENDAS IN smallholders to high-tech urban ONE ROOM AND OUR growers, eNGOs to farmer lobby ONE COMMONALITY? groups, tech-investment funds to WE ALL HAD VESTED well established bankers, academics INTERESTS IN THE to policy makers, new/young FARMING COMMUNITY farmers to tenth generation farming 500 acres and one former agriSUCCEEDING; NO ONE minister. This is what I call a GAINS IF IT FAILS." stakeholder event! So many agendas in one room and our one commonality? We all had vested interests in the farming community succeeding; no one gains if it fails.

The aim of the two-day workshop was to select the six most plausible future farmers from the 12 identified farmer types. The six we chose were:

18

• • • •

The intensive, production-focused, specialised farmer The diversified/adaptive/entrepreneurial farmer The Agtech start-up, indoor agriculturalist The regenerative, conservationist, agro-ecological farmer • The corporate business unit • The lifestyle, neo-rural, new entrant The next part of the workshop was to write down what we thought our farmer’s motivations and values were, the skills they had, their business model, the networks they were likely to be a part of, the kind of landscape they farmed, the infrastructures they utilised and the tools and labour they required. How fortunate was I to sit at the regenerative, conservationist, agroecological farmer table. I sat alongside a former agri-minister, a banker, an agri-policy researcher, a young farmer from an agri-industry lobby group, an eNGO member, a grower from Poland, a large dairy farmer from Italy and another stakeholder from Ireland, an agri-adviser from Teagasc.

We identified the who/what/why and how of our newly named ‘Agroecological farmer’. The researchers then spoke about the megatrends they had identified to 2040. These included continuing urbanisation, resource scarcity, growing consumerism, shifting health challenges,

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

016_IWT Winter_2020_Farming_V3.indd 18

17/11/2020 14:38

FEATURE Sinéad leads her cows through the Gleann Buí farm

 low fertiliser inputs allow for greater diversity

diversifying inequalities, demographic imbalance, increased migration, the changing nature of work, governing systems, education and learning, all under a changing climate and environmental degradation. We then had to summarise what influence, challenges and opportunities these megatrends had on our farmer, now and into 2040.

On the second day, we had to put all of this into a larger perspective and identify the upstream and downstream factors that would aid or hinder our farmers under the megatrends into 2040. When this was complete, each group had to share their findings with the other stakeholder groups. Why am I telling you this? Because in the context of Irish agriculture, the CAP and in my case dairy farming, here are the two most important statements from that final presentation: Firstly, the agro-ecological farmer is “socially acceptable, cooperative, connected to sectors beyond agriculture, resilient, diversified, low cost, labour intensive but innovative, feeds short supply chains, connected to the community, driven by long-term goals and a sense of responsibility to the natural world around them”. Secondly, as was stated by my fellow group member from Teagasc they “won’t feed the world”.

I was going to write about how although livestock farming in Ireland has been implicated in the pollution of our waterways, the removal of high-nature value semi-natural grasslands, the destruction of habitats for birds to dung beetles and more, it wasn't always that way. I then could have contrasted that system against a regenerative, organic or agroecological one. An environmentalist like myself might read it and think “yeah, that’s the type of agriculture we need”.

Unfortunately, despite the ability to use comparative analysis and show the positive elements of another way to farm, the dominant farming culture views these types of farms as niche, hippie, backwards, even exclusive and most importantly, they don’t feed the world.

Therefore, the agroecological farmers will remain at the sidelines, under-funded, but determined. Succeeding with the support of ‘food citizens’, farms like ours will feed our local community, even our region but not the world.

I could respond to such beliefs with stats and figures about how most of the milk produced in Ireland is powdered for formula and other high-end goods and has most recently been implicated in the demise of small dairy farmers in parts of the African continent. That this same belief is developing into bigger farms and less farmers on the island of Ireland. If that’s what feeding the world means, I’ll happily stay on the sidelines.

Instead, maybe a more valuable interjection in such a debate is this: having read who the agroecological farmer is, as decided by a diverse group of EU stakeholders, would an agroecological farmer in every local community, at a global scale, not feed the world?

Where power is unbalanced and culture is entrenched, how do we design, build and facilitate a pathway of transition that is equitable to the natural world and all its inhabitants? I’d suggest we need to start by changing the focus from feeding people to nourishing people, place and planet. I’m confident such a focus on that future farmer would be “socially acceptable, cooperative, connected to sectors beyond agriculture, resilient, diversified…”

Sinéad Moran runs the Gleann Buí organic farm and micro dairy in Co. Mayo

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

016_IWT Winter_2020_Farming_V3.indd 19

19

17/11/2020 14:38

FRONT LINE

One year of

Coillte nature CIARAN FALLON TAKES US ON A JOURNEY AROUND THE COUNTRY, LOOKING AT THREE SPECIAL PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY THE COILLTE NATURE TEAM Dublin Mountains Makeover

 Oak regeneration in wet woodland

 Restoring Hazelwood - path in wet woodland

20

W

hen the Coillte Nature team gathered for the first time back in January in Coillte’s headquarters in Co. Wicklow, we knew we had a serious task ahead of us. As the new, not-for-profit branch of the State forestry company, our objective was to deliver real impact on the climate and biodiversity crises through innovative projects of scale.

Little did we know we’d be doing it through a global pandemic.

Like everyone, we’ve had to adapt quickly and figure out new ways of working and connecting with others.

