issn - 1649 - 5705 • Winter ‘12
Irish Magazine of the Irish Wildlife Trust
Winter’s Tale
Ireland’s
te bileds lif
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magazine
Irish Wildlife Photography Award Winner Announced
Spotted in Ireland: •Squirrels •Frogs •Foxes
SQUATTERS’ RIGHTS * SHEEPSHEAD PENINSULA * OCEAN WEALTH PLAN
Congratulations to Tristan Wilkinson Overall winner of the Irish Wildlife Photography Award 2012. He is now the proud owner of a Canon EOS 7D digital SLR camera.
What our judges said: “For me, winning images should be a blend of both art and science. The yellowhammer image does this beautifully. It shows great photographic technique in both exposure and sharpness, along with wonderful composition and use of colour, creating a truly artistic image. Finally, it tells a story at the same time. A truly excellent image all-round.” Mike Brown “I just love this image. This image tells a story of snow and how the lack of food can be such an issue – the bird has been forced to extract the remains of some grass seeds. The colours of the yellowhammer against the bright snow give the image great contrast and a very pleasing aesthetic.” Andrew Kelly
ONLY
E10 Get yours todAY!
To celebrate the Irish Wildlife Photography Award 2012, the IWT has published a calendar with all 12 shortlisted images. This is available now for only e10 plus postage and packaging through our website, www.iwt.ie or by phoning (01) 860 2839. It would make the perfect Christmas gift and all proceeds to go the IWT.
Welcome
Chairman’s Comment
A
s I write this, the last vestiges of autumn are clinging to the trees as the winds of winter blow in, sending our fair weather wildlife south, or to sleep, and heralding the arrival of our wildlife ‘friends from the north’. The IWT has seen some changes too, be it our revamped magazine, our new development officer, our expanding branches and now a new chairman – me! I have been a member of the Irish Wildlife Trust since I was ten years old. I joined out of a love for Ireland’s flora and fauna and concern for their fate in our ever-changing world. This passion led me to study ecology in university, both as an undergraduate and postgraduate, as I felt that only through learning and studying nature can we hope to protect it.
Cover credit: Yellowhammer by Tristan Wilkinson.
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 Fogerty, IWT Published by Ashville Media Group www.ashville.com
Printed on
All articles © 2012. 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
As we move forward I would like to thank my predecessor, Pádraic Fogarty, for all the work he has done (and continues to do) for the Irish Wildlife Trust. Through his stewardship the IWT is in a good place, despite the fact that we are going through a global recession and money for conservation efforts is hard to come by. It is through your membership that we can effectively carry out the work we do, be it campaigning for an end to badger culling or educating the public on marine conservation issues. I would encourage all our members to bring others into the fold. If every member recruited just one new member, this would make a big difference and double our lobbying power with the Government. So please consider an IWT gift membership as a Christmas present for a loved one this year. The winter edition of our magazine is varied and informative as usual. We hear about the latest goings on in our regional branches, including the exciting development of our new reserves in Cavan and the successful wetlands conference that was organised by the Waterford branch. We hear about the fate of rehabilitated pine martens in Co. Mayo and the imminent threat of ash dieback disease that could change our landscape for years to come. Our resident photography experts, Andrew Kelly and Mike Brown, continue to impart their advice on how to get that special wildlife shot. For those of you who entered our wildlife photography competition this year, we were overwhelmed with the quality of the entries; however, I would like to congratulate the overall winner, Tristan Wilkinson, with his photo of a yellowhammer in the snow (currently gracing our front cover). I would also like to congratulate the other photographers whose pictures appear in our 2013 calendar. Please buy it and tell everyone about it as all proceeds go to the IWT. I would like to wish all our members a happy Christmas and a prosperous new year and to new beginnings.
Dr Daniel Buckley Chairperson, Irish Wildlife Trust
contriiButors Allan McDevitt Allan McDevitt has been using DNA to understand the colonisation history of Irish fauna for almost a decade now. Ruth Carden has been reassessing the zooarchaeological (bones) evidence from Irish cave and archaeological assemblages stored in museum collections for the past five years. Between them, they have published work on the origins of pygmy shrews, red deer and great-spotted woodpeckers in Ireland, as well as conducting ongoing work on the origins of several other species.
Aleksandra Borawska Aleksandra Borawska is a Galway-based ecologist and wildlife surveyor. She is also one of the volunteer radio-trackers with the pine marten project. To follow the progress of the two orphans, visit www.iwrt.ie news section.
THANKS The IWT would particularly like to thank our guest writers, as well as the following people for their contribution to this issue: Mike Brown, Dr Daniel Buckley, Gordon D’Arcy, Billy Flynn, Katy Egan, Barbara Henderson, Andrew Kelly, Carsten Krieger and Conn Flynn.
Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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contents
Contents 4 About Us Find out more about the work of the Irish Wildlife Trust and how to get involved.
5 Conservation News The very latest national and international conversation news.
8 IWT News Keeping our members up-to-date with the latest IWT news.
12 Education News Katy Egan explores the positive benefits of biomimicry.
13 Branch Focus Barry Kavanagh introduces us to new IWT reserves in Cavan and tells Irish Wildlife why he believes the county is a haven for wildlife.
14 Nature on your Doorstep Pádraic Fogarty heads to west Clare to see sustainable business in action and asks what the Irish Government really means by ‘sustainable development’.
17 Shutter Bug Wildlife photographers and regular contributors to Irish Wildlife Mike Brown and Andrew Kelly impart more useful advice on how to improve your photography skills.
21 Competition Another fantastic prize on offer for Irish Wildlife readers.
22 Squatters’ Rights Zoologists Allan McDevitt and Ruth Carden examine recent genetic studies into the origin of Ireland’s native species.
26 Winds of Change Gordon D’Arcy looks at the potential significance of a decision to be made by An Bord Pleanála regarding wind farms.
28 Winter Focus Billy Flynn reports on ash dieback, a fungal disease that could ravage the Irish population of ash trees.
30 Field Report Aleksandra Borawska describes the work of a team of volunteers in Mayo who are monitoring the health of released pine martens.
32 Over to You IWT members share their opinions and photographs.
34 Dates for your Diary Important upcoming IWT events taking place this winter.
36 brush Strokes Annabel Langrish talks about her affection for West Cork and how the region inspires her artwork.
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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.
The IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country: Cork: contact Gill at corkbranch@gmail.com D ublin: contact Roisín at dublinbranch@iwt.ie T ipperary: Contact Vinny at tippbranch@iwt.ie W aterford: Marie Power at waterfordbranch@iwt.ie C avan: Contact Barry at cavanbranch@iwt.ie M ayo: Contact Sean at mayobranch@iwt.ie S ligo/Leitrim: Contact Dolores at sligobranch@iwt.ie K ildare: Contact David at kildarebranch@iwt.ie G alway: Contact Tom at galwaybranch@iwt.ie
Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT. Images this page by M. Brown. www.mikebrownphotography.com
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 Find us on Facebook: search for ‘Irish Wildlife Trust’
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. • Give IWT membership as a gift. • Volunteer – 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 4
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conservation news
conservation
NEWS
Dr Daniel Buckley updates us on the latest conservation news from Ireland and around the globe. irish news
Irish-Born Red Kites Become Parents in Wicklow Animal reintroductions can pass (or hope to pass) many milestones: habitat assessments, consultations with stakeholders, getting the green light from government, importation of stock and successful reproduction of reintroduced animals. 170 red kites from Wales have been released in counties Wicklow, Dublin and Down between 2007 and 2011 and the project has faced a few setbacks through the loss of animals to poisoning and shooting. However, kites successfully bred for the first time in over 200 years in 2010. Now Irish-born chicks have become parents of their own at a site near Redcross, Co. Wicklow. 17 pairs of red kites laid eggs in Wicklow, however, breeding failed at six sites due to the wet and windy weather during the summer. The reintroduction programme is run by the Golden Eagle Trust in the Republic of Ireland and by the RSPB in Northern Ireland.
bydave
©iStockphoto.com/shot
EPA Report Claims Ireland is on Track to Meet Kyoto Targets The Environmental Protection Agency has stated that Ireland is currently on target to meet its commitments under the Kyoto protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It reports a 6.5 per cent reduction in emissions in 2011. The biggest drop in emissions came from the energy sector, residential sector and the industry and commercial sectors. The increase in the availability of renewable energy, namely wind energy (up by 56 per cent) has helped with reductions in the energy sector. The largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland is the agricultural sector.