The small silver lining of the lockdown was that it seemed to give people the time and space to reconnect with and re-appreciate the value of nature. This has helped to generate real momentum behind our work and we’ve been genuinely heartened by the warm and generous reception our new initiative has received.

This year, we started work on three major projects. The first was the Dublin Mountains Makeover, a long-term regeneration plan for 900 hectares of timber forest, stretching from the Hellfire Club in the west to Carrickgollogan in the east.

These forests were first planted in the 1940s and ‘50s and at the time, the city was a long way away from the hills.

In the intervening period the city has grown and these areas are now among the most popular recreational forests in the country and so their value to society has changed over time. Ticknock Forest has more visitors every year than Coillte’s 12 forest parks combined and it has become part of the green infrastructure of the capital.

Continuing to manage these forests on a commercial basis was not compatible with this change and so, working with the Dublin Mountains Partnership, we developed a plan to transform them for people and nature by moving to Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) wherever we could and removing and replanting with native woodland wherever we couldn’t (R&R).

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

020_IWT Winter_2020_Frontline_V1_REV3.indd 20

17/11/2020 14:40

FRONT LINE

Dublin Mountains Makeover - site of the first native woodland at Ticknock

I am really looking forward to planting our first new native woodlands in Ticknock Forest before Christmas.

These new native woodlands will be managed in perpetuity under CCF, creating new habitats and great places for Dubliners to enjoy nature.

Our second project was the Midlands Native Woodland project (MNW), a collaboration with Bord na Móna that aims to complement their rehabilitation plans for end-of-life cutaway bogs. This project focuses solely on areas of cutaway bogs that are very difficult to re-wet because of their elevation. These areas would eventually be recolonised by sparse native woodland but the process would be very slow because of the absence of a seed source and the extreme exposure on these post-industrial sites.

We’re currently trialling a range of techniques such as direct seeding of birch, Scots pine, rowan and alder, striking willow cuttings along drains and planting native seedlings. We aim to mimic natural processes as much as possible to help accelerate the colonisation of this highly modified landscape. The objective is to create a mosaic of wetlands and sparse woodlands that enhance biodiversity value, stabilise the loose peatland soil and reduce carbon losses. In the fullness of time,

Ciaran Fallon

MNW project - native woodland trials on cutaway bog at Littleton

Dublin Mountains Makeover

it is hoped that these areas will become a recreational amenity. This hasn’t been done before anywhere in the world and there are a lot of unknowns. Our extensive trials show encouraging results so far, but these are early days and we will be monitoring progress closely.

Our third project is a restoration initiative in one of the finest alluvial woodlands in the country. Hazelwood in Co. Sligo is renowned for its beautiful vista over Lough Gill but tucked away to the north is a rare and special Annex 1 Priority Habitat – an old, wet woodland that floods regularly and is home to a wide range of species.

While 25 hectares were restored under a previous EU LIFE programme, a further 30 hectares are in really poor condition as a result of encroachment of rhododendron and cherry laurel. These invasive species are like a jungle, choking the woodland, shading out the understorey and preventing it from regenerating naturally.

Doing any kind of work in a sensitive habitat like this demands extreme caution, so we worked closely with the National Parks and Wildlife Service to figure out the safest way to do it. Bit by bit, we’re cutting down the plants, chipping them and killing them using a novel ‘ecoplug’ that is inserted into the living part of the stump.

It’s a slow process in difficult conditions, but we’re getting there.

Next year we’ll be starting work on our biggest project yet – the Wild Western Peatlands, which will take on 2,100 hectares of unsustainable lodgepole pine plantations along the western seaboard for restructuring, restoration and rehabilitation.

To hear more about this and other projects, visit www.coillte.ie/coillte-nature/ and sign up for our newsletter.

Dr Ciaran Fallon is director of Coillte Nature

Restoring Hazelwood rhododendron thicket

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

020_IWT Winter_2020_Frontline_V1_REV3.indd 21

21

17/11/2020 14:40

WILD IDEAS

GORDON D’ARCY WONDERS IF OUR LOVE FOR WILDLIFE, EITHER NATIVE TO IRELAND OR FURTHER AFIELD, COULD BE CAUSING MORE HARM THAN GOOD

22

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

022_IWT Winter_2020_Gordon_V1_REV.indd 22

17/11/2020 14:42

WILD IDEAS

Bengal tiger getting photographed

by people in a jeep - national park ranthambore in india - rajasthan

T

he headland overlooking the narrow entrance to the inlet was the perfect vantage point from which to watch the manoeuvring of the small boats.

The 10 modified half-deckers accompanied by a dozen kayaks moved this way and that, carefully avoiding collision in the narrows.

A sudden shout sent the flotilla in the direction of a shadow in the water. In seconds they had reassembled in a circle, like wagons

preparing for camp. More shouts rang out: ’’We’re here’’, ‘’Let’s see you’’, ‘’C’mon, c’mon’’. Despite the entreaties and the continuous reassembling of the boats, no dolphin appeared. Fungi was on a day off. In the hour that I watched, Fungi must have come up for air but from what I could see, not near the boats. Had the celebrity cetacean, now approaching 40 years of age, decided that enough was enough and that it was time to go into retirement? The disappointment was palpable as one by one, the boats headed back

to Dingle port. The lingering was understandable given the notice, “money returned for unsuccessful trips”, at the booking office.

A week earlier I had watched another flotilla surround a pod of dolphins and what looked like, from my location on the Great Blasket, a fin whale. When one group of boats departed, another quickly moved in to take its place. No doubt the people on board the vessels had a great experience, but I found myself reflecting on the question of wildlife harassment.

I was reminded of my experience in the Serengeti over 30 years ago when, motoring independently with an ecologist, we came across a cluster of off-road vehicles surrounding a lion kill. The pride was virtually hemmed in by the photo-mad observers looking for that ultimate shot. The experience must have been akin to that of a zoo. Nowadays, that kind of safari has become even more intrusive. Using mobile phones and drones, “eco guides” aim to satisfy high-paying customers in their quest to get the big five.

Whether it’s elephant-backed tiger jungle forays in India, wolf-watching in Yellowstone or penguin pursuing in Antarctica, such highly organised wildlife tours have become the norm across the planet. There is no downplaying the positivity of the experience for those engaged in this kind of tourism; responses are invariably gushing. With the amazing advances in wildlife photography and film such as bodycam (intrusive?), expectations are high. Most people are no longer satisfied with fleeting dots through binoculars.

Closer to home we express our affection for wildlife with similar, albeit lower-key, enthusiasm. Bird tables and feeders and garden water fonts afford wonderful views of our familiar birds. While there is no denying the joy that these close-ups provide (for senior citizens living on their own for instance), birds have a habit of becoming unhealthily dependent on the freebies provided. In addition, they are vulnerable as potential take-away food for birds of prey, particularly sparrowhawks. When placed near a window (as they often are) birds, under attack, exploding into the air, may collide with the window and such unfortunate circumstances account for the demise of thousands of garden birds annually.

Hedgehogs are loved by almost everyone.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

022_IWT Winter_2020_Gordon_V1_REV.indd 23

23

17/11/2020 14:43

WILD IDEAS  Close up of wild Fungie Dolphin, swimming

and splashing water near boat. Spotted near Dingle bay, County Kerry, Ireland

Crowds await Fungi by G D’Arcy

Children, in particular, are fascinated by their singular form and confiding habits. However, feeding them at the back door with organic refuse or cat food is not recommended since their primary foods (as insectivores) are invertebrates. They may also be vulnerable to aggressive dogs in a back garden setting. Hedgehogs are easily killed with kindness.

The young of wild birds and animals are especially endearing. We have a natural inclination to care for them when they appear to have been

24

abandoned. From childhood experience I have seen the folly of this; many more ending up buried in the garden than surviving to independent adulthood. I have often had baby hares – leverets – brought to me on the mistaken belief that they were abandoned. Of course, unlike rabbits, hares live in the open and rear their young there, relying on stillness and camouflage to protect their leverets from predators. If they are not returned to the place of finding for their once-a-day suckling by the mother, they rarely survive.

Reflecting on how we engage with wildlife has broad social ramifications.

Surely the entertainment and educational benefits of intimate connection with other living things outweigh any resulting collateral damage? Should we not be celebrating the amazing camera work and the talent and bravery of the wildlife documentary makers who bring this work into our living rooms? Of course we should. Where former expediency prevailed over wildlife interests, practitioners nowadays espouse great care in their methods. Wildlife tourism, on the other hand, often has little or no regulation. The thrill of unique photo opportunities, often combined with a bravado factor, leave ethical considerations far behind.

My most abiding wildlife experiences have been glimpses, not in-yourface close ups. The unexpected outline of a fox behind a stone wall, a peregrine materialising from a sinister-looking shape in the sky above a spooked flock of waders, a flickering yellow brimstone just emerged from hibernation. These transient experiences that play on the imagination and linger in the memory are surely what allow wildlife to be what it is.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

022_IWT Winter_2020_Gordon_V1_REV.indd 24

17/11/2020 14:43

FIADHLÚRA

Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh a cháirde uilig!

Le bliain anuas, fuair gach duine a gcuid teorainneacha ar an 5K nó 10K le haghaidh aclaíochta, agus fuaireamar go léir na siúlóidí is fearr linn; tá tóir níos mó ná riamh ar choillearnacha na hÉireann.

B’fhéidir nach gceapfá go bhfuil mórán le feiceáil ag an séasúr luath seo de bhliain; ach bíonn scéal le h-insint ag coillearnach i gcónaí, agus ceacht le múineadh.

Tá focal ag na Seapánaigh don eispéireas a bhaineann le siúl i gcoillearnach; “Folcadh Foraoise”; a thugtar air. Shinrin'yoku Moillíonn sé do bhuille croí agus íslíonn sé brú fola.

Is dócha go bhfuil sé seo níos éifeachtaí i bhforaois duillsilteach ná i i bplandáil buaircíneach; ach beidh maitheas i gcónaí as dul amach faoinn spéir.

Agus fiú i lár an gheimhridh is féasta an turas seo seo do na céadfaí - na céadfaí go léir.

Na cúig chéadfa: Glac nóiméad agus bí socair: déan do chuid análaithe a mhoilliú; tabhair aire ar do thimpeallachtCad atá thart ort insan áit seo?

Trí na súile: Cé go bhfuil na crainn lom gan duilleog, (ach amháin na crainn shíorghlasa, cuileann, iúir agus eidhneán) tá dathanna le feiceáil i gcónaí sa choill: cé mhéad is féidir leat a chomhaireamh?