Oops! Corrections In the summer 2011 issue of Irish Wildlife, the Nature on Your Doorstep article erroneously stated that great-spotted woodpeckers had colonised the Cooley peninsula. In fact, this report related to a female great-spotted woodpecker was that was seen in August 2008 and continued to show until April 2009 at Dromin in mid-county Louth (not the Cooleys). However, the good news is that a great-spotted woodpecker was seen in the Cooleys in summer 2012 – the first record from this area. Thanks to Breffni Martin for pointing this out.
5Red kite. Photo: T. Cross
Also, in Gordon D’Arcy’s piece on Malta in the Autumn 2012 issue we used a photo of the Malta Valley in Austria, and not Malta at all at all. Sorry! Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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Conservation news
irish news
Helping the Hills Mountaineering Ireland recently hosted a conference called Helping the Hills in Glendalough, Co. Wicklow to discuss upland path erosion and the management of recreation. The continued growth in the popularity of hill-walking and other outdoor recreation activities is having an 5Photo: C. Krieger impact on Ireland’s upland environment, evident through once-faint paths that have evolved into worn and muddy lines. Over two days, through presentations, workshops and site visits, 120 participants gained an understanding of erosion processes, learned about path repairs that have been carried out and considered what actions are needed to look after our upland environment. The presentations from this event are available at www.helpingthehills.ie.
hooded seal strands on dublin beach While out walking early on July 30th this year, Moira Lawson saw a seal pup ashore on Sandymount beach. As she thought it was injured or sick she contacted the Irish Seal Sanctuary. The pup was brought to the Dingle Wildlife and Seal Sanctuary for rehabilitation. It was identified as a hooded seal. Normally
an Arctic species these have come ashore before in Irish waters. Unfortunately they have a habit of swallowing sand or stones when stressed and frequently die as a result. This seal pup had been on the beach overnight and had a large amount of sand in its stomach. Sadly, it died shortly afterwards.
Substances Used to Poison Raptors in Scotland May Have Originated in Ireland A macabre cross-Celtic initiative appears to be taking place between Ireland and Scotland. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds claims that banned poisons are being smuggled into Scotland from the Republic (possibly via Northern Ireland). Carbofuran is just one of a number of illegal substances that has been discovered in the tissue of illegally poisoned birds of prey, including kites and eagles. Although the Irish government outlawed the use of such poisons in 2008, it is thought that quantities of poisons are still in circulation. Birds of prey in Scotland are under a lot of pressure due to perceived conflicts with sporting estates. Illegal killing of raptors is a big problem, one that the Scottish Executive is trying to tackle. Landowners found to have poisoned baits on their land now stand to lose their single farm payments due to a lack of cross compliance with European environmental directives.
Irish Naturalists’ Journal Launches New Website
5Photo: Sarah Harmon, Irish Seal Sanctuary
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Since 1925 the Irish Naturalists’ Journal has been publishing papers on all aspects of Irish natural history, from botanical notes to original research and even book reviews. With nearly 100 years of history, the journal is an important component of the literary heritage for the Irish natural sciences and links current researchers to the great naturalists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Now the journal is entering the 21st century and has launched a new website, hosted by the Biodiversity Data Centre. On the site, subscribers can search the back issues for relevant papers or zoological notes. All papers are available to subscribers via JSTOR.org.
conservation news
international news
ecosystem Disruption Large tracts of the northern hemisphere have lost their populations of apex predators due to direct persecution and loss of habitats. Research published by Oregon State University has found that herbivore populations have increased greatly, inhibiting regeneration of young trees and reducing biodiversity. This also contributes to deforestation and results in less carbon sequestration, a potential concern with our changing climate. Numerous studies now show that predators, like wolves, keep herbivore populations in check. Predators don’t just help to reduce herbivore damage by eating them. They also impact how grazers are distributed throughout the landscape, with animals avoiding areas where they feel vulnerable to attack.
6Photo: A. Kelly
Immunity to Conventional Poisons Emerging in Rats
6Painted lady. Photo: K. Murphy
Scientists at the University of Huddersfield have been carrying out research into the prevalence of resistance to conventional rodenticides in brown rat populations in the UK. In some areas up to 75 per cent of animals are resistant. The most widely used poison is called warfarin, however, where these ‘super rats’ reach large levels of infestation; even stronger poisons have to be used. Resistant rats can be a significant threat to wild carnivores as they will still carry the poisons inside them, which will subsequently be consumed by predators, such as the barn owl or polecat.
Complete Works of 19th Century Naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace Go Online Although Charles Darwin is the man whose name is forever linked to the theory of evolution, a theory he developed following a trip around the world on HMS Beagle, few realise that another scientist independently came up with the theory at the same time, based on his work in South-East Asia. Alfred Russell Wallace is most famously known for discovering the ‘Wallace line’, an imaginary line that divides regions with an Asian flora and fauna from regions with a mix of Asian 5Alfred Russell Wallace and Australasian flora and fauna. Now his complete works, both written and drawn, are available online and the creator, Dr John van Wyhe, hopes it will stimulate a resurgence in an interest in Alfred’s research, while also raising his profile as cofounder of the Theory of Evolution. The website is located at http://wallace-online.org.
Painted Lady Butterfly Migration Like the red admiral, the painted lady is a welcome summer visitor to northern Europe from Africa. However, scientists have debated whether the animals that travel north ever make it back. Now scientists from the NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in England, using a combination of ‘citizen scientists’ and advanced radar, have found that the species does indeed travel back to Africa. However, it does this over a number of generations, so the original butterflies that arrived from Africa, bred in Europe, died, and then six generations later European-bred butterflies fly back to Africa. Painted ladies that make it to the Artic circle make a 14,500km trip back to Africa, a journey much longer than the one taken by the monarch butterfly in the Americas.
Keep up-to-date on all the latest news from the Irish Wildlife Trust on www.iwt.ie Irish Winter Autumn ‘12
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IWT News
NEWS In this issue Billy Flynn reports on an abandoned badger cull in the UK, Pádraic Fogarty provides a sustainable seas update and Ray McGrath tells us how the IWT and Waterford County Council are teaming up to protect wetlands in the area.
Mindless Cull to be Abandoned A
proposed cull of English badgers has 1 had to be abandoned following a resounding defeat in a House of Commons vote. A debate held on October 25th last on the controversial culling proposal to reduce the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) was forced on the government following a massive public outcry on the issue, including a petition which attracted nearly 200,000 signatories. Following the debate, the UK parliament’s lower house voted to abandon the cull by 147 votes to 28. The proposed cull was to allow farmers and ‘hired marksmen’ to shoot free-ranging badgers within designated areas with the overall aim of reducing badger numbers by 70 per cent or more. The proposed scheme, which uses previously untested methodology, has attracted much criticism from many groups and individuals. Among these are some of the most eminent scientists working in veterinary and wildlife science, including John Krebs, the architect of the UK’s longestrunning badger culling trials and chief author of the Krebs Report. Lord Krebs has described the proposed culling as a “mindless policy” which will not reduce the incidence of bovine tuberculosis. Another key scientist in the previous culling trials, Professor John Bourne, has spoken out against the proposals. Indeed,
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the vast majority of the British scientific community seems to be opposed to the culls. An open letter by prominent scientists to Owen Patterson MP, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, stated that “culling badgers as planned is very unlikely to contribute to TB eradication,” and called for the government to rethink its strategy in this regard.
Tide of Opinion The UK government has also come under pressure from conservation and animal welfare groups since the very start of the controversial proposals. These have included The Wildlife Trusts, the RSPB, the Humane Society and veterinarians. The UK Badger Trust has said the cull will make no ‘meaningful’ contribution to tackling bovine tuberculosis. Despite this seemingly overwhelming tide
5Photo: J. Vogeltanz
of opinion from scientific and conservationminded quarters, the UK government could still yet press ahead with the cull as proposed. Even though the debate ended in resounding defeat for the government proposal, the coalition is not legally bound by the result. This places a question mark over the entire scheme which has yet to be resolved at time
//So where to for England’s badgers and bTB control? Conservationist, as well as animal, scientists have long highlighted tighter controls on testing and animal movement as the way forward//
IWT News
Editor’s note
of writing. The lack of wisdom and foresight in pursuing the cull could also cost the taxpayer dearly in monetary terms, as well as taking its toll on our countryside’s diversity. Professor John McInerney, an agricultural economist at the University of Exeter and another scientist on the ‘Krebs trials’ team, has concluded that costs would outweigh the projected livestock health benefits of such a cull. Additional costs would be incurred by the need for policing the controversial culls which would undoubtedly attract much public protest if given the green light.
Biosecurity So where to for England’s badgers and bTB control? Conservationist, as well as animal, scientists have long highlighted tighter
controls on testing and animal movement as the way forward. On October 19th, the UK government announced measures which take a significant step in this direction. These now prevent farmers who have had a ‘breakdown’ (an incidence of bTB) to have their entire herd tested and reduce from 60 to 30 the number of days they have to move an animal off the farm. While recognising the benefits of the measures, critics such as John Bourne have called for tighter restrictions to limit the movement of cattle between bTB-free herds and those that have experienced breakdowns. An injectable vaccine for badgers has now been developed. Unfortunately, this will not be effective in badgers that are already infected. It will also be more expensive to administer than a cull. Oral vaccines for
Meanwhile in Ireland a massive culling operation that could have serious long-term consequences for our badger population continues with no public debate. Please add your name to our petition (on www.iwt.ie) to end this wasteful practice.
both cattle and badgers are in development but it will likely be some years before these may be widely available. Nonetheless, the UK government would be well-minded to wait. The UK’s Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts, which represents many thousands of members including farmers and landowners, has called for all parties to work together using improved biosecurity, animal movement and vaccine options and to ‘draw a line’ under any consideration of a badger cull.
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IWT News
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6Basking shark. Photo: D. Haslam
species of shark are found in our waters. 11 of these are on the IUCN Red List as either ‘endangered’, ‘vulnerable’ or ‘near threatened’.
Sustainable
Seas Update T
he IWT marine team has had a very busy summer. We were delighted to welcome two new volunteers, Deirdre Hoare and Amy Geraghty, who are experts in fisheries science and marine ecosystems. The ‘Sustainable Seas’ page on our website has been revamped and one of the first things you will notice is that we’ve launched the second edition of Ireland’s only guide to sustainable seafood. Many of us love to eat seafood, but we also want our children to have this luxury. While our politicians talk about ‘sustainability’ – when they really mean more money for a few people – we believe that the best way to move things on is through consumer power. We all make decisions when we buy things at the fish counter, so we are encouraging people, through our guide, to ask whether their fish comes from a sustainable source. Your fishmonger should know. The main problems are associated with overfishing and habitat destruction. Our guide will tell you whether the particular fish species is being overfished and if the way it
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is caught is associated with destructive practices such as trawling or high levels of discarding. Once again, cod is the most well-known of our red-listed fish, as nearly all the cod in Irish waters are now underage. However, it’s not all bad news as hake, mussels, lobster and herring are all rated green, meaning that we believe they are currently being fished in a sustainable manner. Many, however, are listed in the amber category, meaning it is hard to tell one way or the other. Mackerel, rated green in our first guide, has been demoted to amber due to possible damage to wild salmon and the risk of overfishing because of an international dispute between the EU and Iceland. Elsewhere, we have been working on promoting the concept of marine
protected areas (MPAs). We have been doing some research (which is available on our website) that shows that Ireland currently has 78 MPAs to protect certain habitats and species that are important on a European level. This is a good start, but the potential of MPAs is much greater than this. Protecting marine areas is a vital tool in the fight to stop overfishing as they allow fish to grow to maturity, meaning bigger and more fertile fish. It has been shown that these then spill over into fishing grounds that in turn provide more, and higher quality, fish for fishermen.
//Protecting marine areas is a vital tool in the fight to stop overfishing as they allow fish to grow to maturity, meaning bigger and more fertile fish//
IWT News
//If the Government is serious about developing the marine economy in a sustainable fashion, then surely protecting marine biodiversity must be a priority// Our Government has been very slow to recognise this, unlike in the UK, where their Marine Bill will allow for the designation of over 120 MPAs with protection from damaging fishing practices. MPAs can also be great for local economies as they attract divers, snorkelers, kayakers and other forms of tourism. This has been shown at Lough Hyne, Co. Cork, where Ireland’s only marine nature reserve is located and this has proved a major attraction for marine-based tourism. Reading Minister Simon Coveney’s Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth – An Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland, one gets the impression that the Government feels that nothing further needs to be done to protect the marine environment. This is demonstrated vividly in the case of the basking shark, the second largest fish in the world, and a species that has no legal protection in Ireland. In fact, no marine fish or invertebrates have legal protection in Ireland, something that sets us in stark contrast once again with the UK, where there are 65 such species listed under their Wildlife and Countryside Act. This is despite the fact that the basking shark is listed as endangered by the IUCN’s Red List. Ireland has at least 32 species of shark in its waters and 11 of these are on this Red List as either ‘endangered’, ‘vulnerable’ or ‘near threatened’. In 2013 the IWT will be launching a major campaign to seek protection for these and other endangered marine species under the Wildlife Act. If the Government is serious about developing the marine economy in a sustainable fashion, then surely protecting marine biodiversity must be a priority. You can find all the information on this and other marine-related issues on our website under the ‘Sustainable Seas’ section.
IWT and Waterford County Council Team Up to Protect Wetlands
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n September 27th, over 60 people came to Dunhill, Co. Waterford to attend a conference entitled ‘The Value of Wetlands: Heritage and Resource’. The conference was designed to increase awareness of the value of wetlands, especially among Government agencies, and was suggested by the Waterford branch of the IWT. Waterford County Council (WCC) was an enthusiastic partner and effectively organised the conference through the good offices of Bernadette Guest, Heritage Officer. The success of the event, which included fieldtrips to nearby Fenor Bog and the Dunhill Integrated Wetlands suggests that further collaboration between the IWT and Local Authorities could result in the furthering of the IWT’s mission. In fact, the planning group has agreed that a second conference will take place in 2013. Among the speakers was Pádraic Fogarty, former chair of the IWT who chaired session three: ‘Wetlands – Benefits and Uses’. Speakers included: Pat McCarthy, Waterford County Council; Dr Catherine O’Connell, IPPC; Dr Rory Harrington, WCC; Frank Convery, UCD; Tadhg O’Mahoney, EPA; Eamon de Buitleir, who was down to give the keynote address was represented by his daughter Róisín. The conference also included a public meeting hosted by the Waterford IWT at which members of the Irish Wetlands Ramsar Committee outlined the work and role of Ramsar. Conference papers are available by contacting Ray McGrath, Waterford branch of the IWT. Email woodhouseduo@gmail.com or visit the Waterford website, Irishwildlifetrust.blogspot.ie.