An bhfuil aon rud faoi bhláth? Mura bhfuil, féach ar na duilleoga, an spéir os do chionn, an talamh faoi chois.

Bíonn roinnt fungas i gcónaí i gcoill, ag cabhrú le sean-adhmad a dhianscaoileadh.

Ar dheis i líne an chosáin is dócha go bhfaighidh tú an Sponc, ceann de na speicis is luaithe sa bhlian lena bláthanna buí geal.

Oscail do chluasa agus éist le haghaidh fuaimeanna; uisce ag sileadh, torann na gaoithe.

Cosa ag sracadh trí na duilleoga tirim. Trácht na bóithre, madraí ag tafann (an gcloiseann tú aon rud eile?).

Boladh: In áiteanna tais feicfidh tú duilleoga an ghairleog fiáin faoi chois, ag scaoileadh a mboladh blasta nuair a bhrúnn tú iad faoi chois. Tá na duilleoga glas agus pointeáilte, ach ní bheidh na bláthanna bána le feiceáil go dtí Mi Aibreán.

An bhfuil boladh ar bith eile? Tá an t-aer chomh úr agus cumhra toisc go dtógann crainn bheo dé-ocsaíd charbóin isteach, agus cuireann siad amach ocsaigin; i lár an gheimhreadh déanann na crainn síorghlas agus na buaircínigh an obar tábhachtach seo, ag glanadh an aeir.

Ina ainneoin sin, is bushcraft an-mhaith é dul i dtaithí ar bholadh plandaí agus áiteanna. Féadfaidh do shrón boladh na sionnach, nó fual na fianna, a phiocadh suas.

Blas: Ni h-í ár gcomhairle na rudaí a aimsíonn tú a ithe, (ar eagla go ndeanfa dearmad agus teacht chun dochair) Go mórmhór, ná déan iarracht fungais ar bith a ithe mura saineolaí tú. Mar an gcéanna, ná bain triail as an gairleog fiáin mura bhfuil tú cinnte, mar is féidir na duilleoga a chur amú mar phlanda eile - agus nimhiúil, an Arum fiáin.

Seans maith go mbeidh biolar ag fás i sruthán. Níl sé sábháilte le hithe muna bhfuil tu cinnte dearfa go bhfuil an t-uisce glan. Insan t’am fadó, ba phríomhfhoinse vitimín C é seo i rith na míonna fuara.

Tadhaill: Cur amach do lamh - mothaigh na h-uigeachtaí; duilleoga deilgneach an chuilinn - caonach bog agus tais: craobhóga sobhriste, agus coirt min. Gaoth fionnuar ar an éadan.

Is mór na buntáistí a bhaineann le daoine ag siúl i bhforaois: ní mór dúinn troid go dian chun ár gcoillte a shábháil agus chun níos mó crainn a chur sa talamh i ngach contae.

Summary Visiting woodlands for exercise, as we all do these days, can also be a meditative experience: deepening appreciation of the senses and of the natural world, and benefiting health.

For more information visit crann.ie Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

025_IWT Winter_2020_Fiadhlúra_V1_REV3.indd 25

25

17/11/2020 14:44

WINTER FOCUS

Dunsany Castle by Rafal Kostrzewa

Wild in

By Billy Flynn 26

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

026_IWT Winter_2020_Winter Focus_V1_REV.indd 26

17/11/2020 14:46

WINTER FOCUS Randal Plunkett by Rafal Kostrzewa

R

andal Plunkett is not what you might expect when you meet an avid wildlife enthusiast. There’s the day job, for a start. He makes a living by making films that he directs, produces or maybe even writes. He also manages an estate, one he owns and one that is home to what is probably Ireland’s largest private rewilding project.

This is the Dunsany estate in south County Meath and it’s the newest member of the European Rewilding Network.

Although very definitely a Meath man, Randal Plunket is also Lord Dunsany and was born in America to a Brazilian mother and an Irish father. He “returned” to Ireland and the Dunsany estate in 1991.

Although describing himself now as an “avid rewilder”, he wasn’t always big into the natural world.

He used to consider himself a city-slicker and was far more likely to have been seen at a rock concert or nightclub than in a nature reserve. When he came back to help his father run the estate, nature “crept in”, as he describes it himself. It wasn’t farming that led him to the notions of rewilding, but writing. When creating a script for a dystopian movie in an Ireland now all but devoid of people, he found himself wondering what would our countryside and landscape look like if the grip of the human hand was let slip.

So, he decided to find out.

He didn’t do what many people might when embarking on a landscape-scale project – get advice, perhaps from someone who’d done this before. Far from it. He wasn’t even aware of the existence of the European Rewilding Network (ERN) until very recently. In fact, he’s not sure that he’d ever heard the word “rewilding” when he set out to allow nature take over a huge proportion of his land some six years ago. He was aware of agri-environmental schemes alright but although recognising that these have a part to play, they’d never live up to the idea he had in mind.

Rewilding is a recent enough term but it seems to have captured the imagination of late. There has been a groundswell of support for the movement to rewild our landscapes that has reached right across the width of Europe and has appeared to find popular support on the island of our nearest neighbours. Here in

Ireland, the clamour has begun for large swathes of the country to be allowed revert to a more natural state. Something of a backlash to the monocultures of Sitka spruce has led to calls for Coillte – the country’s largest landowner – to allow these plantations become natural forests. The Irish Wildlife Trust has for some years been advocating for the rewilding of our uplands by disallowing unsuitable conifer plantations and removing the demonstrably disastrous grazing pressure.