3Left: Fenor Bog. Below:
Dunhill Wetlands Park
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Education
Nature is man’s teacher. She unfolds her treasure to his search, Unseals his eye, illumes his mind, And purifies his heart; An influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence. – Alfred Billings Street
6 Molluscs build tough, durable shells at ambient
temperature with no noise or use of fossil fuels.
Inspired by
NATURE Katy Egan explores the benefits biomimicry could bring to the design of products and reducing waste.
W
here does a forest get rid of its waste? How does the ocean treat chemical by-products? Natural systems are the original sustainable model. Throughout the past 3.6 billion years, species have evolved together. Every living and nonliving thing has a purpose and place in the natural world. Nothing is considered waste or unnecessary. So, what if we could design our technology and living systems in a similar way? What if we could evolve our thinking to recognise the genius that exists within other organisms and natural processes? Perhaps the humble slime mould could design an efficient public transport route for a city or the bacteria E. coli might teach us how to ease traffic congestion. It is time to hang up the idea that human-built is better built. Through the creation of our modern cities and societies we are encountering a variety of challenges, from the transportation of water, to the creation of energy and the building of structures, and the effective organisation of society.
Sustainable Model We are not the first organisms to tackle
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these problems. Trees transport water up many metres to its leaves without the use of fossil fuels, while molluscs build their shells using simple water chemistry. Millions of different species exist today that have found a myriad of ways to solve these design challenges. Recently, there has been a push in science and technology to bring biologists together with designers, architects, engineers and innovators from all walks of life. The biologists consult with designers and explain nature’s method of accomplishing the designer’s idea, which allows the designers to model their plans on an already functioning sustainable model.
The process of looking to nature for sustainable solutions for our design challenges is called biomimicry. When broken down, ‘bio’ means ‘life’ and ‘mimicry’ means ‘to copy or emulate’. Biomimicry is about learning how nature gets things done and considering how we can adapt our processes to work in a similar fashion to conserve waste, energy and natural resources. It is not about manipulating nature for human purposes, which is a tenet of practices such as genetic engineering (bio-manipulation) or harvesting organisms to do the job for us (bio-utilisation). Instead, biomimicry is about using nature’s blueprint or design to inform our own plans. There are many exciting and innovative examples of biomimicry in practice. Scientists studied the Galapagos shark and found that the tiny structures on its skin actually prevent bacteria from taking hold because of its unique nanostructure. They are now attempting to copy that structure and put it on hospital walls to reduce the volume of chemicals required to sterilise them. The lotus leaf has led to the inspiration for selfcleaning paint for walls, reducing the use of harsh chemicals in cleaning products. The unique structure of the lotus leaf allows dirt to be carried off the leaf when it rains. Car bumpers are being modelled on the shock absorbing features of a hedgehog spine. There are hundreds of ideas and solutions just sitting out our back door just waiting to be explored, we just need to ask nature. For further information on biomimicry, check out www.biomimicry.net and www.asknature.org.
Bring Biomimicry to your School Biomimicry is an exciting blend of science, design, technology and art that can bring nature to life for students of all ages and interests. We have a range of workshops, walks and talks available on this dynamic subject. Our experiential workshops are curriculum-based and link a number of different strands and subjects. Workshops and talks can also be arranged for third-level and private organisations. Contact us for more information, or to make a booking. Tel: 086 307 0223; Email: learningnature@gmail.com.
Branch focus
6Fox. Photo: A. Kelly.
A Natural Eden Barry Kavanagh, chair of IWT Cavan branch, tells Irish Wildlife about the biodiversity in Cavan and how his personal love of hills and lakes has remained undiminished over the years.
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nature inhabits these niches so quickly. I suppose she knows where she’s most welcome.
Haven for Native Animals
was excited this year when we heard the cry of the curlew which graced us with its haunting call over a number of days. Our nocturnal residents include the common and soprano pippistrelle bats which are mesmerising to watch on the bright summer evenings. Recently, we discovered a badger latrine, which is a positive development as the badger was scarce in the area in recent years. Also, most evenings while I walk in the hills I would spot the long-eared owl hovering above the meadows on the hunt for the abundance of field mice and pygmy shrews that reside here. To our surprise we discovered newts and a whole host of water invertebrates at the ponds we recently introduced, which makes you wonder how
Our own reserve at Beglieve (Beag Sliabh, which means little mountain) is an elevated, traditionally farmed reserve with areas of woodland and wild flower meadows, which is a haven for native animals such as the Irish hare, fox, red squirrel and over 30 bird species both resident and transient. And I
//most evenings while I walk in the hills I would spot the long-eared owl hovering above the meadows on the hunt for the abundance of field mice//
recall a question I asked my wife, Ann, back in 1991: “What is it like in Bailieborough?” Her response was “There’s absolutely nothing there, other than hills and lakes!” and I have to admit that all I thought when I heard that sentence was ‘Eden’, as I was always a keen naturalist, spending most of my youth along the banks of the River Tolka in Dublin. Ann now shares my vision and 21 years later we are living on Cavan’s first IWT nature reserve. Since setting up the Cavan branch 18 months ago, we have expanded to four nature reserves in our county, such is the broad interest the people of Cavan have in their native natural heritage.
Ecological Survey Since setting up the nature reserve, we have run a number of events to maximise the biodiversity and to create linkages between the reserve and other wild habitats nearby. In the near future, we are planning – with the help of all the great people involved in the IWT – to carry out a full ecological survey of all the sites so that we can establish a plan for their development. I’d like to finish by thanking Ann for pointing out that “there’s nothing in Cavan, other than hills and lakes,” and for letting us discover a true, natural Eden!
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Nature on your doorstep
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Nature on your doorstep
Eating the
Landscape Pádraic Fogarty takes a closer look at what the current Government means by ‘sustainable development’ and finds it in practice at the tip of the Loop Head peninsula.
I
5All photos by C. Krieger
n Through the Looking-Glass, the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Alice enters a world through her living room mirror that is a reversed version of reality. Here, she has an encounter with Humpty Dumpty, who is celebrating his ‘un-birthday’. In an altercation that is typical of this parallel reality, he scorns Alice by declaring: “When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.” So it seems these days that the Government has decided that it, and everything it does, is ‘sustainable’. There was a day when this word actually meant something. In 1992 at the Earth Summit the term ‘sustainable development’ was defined as ‘meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of future generations’. It was widely interpreted as having three components: environmental, social and economic. In any layman’s language, to do something in a sustainable manner means that it can continue to be done indefinitely – rather like living off interest while maintaining your capital. And so when Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney says that Ireland has the “capacity to grow agriculture and food production sustainably, as envisioned in Food Harvest 2020” (Department of Agriculture press release, October 24th), he is choosing to use words with a meaning that fits his own ends.
Ocean Wealth This plan envisages a massive increase in food production and even the Environmental Protection Agency has expressed its concerns that this will have
negative impacts on water quality, greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity. Yet the Government agreed to carry out environmental impact assessments as required under EU law only after repeated calls from the IWT and Friends of the Irish Environment. Similarly, in the Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth – An Integrated marine Plan for Ireland, Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister Coveney say they “want to make our ocean wealth a key component of our economic recovery and sustainable growth”, but no environmental assessment of this plan has been carried out. It wants all the economic benefits of the sea, but has no knowledge of the existing environmental pressures that our oceans are under and is not implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive as it is required to do. So it is that in our Government’s world they can be sustainable simply by saying so. This is extremely important because the economy is entirely dependent on a healthy environment. It is also a missed opportunity to create truly sustainable employment by protecting the environment and energising local communities.