There are no longer any agricultural animals in Dunsany. Randal took the decision to remove them some years ago. A vegan, he sees no place nor need for them in what he is trying to create. The only grazing pressure now comes from wild deer which are thriving in an estate which now has abundant acres of unmanaged grassland. He was surprised to see that growth in the deer population has not led to great grazing pressure on the new broadleaved trees emerging. On the contrary, these new woodlands appear to be less impacted than before, with pressure being placed on non-native Cherry Laurel through bark-stripping by deer.

Great-spotted woodpeckers have returned to the estate for the first time in centuries.

This bird is a keystone species – one that will create and mould habitat for others. The number of buzzards has increased at least three-fold and red kites (reintroduced to Ireland some years ago) have found good habitat at Dunsany.

Randal doesn’t see himself releasing wolves into his estate. That would be a step too far for his neighbours, he believes. He does though want Dunsany to act as a point of inspiration to others. His project was inspired by creativity and he wants others to think creatively about how our landscape might be managed, or not managed at all.

While he’s not intending to gear the estate as a tourist attraction or a venue for daytrippers, he has invited experts to come in and see what it is he’s doing. He’s particularly interested in their findings on invertebrate diversity with wild bees, butterflies and ground beetles all coming under the microscope.

He sees the role that rewilded areas can play in carbon storage as a crucial function of projects like this and would love to see research on how the likes of Dunsany stacks up against conventionally farmed lands in this regard. This, as well as many other studies, will surely be a feature of Dunsany and future rewilding projects as we look for more natural solutions to our biodiversity crisis.

Will the increasingly urgent calls for large parts of our uplands, wetlands and woodlands to revert to nature for all our benefits be heard? We’ll have to see. As for that script about a dystopic Ireland? The movie was never made, in the end. However, it’s entirely possible that Randal is producing something that will have a much more significant impact on a future Ireland than the film ever could.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

026_IWT Winter_2020_Winter Focus_V1_REV.indd 27

27

17/11/2020 14:47

CITIZEN SCIENCE

 Blackthorn

How to create a

BY RICKY WHELAN 28

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

028_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Citizen Science_V1_REV2.indd 28

17/11/2020 14:48

CITIZEN SCIENCE

T

he network of hedgerows in the Irish countryside is of huge importance to our native wildlife.

Hedgerows provide shelter, nesting opportunities, food in abundance and create safe corridors of travel for all things wild. Hedgerows are a man-made feature of the landscape, designed to mark boundaries whilst containing and sheltering livestock.

Unfortunately, bad management of hedgerows and their wholescale removal from lands, as fields are merged to benefit from upscaling, are resulting in a loss of this vital habitat. The consequences of this are the loss of species and natural corridors across the landscape.

However native hedgerows don’t need to be the preserve of those with a big acreage.

We can plant them wherever we have space and the freedom to do so. In addition to the benefits for biodiversity, native hedgerows can provide privacy, security and shelter belts in gardens, sports grounds and schools.

Creating a native hedge is up there as one of the most beneficial habitats you could create to help native wildlife including pollinating insects, birds and small mammals.

Here are some things to consider when undertaking a hedgerow creation project of your own.

WHAT TO PLANT: Use blackthorn and/or whitethorn (hawthorn) as the base of the hedgerow. These species are both native and used traditionally across the Irish landscape.

They are dense and form stockproof barriers but more importantly for our purposes provide all the shelter, food and nesting opportunities that our wildlife might need.

Blackthorn flowers early in spring and is a very important early nectar source to our pollinators, with whitethorn coming into bloom later in the season. Blackthorn produces sloes and whitethorn “haws” (hence its common name hawthorn), both of which are a favoured food of our resident and wintering birds.

Mix other species through the hedge to add diversity and interest. Willow will grow well (from a cutting) and provide another early pollen source. Crab apple will make a nice addition and provides apples for hungry thrushes well into the colder months. Hazel is a wonderful tree and is another edible variety for the hedge and any hazelnuts you leave behind will be appreciated by the local squirrels and other small mammals. Rowan (mountain ash), a medium-sized tree and guelder rose, a deciduous shrub are two more

 Hawthorn Berries

good options. Both are attractive plants and produce berries in abundance each autumn.

There is no accepted ratio of thorn bushes to others. A 9:1 ratio will give a very robust hedge with some extra diversity but I think stretching to 8:2 will give the best of both worlds. The plants mentioned above can be sourced as bareroot hedging (whips); these are short (60-120cm) narrow-stemmed trees with a little foliage and small root ball. Price increases with the size of whips and the only benefit of larger whips is that they have a few extra seasons growth behind them and look more substantial when planted, but shorter whips often take and grow better.

WHEN TO PLANT: Plant between October and March.

HOW TO PLANT: Mark out your hedge line with a string to help you stay on course.

Planting four plants per meter is plenty in a domestic situation but up to six plants per meter in a staggered line for a stock proof hedge is recommended. Add your extra species in wherever you fancy. Keep your bareroot plants in the bag as it’s important

that the roots don’t dry out before planting.

Use your spade to make each hole, place the whip, back-fill and firm up around, ensuring the plant is upright. The plants shouldn’t require any maintenance unless they are suffering from drought come summer. Spiral guards or alternatives should be considered where rabbits or hares are present and could damage the trees.