Dolphinwatch I had the opportunity to visit exactly such an enterprise recently when I spent the day aboard the Draíocht out of Carrigaholt, Co. Clare. The Loop Head peninsula is a quiet nook at the tip of Clare, but close to the traditional coastal resorts of Kilkee and Kilrush. We were off into the gaping mouth of the Shannon in a quest to find bottle-
//In 1992 at the Earth Summit the term sustainable development’ was defined as ‘meeting the needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of future generations’// Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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Nature on your doorstep
//the Shannon estuary is home to Europe’s largest resident population of these dolphins (the largest of the species regularly found in Irish waters) and sightings are practically guaranteed// nosed dolphins. In fact, the Shannon estuary is home to Europe’s largest resident population of these dolphins (the largest of the species regularly found in Irish waters) and sightings are practically guaranteed. For this reason it is a Special Area of Conservation – the highest level of protection under European law. Sue and Geoff have been guiding visitors to the estuary for more than 20 years now, drawn from disparate corners through a love of the sea and conservation (and each other!). They have been assisting research into the dolphins alongside UCC and Shannon Dolphin Wildlife Foundation which has established that the dolphins here are resident and the population stands at about 140 individuals. It can be a tough gig – although the dolphins are reasonably dependable, the weather is far from it and the Draíocht can be tied to the harbour for days during a high sea. But their dedication is apparent. Keen to be much more than a ‘SeaWorld’ experience visitors are told about the protected status of the estuary, its geology and wildlife. In recognition of this they were awarded EcoTourism Ireland’s gold certification, their highest award, and the only boat tour company in the country with this distinction. On the water the skipper can spot the tell-tale signs of fish shoaling activities – diving gannets – and charts a course along submerged sand banks. When we eventually find a small pod of dolphins we keep our distance. The dolphins are curious and spy hop to get a better
view of us. It’s a magical encounter and we’re rewarded with a close up view of a mother with her baby. But we don’t linger as the crew has a policy of strictly limiting the time that the boat should stay with any group. There was an old saying in Ireland when conservationists went head-to-head with local interests that ‘you can’t eat the landscape’. Well, Dolpinwatch shows that you can, and in doing so they define the word ‘sustainability’. Maybe we should buy our leaders a few tickets.
Carsten Krieger’s Ireland’s Coast In Ireland you are never far away from the border between land and sea, and the coast is an integral part of the country. It is a place of natural beauty and vibrant history. Carsten Krieger takes the reader, chapter by chapter, through a virtual tour of each region of Ireland’s coastline, with photograph after photograph of Ireland’s hidden gems. Ireland’s Coast is a visual celebration, which showcases Ireland’s landscape, wildlife and people, interspersed with stories and anecdotes compiled over two years of travel. The result is a unique collection of images of Ireland’s coast in all its splendour.
5Photo: C. Krieger
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Photography
Shutter
Bug
Talented Irish Wildlife contributors Andrew Kelly and Mike Brown once again offer an insight into a particular element of photography. In this issue, Andrew focuses on how an awareness of wildlife and the habitat in which you are shooting is invaluable, while Mike points to the significance of understanding natural light to improve your photographs. Know Your Subject By Andrew Kelly
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ne of the most important aspects of wildlife photography is to know your subject. If you are already aware that dragonflies are territorial, then you’ll know to sit tight if it gets frightened when creeping up to it, because there’s a good chance it will return to the same spot. Knowing that great-crested grebes display in March is essential if you want to capture their
courtship. However, for the heron’s courtship display, you’ll have to wait until February. There are several things you should research before you venture into the field that will improve your chances of getting that special photograph: Read about your subject Talk to local experts Keep your own wildlife diary You can meet your local wildlife experts by joining local wildlife groups. They will know 6Yellowhammer. Photo: A. Kelly
5Puffin and black-headed gull. Photo: A. Kelly
the best places to find wildlife and at what times of the year. Keep a diary of the wildlife and flora you see and within a couple of years you will have an invaluable picture of what to photograph at the different times of the year.
Know Your Site Once you’ve chosen your site, you will need to plan the best times to visit for photography. It may be that the best lighting is in the evening, or that in the morning the only possibility is backlighting. The best light is usually a few hours after sunrise and a few hours before sunset. It is very difficult to photograph wildlife at midday, as any bright parts of the photograph, particularly feathers, will go completely white. If you do find yourself in this situation, position yourself so the sun is behind you to minimise the harsh light. Local knowledge is invaluable; if you find a yellowhammer singing from its favourite vantage point, as many birds do, chances are that it will sing there every day during the breeding season. This is another good example of why it is good to keep a diary of sightings. One of the most common problems I see when people take up wildlife photography is that they have overlooked some distraction in the background. Sometimes this is an obvious object like a telegraph pole or car; Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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Photography
//The best light is usually a few hours after sunrise and a few hours before sunset. It is very difficult to photograph wildlife at midday as any bright parts of the photograph, particularly feathers, will go completely white// however, more often it is a piece of grass that the sun is shining on or some dark rocks that make half of the image black. If this happens, try changing your own position to remove it from view to minimise its effect. In the picture of the badger (right), it was necessary to squat down to take the shot from the badger’s height, in order to avoid having lots of grass in the foreground.
Respect the Wildlife you Photograph We’ve all heard the expression, “Take only photographs, leave only footprints”, but what does that actually mean? We must remember that the reason we are photographing the nature around us in the first place is because it is beautiful. Birds normally nest in a location hidden from their predators, except for seabird colonies. It is very distressing for the birds when people approach, so keep your distance or use a hide. It is illegal to disturb birds at their nest. If you do want to photograph a nesting bird, you can apply for a licence from the NPWS. Don’t forget too that if you want to get closer to an animal, try using a bigger lens!
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5Badger. Photo: A. Kelly 6Great-crested grebes. Photo: A. Kelly
Photography
6Fox cub. Photo: M. Brown
Thinking About Light By Mike Brown
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hen creating nature photographs, or any photographs for that matter, light is of ultimate importance. Not all light is good light and not all light is ideal for making certain types of photographs. But you can use most light to make some sort of photograph. Here are some tips for using light to your best advantage.
Dull Days In Ireland we have many dull days with soft flat light. We might be tempted to put away the camera and wait for a brighter, sunnier day before we venture out with the camera, thinking that this dull light is bad light. It isn’t; it’s just different. Soft flat light can actually be perfect for some subjects. Plants and flowers can often be photographed best on this type of day. On bright sunny days, the intricate arrangement of petals and leaves will cast strong shadows and make the image unsightly due to this high contrast. Choose a soft dull day and the lower contrast will allow all the detail to
be captured by the camera and the colours of the plants to shine through. While many birds look great in strong light, those with high contrast in their plumage can often look beautiful in soft light as all the feather detail can be captured perfectly. One of the wonderful things about shooting on dull days is that we can shoot from almost any direction and the contrast will remain the same. On a sunny day, it is difficult to shoot against the light as making a correct exposure becomes difficult with high contrast. If we expose correctly for the background, which is in sunlight, then the subject will often be too dark. If we expose for the subject then the background can be ‘blown out’ as we have exposed for the subject in shadow. On a ‘soft light’ day the contrast is even from whichever direction we need to shoot from. Low light does have disadvantages of course. Because it is darker we will need to use slower shutter speeds and therefore any movement of the subject will show in our image. If there is a breeze, this can be difficult for photographing fragile plants which move around. Erecting a windbreak can help and using a higher ISO to keep shutter speeds faster will also help.
5Fly orchid. Photo: M. Brown
Bright Sunny Days When the light is good and we have full sunshine in a blue sky, we can use this to our advantage in many ways. The light level means we can attain higher shutter speeds for freezing the action, while keeping the ISO level low for maximum quality. But we do have to think about a few things to make these days work best. We must try to get the best position from which to shoot our subject – not always easy with wildlife. If we can orientate ourselves so that the sun is directly, or almost directly, on our subject, Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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Photography
//When the light is good and we have full sunshine in a blue sky, we can use this to our advantage in many ways//
6Grey seal pup. Photo: M. Brown
then the light will look good and will be easy to expose correctly. However, there is another thing to watch. Using strong sunlight in summer months works best earlier and later in the day. In high summer, the sun rises very high in the sky and this overhead light can be very boring and flat. Shooting is better early in the morning or late in the afternoon when we still have excellent light levels, but the light is more directional and gives a more pleasing effect than flat overhead light. During the winter months Many thanks to in Ireland, the sun stays lower Andrew and Mike for in the sky so we can generally supplying this great advice. shoot in the middle of the Visit their websites to day and get great results. view or purchase more spectacular images. www.akellyphoto.com / www.mikebrown photography.com
5White-tailed eagle. Photo: M. Brown
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n o i t i t e p m o C
Competition
In this issue we have a fantastic prize to give away from BirdsIreland.com, the website of bird enthusiast Eric Dempsey. BirdsIreland.com aims to promote the enjoyment of Ireland’s birds through education, sharing and discovery in a friendly, informal and comfortable environment. BirdsIreland.com and the team at Sycamore Hill are delighted to launch a series of workshops, programmes and fieldtrips with Eric Dempsey in 2013. The weekend workshops include both indoor and outdoor activities as well as lunch at The Lodge on Saturday. To celebrate this launch, BirdsIreland.com are offering IWT members a chance to win an opportunity to attend a workshop of their choice from the 2013 series of event with a friend. Full details of all workshops and programmes can be seen at www.birdsireland.com. To be in with a chance to win one of these amazing prizes just answer the following question:
Who is the new chairman of the IWT? Entrants must email their answer, name and address to irishwildlife@iwt.ie.
Autumn issue winners In our autumn edition, we hooked up with Electroplus to give our members the chance to win a HD Digital Terrestrial Set Top Box. The lucky winner was Lisa Anderson, who told us that she thinks the IWT is best conservation organisation in Ireland, “Because of all the wonderful things they have done and continue to do to keep Ireland a beautiful place to live for all of its inhabitants.” Well done Lisa! Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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Squatters’
Rights
– The Native Problem Zoologists Allan McDevitt and Ruth Carden report on the fascinating questions posed by studies into the origin of Ireland’s socalled ‘native’ species and how relying on genetic data alone is not the best approach. 22
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or over 150 years, naturalists have been fascinated by how we acquired our faunal and floral assemblages on this island. This is because Ireland exemplifies the problems associated with many islands, namely from where did it attain its wildlife, when and by what means? These questions have remained extremely difficult to address for most of our wildlife, leading to the problem being commonly referred to as ‘the Irish question’. Ordinarily, the issue of when a species arrived in Ireland seems like an academic one in the grand scheme of things. However, this perception has changed in recent years because of several high-profile cases involving invasive species, which has brought the issue to the forefront of both scientists’ and the public’s interest. Because of this, we firmly believe that it now becomes important to discuss the hard evidence and dispel some of the myths surrounding the origins of Ireland’s wildlife. This becomes particularly pertinent when ‘native’ species, more often than not, are prioritised for conservation. As two zoologists, we will concentrate on the history of the terrestrial vertebrates in Ireland, but that certainly doesn’t mean the history of the other organisms is any less interesting.
Land Bridges Much of the early controversy about the origins of Ireland’s contemporary animals and plants has been centred on two key issues: firstly, how extensive was the ice cover during the last major Ice Age when it reached its maximum level (the last glacial maximum, or LGM, 19,000 to 26,000 years ago); and secondly, when did it become an island? This has involved relatively ice-free regions of Ireland in the south-west or west being proposed to explain certain species surviving through the LGM to the present day, or different land bridges connecting Ireland to either Britain or the continent at various times that would have allowed certain animals or plants to colonise naturally before the arrival of man. Indeed, the presence of land beyond our current coastal margins, now flooded with seawater, may represent potential refugia (i.e. an area that escaped ecological changes elsewhere). This led to many species being declared native, seemingly having arrived to Ireland independently. However, this picture has begun to change in recent years, with several recent studies indicating that Ireland was entirely covered by ice during the LGM and it is unclear if there were any
//the presence of land beyond our current coastal margins, now flooded with seawater, may represent potential refugia (i.e. an area that escaped ecological changes elsewhere)// 3Main image: Grey squirrel.
Below: Natterjack toad. Photos: A. Kelly.
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There is still no evidence of humans in Ireland at this time, so it seems logical to deduce that these species may have reached Ireland by their own means, possibly several thousand years earlier when a connection to another landmass might have existed. What is certain, is that several of these species then disappeared shortly after (reindeer, giant deer, arctic lemming), never to return to these shores. However, one of them in particular, the red deer, did return after vanishing. On this occasion though, it did not do so on its own and the molecular era of research was one of the pivotal factors in discovering this.
The Irish Question land or ice connections to either Britain or the continent after approximately 16,000 years ago. This clearly creates a problem for the continued persistence of many species on our island.
Younger Dryas The advent of accurate radiocarbon dating allowed the first major project in the late 1990s to date a whole range of mammalian fossils in Ireland. As well as many extinct species (mammoth and giant deer for instance), several extant species such as the red deer were present in Ireland prior to the LGM, but we then have a large gap in the fossil record of very few species until a range of mammalian species turn up between 13,000 to 10,000 years ago. This time period coincides with the ‘Younger Dryas’ glaciation, a much less intense cooling period which lasted approximately 1,300 years. Around this time, red deer, reindeer, giant deer, stoat, hare, arctic lemming and brown bear all appeared in Ireland. 24
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Initially, the use of molecular data appeared to be a godsend for ‘the Irish question’. The first detailed genetic study in 2003 on Irish pygmy shrews revealed their closest ancestors to be from northern Iberia, adding fuel to the ‘Lusitanian element’ of linking many Irish species to that particular region. The same was postulated for the pine marten, and like the pygmy shrew, early human traders were proposed as the transporters. These early genetic studies began to highlight what was long suspected from the gaps in the fossil data; that humans played a key role in the constitution of Ireland’s fauna. This then led to a wave of genetic studies, which still show no signs of abating. The Irish stoat (a designated subspecies in its own right) was genetically distinct from other European and British populations, indicating a long-term isolation in Ireland (and is consistent with the fossil record). Around this time, we had several genetic works on the origins of mammals, such as the Irish hare, red squirrels, bank voles, house mice and otters. The work on bank voles corroborated the theory
main feature
//early genetic studies began to highlight what was long suspected from the gaps in the fossil data; that humans played a key role in the constitution of Ireland’s fauna// with what we know about the biology, ecology and distribution of the species within a hypothesis-testing framework, leading to the conclusion that the pygmy shrew was a Neolithic introduction (around 5,000 years ago) from Britain. Most importantly, however, it clearly showed that relying on genetic data alone could lead to false claims of origin or native status. What was truly needed was a proper multidisciplinary approach involving genetics (modern and ancient), dated fossils, morphometrics (study of shapes and sizes), archaeology and historical records. Step forward, the red deer.