MANAGING A HEDGEROW: The hedge should be allowed to grow for the first two years and then cut back to allow it to thicken up. After this, pruning should be done during the winter months only as by then the hedge is dormant, birds are not nesting and all the plants have fruited. Hedges do need to be cut to keep growth vigorous and to avoid gaps forming and this can be done every other year or even every third year for a hedge managed for wildlife. An unmanaged hedge can become “leggy” with lots of gaps at ground level; hedges like this may benefit from being laid.

Hedge laying is a specialist skill used to generate new growth in an old hedge line and can also be a good technique to link an old established hedge with a new hedge line.

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

028_IWT Winter_2020_IWT Citizen Science_V1_REV2.indd 29

29

17/11/2020 14:48

CLIMATE CHANGE

‘Friday’s For Future’ march in Dublin in 2019

to the (young) CLIMATE ACTION AND INTERGENERATIONAL JUSTICE, BY SINÉAD MERCIER

30

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

030_IWT Winter_2020_Climate Feature_V1_REV.indd 30

17/11/2020 15:01

CLIMATE CHANGE

I

n a short space of time, young people have revolutionised the climate movement in Ireland and around the world. But young people still have no secure place in it. Countless activists, journalists, academics and lawyers have spent decades mainstreaming the importance of climate action. Such people, of all ages, need to be celebrated and acknowledged for their hard work.

Yet a strange dynamic is growing in the environmental movement. Young people are being used to give an ‘edge’ to incumbent figures and campaigns. However, when the time comes for implementing those principles for which these younger environmentalists stand, they are identified as threats to the status quo, who need to be contained.

Such responses to young people’s perspectives speak to a lack of understanding of how the climate situation and movement has transformed. It is now obvious that global financial investment patterns, their overarching incentive structures, and the dynamics of global capitalism, are primary contributors to the climate crisis. Many standard climate toolkits used by government and NGOs – such as personal carbon footprint calculators and the narrative of ‘personal responsibility’ – were developed by the very same fossil fuel companies that have peddled mistruths for decades. The

language of the global climate movement – from Standing Rock to the Pope to David Attenborough (in part) – now clearly links climate action with anti-capitalist critique, as well as wider concerns around social, racial and gender justice.

These are not new ideas. Many indigenous climate action groups are fundamentally anticapitalist. The Global South has always proposed de-commodifying carbon, debt cancellation, anti-austerity, reparations and human rights-based approaches. Ireland’s own traditions of rural and working class environmentalism join this same thread – from Christy Moore at Carnsore Point and Co Tipperary farmer John Hanrahan, to the Right to Water and Corrib protests. However, these ideas are entering the mainstream with a new sense of urgency, driven by an insurgent younger generation’s lived experience and desire for self-preservation.

The so-called ‘Gen Z’ are a tough generation.

Born from 1995 onwards, they know a thing or two already. They’ve never lived anywhere but in a climate changed world, enduring major recessions that leave them a generation dispossessed and poorer than the one that preceded them. Now they face a pandemic which will have even greater impact on existing job insecurity, the housing crisis, international wealth distribution, global instability and the rise of neo-fascism. Their response to climate change is bound up with tackling these issues, and the power dynamics that create and facilitate them. In short, it might not be appropriate to tell a generation faced with having no pension and no home of their own that they are complicating or delaying the cause by bringing a ‘just transition’ into it.

The climate situation has been transformed, the nature of the climate movement has been transformed, how we win has been transformed. It is time then to change the internal structures of environmental officialdom. It is time to stop promoting the same technocratic, individualistic-focused voices – good, genuine and committed people they may be. Climate justice and just transition principles are kept out, or co-opted, because they create legal channels through which we can fix state and company responsibility for climate harms. It is a mistake to treat them as

public relations gimmicks and not require them as a basis for policy and legislation.

Younger people are perfectly capable of acting with knowledge and authority.

Bernadette Devlin was 21 when she took her seat in Westminster. Hannah Sheehy Skeffington was 31 when she set up the Women’s Franchise League. Jim Larkin was 32 when he established the Irish Transport and General Workers Union. Michael Davitt and Charles Stewart Parnell were both 33 when they founded the National Land League. Greta Thurnberg was only 15 when she started her school strikes. Before turning 30, America’s Alexandria OcasioCortez and our own Saoirse McHugh caused a decisive shift in environmentalism toward jobs, justice and power dynamics.

Internationally, studies have shown that environment and climate NGOs tend to be much more homogenous in terms of their resources and employment pools than other NGOs. When voices within such a concentrated circle of influence criticize young people that are only starting out on their journey, it creates a chilling effect on dissent and analysis. It also impacts negatively on the movement’s ability to be flexible and adapt its demands to the changing world of climate science and politics. We need to prevent ourselves using the same arguments and tactics that have not worked over the last 30 years.

Climate activism is emotionally taxing; it can carry with it a sense of overwhelming existential dread. The young and precarious also already face great pressures in a world with little economic or climate security. How can we make a welcome home for them in the environmental policy sphere? What long-term employment and positions of secure and sustainable influence are being provided? Let us value the contribution of all ages and all walks of life, and provide an equitable space for that value to influence law, policy and form the bedrock of the movement. When we listen with humility our environmentalism becomes more urgent and robust. These brave, passionate, outspoken young people are not mascots. They are incredible assets in their own right, not just when they are convenient. .