Killarney Red Deer
3Far left: Pygmy shrew. Main
left: Bank vole. Above: Red deer. Photos: M. Brown
of the species arriving from Germany in the 1920s and the house mouse in Ireland had strong Scandinavian links, indicating a Viking introduction. The genetic data from the other three species was more ambiguous. The red squirrel proved particularly interesting and provided an example of what was to become prevalent in many of the genetic studies on Irish colonisation: DNA types only found in Ireland meant an Irish native. This was problematic in the case of the red squirrel because most of the individuals shared their DNA with those from Britain, confirming what we know about the reintroduction of the species in the 1800s. However, several unique DNA types were also found. But where is the species in the fossil record? This was not limited to red squirrels; genetic studies on badgers and two of our amphibians (the common frog and natterjack toad) revealed ‘unique’ Irish DNA, leading to claims of natural colonisation or survival in an Irish refugium. Can we therefore declare the case closed on these? Not so fast!
Multidisciplinary Approach Needed The problem associated with these studies was about to be revealed through a return to our old friend, the pygmy shrew. A 2011 study increased the sampling number ten-fold from the original 2003 study in an extensive European-wide sampling effort and found the same genetic lineage present throughout Ireland, Britain and western Europe, rather than just Ireland and northern Iberia as reported in 2003. How can we therefore declare Irish DNA to be unique (and the species therefore native) if we’re clearly missing the baseline genetic data from Britain and the continent? This study also took the approach of putting the genetic results
Earlier this year, the first multidisciplinary study on ‘the Irish question’ involving our most charismatic mammal, the red deer, was published by a group of geneticists, deer biologists (and enthusiasts!) and zooarchaeologists. Red deer have commonly been perceived as our flagship native species, but there were reasons to doubt this claim. Extensive radiocarbon dating revealed that the species disappeared at the end of the Younger Dryas and didn’t reappear until the Neolithic period. Genetic analysis of modern Irish individuals revealed that most of the herds were derived from recent introductions, something we know from historical records. However, one herd in Ireland, the Killarney red deer, shared their DNA with the ancient Irish red deer (DNA was extracted from bone fragments over 30,000 years old!). This all showed that ancient peoples imported these magnificent animals into Ireland from Britain, essentially re-stocking Ireland with the same genetic line that went extinct originally. To repeat the warning from earlier, looking at the genetic data alone would have us declaring the Killarney red deer native.
Research and Debate All this leads to a simple question: does it really matter what is native and what’s not? Some might say not, given all the ambiguity and constant changing of opinions when new data arises. However, it is becoming an important consideration because of how it is used in policy and applied conservation. Those species defined as native are usually given conservation priority and efforts are made to protect them when they come under threat. To pick one example, we hear a lot about the ‘native’ red squirrel all the time now because of the threat of the invasive grey squirrel. However, we have no firm ground whatsoever to declare it a native species; there are no fossils to speak of and the genetic data points to a population derived from the recent reintroductions from Britain. Does that mean that we should do nothing to save it? Of course not. But we also can’t pick and choose when we want to roll out the ‘native species’ parade. All scientists are not going to ignore the evidence (or lack of) and simply wanting a species to be native does not make it so. This may mean a more broad definition of what we mean by a native species is required. In any case, the research and debate on this fascinating subject will continue to thrive for the foreseeable future. Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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HIGHLIGHT
Winds
of change Gordon D’Arcy examines the consequences that could arise from a decision to be made by An Bord Pleanála regarding wind farm development and how it could adversely affect the landscape of the midlands of Ireland.
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hat will be the outcome of the announcement of the planned wind farm development for the midlands and the An Bord Pleanála decision about whether or not it should go ahead? No doubt the hiatus will be filled with comment by those exercised by the issue. There will be columns and articles in newspapers; it will be covered in magazines, journals and periodicals; and it will be the subject of interviews and panel discussions in the media. Hopefully both the renewable energy lobby and the wind farm opposition will be given adequate airtime. In the end, a decision will be made and all will have to abide with the outcome. At present the answer my friends is blowing in the wind. The arguments for will emphasise the prospect of new, non-polluting, renewable energy and the construction jobs which will bring much-needed vitality to the underprivileged midlands region. Much will also be made of the proposal to lay cables alongside roads, dispensing with pylons. Another plus will be the opportunity to contribute to the much greater energy needs of the UK and the implicit lucrative return for our economy. Those against will cite wildlife threat, noise, visual intrusion and alleged threat to human health.
Visual Intrusion It has been stated that the wildlife threat is overstated, that in fact only birds of prey and other large species are vulnerable. However, statistics from a wind farm in Denmark indicate that tens of thousands of birds from a wide range of species and even bats (see 26
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the autumn issue of Irish Wildlife) annually fall victim to the rotors. Presumably, the significance of the Danish peninsula for migrating raptors, geese, etc. has a bearing on this, but could the same be said of the Shannon basin? Another bone of contention is visual impact. There are many who like the look of technology’s trappings, but there are far more who don’t. There is no escaping the visual impact of hundreds of 100-metre high turbines in open flat landscape; it is radical, no matter how they are clustered or camouflaged. Interestingly, there is a rising tide of opposition in the UK whose main objection is visual intrusion.
Slieve Aughty Living and working as I do between the similarly low plateaux of Slieve Aughty (given over to dozens of turbines) and the Burren (devoid of turbines), I am particularly interested in the question of visual impact. Clearly an exempting factor with the Burren has been its rich natural and social heritage, which would not ‘sit well’ with modern technology. While the Aughtys are also rich in heritage, they are apparently deemed to be of lesser importance than the Burren. The Aughtys have consequently been ‘sacrificed’ and the
5Bog of Allen. Photo: C. Krieger
Burren ‘saved’. The net result has been that despite the existence of trails and heritage features in the Aughtys, people are not inclined to go there, at least not in anything like the numbers visiting the Burren. The Slieve Aughtys have less than 50 turbines; the Element Power Project for the midlands will have between 500 and 700 much higher turbines. In effect, large sections of the midlands of Ireland will be given over
//There is no escaping the visual impact of hundreds of 100-metre high turbines in open flat landscape; it is radical, no matter how they are clustered or camouflaged//
HIGHLIGHT
to wind power. The consequence, I would argue, will be the creation of a region that neither wildlife nor people will want to dally – or even live – in. A number of heritage-orientated plans for the midlands region do not sit well with the wind farm proposal. The Peatlands National Park, proposed by John Feehan, is an obvious example. The planned development of a heritage park at Corlea, in Longford and the regeneration of wetlands for wintering wildfowl are others. The crane reintroduction programme, at present on hold, is another.
A Richer Future Traditionally, the midlands have been viewed negatively; the bogland described as dreary,
//A number of heritage-orientated plans for the midlands region do not sit well with the wind farm proposal. The Peatlands National Park, proposed by John Feehan, is an obvious example// uninteresting or uninspiring. Implicit in this is the notion that the land must be used. If you cannot get something tangible from it then it is wasteland. Element Power will utilise both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ land in locating the turbines, but it is difficult to see the much cheaper cut-away being ignored where available, thus suggesting a positive solution to a perceived negative problem. The wasteland notion has traditionally been levelled at the rocky Burren. Here, however, thanks to the enlightened involvement of BurrenBeo, this outlandish part of the country has been shown to be
valuable in all sorts of ways. A factor in this has undoubtedly been the preservation of ‘ambience’. The wind farm issue, both that proposed for the midlands and indeed nationally, deserves a thorough debate, not simply for the practical benefits on offer or the damage that it might do to wildlife (and humans?), but also for the question of appropriateness of location. What a pity it would be if committing to the wind option implied excluding other more imaginative and less radically intrusive options that might offer a richer future for all. Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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©iStockphoto.com_Agenturfotograf
FeatureFocus Winter focus
Fortress
Ireland A new threat may be looming for ash trees in Ireland as a fungal disease called ash dieback is threatening to devastate our ash population. Billy Flynn reports.