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

030_IWT Winter_2020_Climate Feature_V1_REV.indd 31

31

17/11/2020 15:02

SEAL RESCUE

Little dipper

Save our

THEY MIGHT BE CUTE BUT THEY’RE ALSO A VITAL PART OF IRISH WATERS. SEAL RESCUE IRELAND’S KRYSTEN MAIER DESCRIBES THE ESSENTIAL ROLE THAT SEALS PLAY AND WHY RESCUING THEM IS SO IMPORTANT

32

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

032_IWT Winter_2020_Seals.indd 32

17/11/2020 15:03

SEAL RESCUE Premie

S

eal Rescue Ireland is a small charity with a big mission – to protect and help sick, injured and orphaned seal pups across the Republic of Ireland. With the help of our network of trained volunteers, we facilitate the rescue, rehabilitation and release of seal pups in need round the clock. But that’s not the half of it. SRI is also dedicated to educating and informing the public about the important role that seals play in the environment while initiating proactive conservation efforts to ensure a greener future for the pups and ourselves.

Since starting at the Dingle Seal and Wildlife Sanctuary in 2010 and subsequently moving to their current facility in Courtown, Co. Wexford in 2014, Seal Rescue Ireland has grown in leaps and bounds. One thing that has never changed is our unshakeable dedication to the cause of protecting Ireland’s native seals. There is nothing more rewarding for the team than to see a seal that they have nursed back to health go bounding back into the sea after their long journey to recovery. But why is it so important to rescue seals in the first place?

Seals are extremely important ecologically as they are apex predators in Irish waters and an ‘umbrella species’. They are responsible for maintaining a healthy food chain and help protect other species that live in their habitat. As an animal that is very sensitive to environmental changes and also relatively accessible for observation around our coastlines, they serve as important bioindicators. The issues that arise in wild seal populations often point to larger environmental issues that affect the health of many other species, including humans.

The sad truth of the matter is that the primary reasons why Seal Rescue Ireland get calls on our 24-hour rescue hotline can usually be traced back to human impacts on nature. One of the main threats facing these marine mammals is the mounting problem of plastic pollution. Ireland is the European Union’s top plastic waste producer per capita and we’re a nation completely surrounded by water – it’s a recipe for disaster.

As opportunistic feeders, seals run the risk of accidentally ingesting pieces of plastic floating in their environment, not to mention the growing health risk of microplastics. Ghost nets are another factor that can have disastrous consequences.

These curious creatures can easily become entangled in abandoned fishing gear, causing deep wounds, other bodily injuries or starvation due to the inability to feed. To address these escalating concerns, SRI organises countless beach cleans and champions campaigns such as Sick of Plastic, EcoBricks and Plastic Free July.

Seal Rescue is also making huge strides in habitat conservation with our restoration initiative which involves planting 20,000 trees by March 2022. The reforestation

of Ireland can simultaneously combat many of the major threats that seals face. It slows down climate change, something which has led to a rise in seal pup injuries due to the increased frequency and severity of storms. Also, planting trees along riverbanks provides a filtration system for surface water run-off, resulting in less sediment and pollutants making their way out to sea where they can devastate fish populations and lead to illnesses in seals.

At every opportunity, Seal Rescue Ireland gets the community involved in our conservation projects. We have even started a Community Conservation Programme whereby residents are empowered to take ownership over the protection of seals on their local patch of coastline. They are given the tools to educate other locals about seal ecology and behaviour and to minimise harmful interactions between humans and wildlife. This organisation has tapped into the impact that we can all make, by putting the responsibility of understanding and conserving our natural heritage into the hands of the wider public.

Each seal cared for by Seal Rescue Ireland is not just a cute face; it is an ambassador to bring environmental issues to the forefront of the public’s mind. Fans of SRI’s social media outlets might follow them for the heart-warming animal photos, but come out of it having learned a lot more about Ireland’s complex ecosystems. Guests might take a tour of the visitor centre in Courtown for the chance to see these lovely creatures up close, but they leave knowing more about the threats these vulnerable pups face and what they can do to help.

The hope is that they leave inspired enough to make small changes to their personal habits that will allow future generations of seals to have safe habitats and healthy oceans in which to thrive. If enough people get on board and band together to protect our natural resources, we can work towards a future where seals don’t need to be rescued in the first place. Common seal

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

032_IWT Winter_2020_Seals.indd 33

33

17/11/2020 15:03

CONSERVATION NEWS

2

1

5

6

10

9

IWT PHOTOS OF THE MONTH 34

11

Irish Wildlife Winter '20

034_IWT Winter_2020_Photomontage_V2.indd 34

17/11/2020 15:04

CONSERVATION NEWS

3

4

8

7 12

13 1. Three Mute Swans Co Wexford by John Murphy 2. A curious young fox2 on Achill island Co Mayo by Brian Carey 3. Badger Co Kerr y by Conor Rowlands 4. Common Blue Co Wicklow by Chris Bolton 5. Common pipistrelle near Midleton in Co Cork by Paul Stack 6. Goldcrest Co Dublin by Piotr Rak 7. Grey Heron reflecting Co Sligo by Mac Gualraic Nivag 8. Moorhen Co Cork by Dave McGrath 9. Red Squirrel Co Laois by Andrew Garrigan 10. S toat Co Carlow by Marcin Kaczmarkiewicz 11. Wood Mouse Ballyfin Co Laois by Philomena Brady 12. M ale Sparrowhawk Co Laois by Feargal Quinn 13. Wasp Co Longford by Elspeth Hall

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

034_IWT Winter_2020_Photomontage_V2.indd 35

35

17/11/2020 15:04

COMPETITION

COMPETITION In this issue of Irish Wildlife, members have a chance to win one of three copies of John Boorman’s Nature Diary: One Eye, One Finger.

D

uring his eighty-eighth year, acclaimed director John Boorman used his time in lockdown to reflect upon the splendours of County Wicklow.

Cocooned with his son and daughter in his eyrie among the hills of Annamoe, Boorman, writing with one eye and one finger, chronicled his daily walks and heightened appreciation of

the trees and wildlife on his estate.

As he sat beneath his beloved twin oak in a world fallen silent, he recorded the sycamore, lime, beech, oak, redwood, shrubs, flowers, birdsong, riverscape and ever-shifting skies.

With illustrations by Susan Morley, this meditative volume by the creator of The Emerald Forest, Deliverance and Hope and Glory, frames a numinous narrative.

We have three copies to give away. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer the following question:

Name the two species of seal which are regularly found in Irish waters Send your answer, name and address to magazinecomp@iwt.ie by January 31st.

Autumn Issue In our autumn issue, we gave away a copy of Jane Powers’ An Irish Nature Year. Congratulations to Una Duffy from Sallins in Co Kildare, Patricia O’Brien, from Barna, in Co. Galway and Mary Louise Whelan from Castlewarren in Co Kilkenny Thanks to all those who entered!

36

Irish Wildlife Winter ‘20

036_IWT Winter_2020_Competition_REV2.indd 36

17/11/2020 15:07

Check out our shop for a range of Christmas gift ideas...

...perfect for the nature lover in your life!

iwt.ie/shop

IWT Xmas Shop Ad 2020_188x130_V2.indd 1

11/11/2020 11:39

We’re delighted to reveal our new Marine Protected Areas t-shirts and jumper range Available on @ Teemillstore www.irish-w ildlifetrust.teemill. com

Give me some space - Bigger & Better Marine Protected Areas Now IWT_ Marine TShirt 2020_188x130.indd 1

Advert template.indd 1

11/11/2020 11:55

11/11/2020 12:11

“The Badger Club is our Junior IWT Membership subscription.

JOK ES

What mak so better me pla es at m nts otheraths than s?

Squar e roo ts!

uldn’t the Why co plant any r gardene rs? flowe y! ’t botan He hadn

Badger Club is a quarterly magazine for Junior and Family members of the Irish Wildlife Trust. To become a member please go to our website https://iwt.ie/ support-us/become-a-member/ Like our Facebook page at facebook. com/IrishWildlifeTrust and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/ irishwildlife

A E S Q A I X Q W X A X S X Z

Z Y F V W W V F R G N B U A Z

N U R E P I N U J R R M J L R

I P K H S T K K L H O M F T Y

E Y S S E C E U V J R S L B Q

S V R F D H O L L Y S K H O A

G I E O T E L T S I M K V J U

V N F R L S X E S I N W D Q D

C F I W G B I R B P U C X P U

Winter 2019/20

E A RC H W I N T E R N W B G I N K W V

K M O C R O E H X Q T N Q Z V

Text by Fergus DeFaoite Design by Barbara Vasic Front cover photo: Yew Taxus baccata, MHNT Muséum de Toulouse [CC BY-SA 4.0] Centre spread photos: Holly, Ruth Hartnup (CC BY 2.0); Ivy, Michael Maggs (CC BY-SA 2.5); Mistletoe, uncredited (CC BY-SA 2.0); Yew, Barbara Vasic Poster: Blackbird (Turdus merula) feeds on berries of ivy by blickwinkel / Alamy Stock Photo

M M C E V O Y E W R T M E J X

Q G B Y S M O X N V I T Y S H

BERRIES CONIFERS EVERGREEN HOLLY IVY JUNIPER

s

U G A W Y Z F Z B S U L Y L V

S

MISTLETOE SCOTSPINE WINTER WITCHESBROOM YEW

The Irish Wildlife Trust was founded in 1979 as a charitable conservation body, Charity No. CHY 6264. We provide the public with information about wildlife, run education and training programmes, carry out habitat and species surveys, campaign and lobby around biodiversity issues, restore natural habitats, consult with industry, agriculture and Local Authorities to maintain our natural heritage, and contribute to national and international forums for the protection of biodiversity.

The IWT is a nationwide organisation with a strong membership base, staff and Board of Directors, with branches in Dublin Galway, Kerry, Laois/Offaly, Longford/ Westmeath and Waterford.

Copyright Irish Wildlife Trust 2020. All rights reserved.”

Ev

nt

J U W J C K F D E C R F H K J

What did the big flower say to the little flower?

What ’s up, bud?!

R D

WO

MAGAZINE FOR THE JUNIOR MEMBERS OF THE IRISH WILDLIFE TRUST

erg re e n pl a

Ev

Join the Badger Club to receive our quarterly junior magazine the “Badger” for €15 per year.

e

rg

The Badger is full of fun facts about nature and features an A3 poster in each issue.

reen

To join visit the Join IWT section on www.iwt.ie and select Junior Membership”

Advert template.indd 1 IWT_Badgers Ad 2020_A4_V2.indd 1

11/11/2020 12:12 11:57