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or the first time, restrictions on the importation of wood and other plant material from Europe have been put in place by Shane McEntee TD, Minister of State with responsibility for forestry, at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. A fungus called Chalara fraxinea has been found in a Leitrim ash plantation. This is the first known report of the disease in Ireland and was found in plant material imported from the continent. The report has raised fears that Ireland’s deciduous woodlands are once more under serious threat. Commonly known as ‘ash dieback’ or ‘dieback of ash’, the fungus causes leaf loss and crown dieback in affected trees. Younger trees are more quickly affected but mature trees will eventually succumb and die.
Emergency Measures The new legislation (in place since October 26th) will make it an offence to import any ash plants or seeds from areas within the EU where the disease is known to have been found. These emergency measures were made under the EU Plant Health Directive. The department has also asked all involved in the forest nursery trade to 28
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introduce a voluntary moratorium on imported stock from continental Europe with immediate effect. Simultaneous legislation was introduced for Northern Ireland by Forestry Minister Michelle O’Neill. She said that a ‘fortress Ireland’ approach was required to prevent the disease from gaining a foothold here. Action has been taken by department officials in cooperation with nursery managers and landowners on a total of 11 sites in Leitrim. The department’s press officer has stressed that manifestations of the disease have only been confirmed in one site. A further ten sites, which were planted with stock from the same source as the infected site, were quickly cut and burned.
Likely to Spread The disease has previously caused widespread loss of mature ash trees on the continent, with Denmark being most seriously affected. The disease was first reported in England in February 2012 from a number of sites, but these were all nurseries and infected imported stocks were attributed as the source. However, recent (October 23rd) findings in Norfolk and Suffolk have shown the presence of the disease in mature woodland. The Norfolk
Feature winter Focus focus
//The symptoms of the disease include lesions on the stem, necrosis of the leaf and necrotic buds. In advanced stages, there is dieback of the crown of the tree// site is owned by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, whose Head of Nature Reserves said that it was now likely that the disease would be found in other mature woodlands. The woodland site is called Ashwellthorpe, ironically enough. Its name indicates the presence of ash trees for perhaps a thousand years and puts into context what kind of impact this disease may have on our own cultural landscape.
Warning Signs The symptoms of the disease include lesions on the stem, necrosis of the leaf and necrotic buds. In advanced stages, there is dieback of the crown of the tree. The disease has arrived at the worst possible time of
year, as symptoms may be missed due to seasonal dying back of leaves. Conversely, there may also be false reports of the disease at this time of year. The University of Anglia has joined forces with Invasive Alien Species to develop Ashtag, a smartphone app which allows users to photograph and log sightings of infected trees.
Imminent Threat The two former UK Environment Secretaries have been heavily criticised for inaction on this disease. Given the massive importance of the ash tree to the Irish landscape and native fauna, it is astounding that legislation preventing importation from sources on the continent known to be infected has not been enacted until now. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has stated that “active surveillance” of plantations has been in place since 2008. The question must be asked why the imminent nature of the threat has not been made known to the public until now, when the disease has been found on the island.
Ash Watch The Irish Wildlife Trust urges anyone who knows of any sites where there are concerns about unusual ill-health in ash to the Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine by emailing forestprotection@agriculture.gov.ie or by phoning (01) 607 2651.
3Main image: Ash tree. Above:
Charleville Woods, Co. Offaly
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Field report
Field report • field report • Field REport
Tuning in to
Radio freedom Field report • field report • Field REport Aleksandra Borawska reports from the forests of county Mayo, where a team of volunteers is monitoring the survival of rehabilitated and released pine martens.
P
-pip... peep... pip... I’m scanning my surroundings: the towering elegance of the mature conifers, the rounded slopes cushioned with purple heaths and olive-green sphagnum moss, the bubbling meanders of the river below. It’s an overcast afternoon in Letterkeen forest, Co. Mayo. Our radios are tuned in to channel M2. There was nothing on M1, I just checked. But these are not some amateur local broadcasters – rather two young male pine martens fitted with VHF-collars. My receiver is a compact green box with a small display and a multitude of buttons, connected by a long lead to the handheld aerial. I’m sweeping the antenna around slowly, trying to locate the crispest, loudest beeps. For all I know, our quarry might be watching us with amusement, perched high above, amidst the tangle of pine branches, dry twigs and deep shadows.
Helpless Kits Every day, a team of dedicated volunteers rakes through the woodland‘s ether with their aerials in search of clues that would betray the positions and activities of the two martens. Some trackers are locals, others travel from as far as Cork or Wicklow. The martens themselves endured a long journey to get here. It started on a rainy afternoon in early June, just outside Castlebar, Co. Mayo. A furry roadside drama attracted the attention of two visiting ecologists. A crying litter of helpless kits was scattered around the road and scrambling over their mother‘s carcass, trying to suckle. From one phonecall to another, a rescue operation was initiated and a support network, from individuals to organisations, weaved itself around the orphans. 30
Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
High Survival Rate The National Parks and Wildlife Service team trapped four kits later that night. The youngsters got a lift to the Longford ISPCA with their discoverer, Dr Gavin Fennessy. “One of the martens seemed to be struggling by this point, but the other three looked alert and bright-eyed,“ reported the ecologist. Unfortunately, the weakest one didn’t make it. The survivors were reared, with minimum human contact, in the wildlife rehabilitation unit of the Kildare Animal Foundation. The menu featured milk-substitute, dead chicks, rodents and quail, fruit, insects and raw eggs. Several months later, the orphans were fully grown and ready to return to the wild. Two males received radio collars before all were released in Coillte-managed Nephin forest, around 10km from where they were found. “It’s a suitable habitat for them, with mature forests, good resting places
Field report
3Left: Dead pine marten with kits. Photo: G. Fennessy. Main image: Pine marten soft release cage in Letterkeen Forest, Co. Mayo.
Photo: A. Kelly. Top: Three pine marten kits when they arrived at the Kildare Animal Foundation Wildlife Unit. Photo: D. Donoher
and foraging grounds,” says Dr Derek McLoughlin, a Sligo IT-based ecologist who trained the radio trackers and is now collecting the data for analysis. “The aim of this project is to monitor the survival of these rehabilitated pine martens using radio telemetry. It is the first time it’s been done in Ireland.” The team also hopes to learn about the habitat selection and the establishment of territories by young martens. The RSPCA carried out a similar study in Britain on 32 rescued orphaned polecats. The research demonstrated a high post-release survival rate. The authors concluded that it
was “sufficient to justify the resources used in the rehabilitation process and that the animals’ long-term welfare was not compromised by being held in captivity”.
Moral Obligation This brings us to the controversy of wildlife rehabilitation. The critics question the rationale behind the heavy investment of resources in rehabilitation of a few individuals who might not even survive. Monitoring casualties after release will help address this concern. Emma Higgs, Director of Irish Wildlife Rehabilitation Trust and coordinator
of the project, says: “It will enable rehabilitators to work out the optimum time, method and location for release for different species.” But why should all this time and money be invested on a handful of individuals? Emma replies: “As sentient beings we naturally empathise with animals in pain. I feel we have a moral obligation to relieve the suffering of any animal. I also believe we’re ethically obliged to treat the majority of wildlife casualties, as they’re of our own making; whether it’s a badger hit by a car or a bird attacked by a pet cat, they are direct and indirect results of human actions.” Irish Wildlife Winter ‘12
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MEMBERS’ LETTERS
Over to you Here at the IWT we’re very keen to hear about any interesting sightings you’ve had of Irish wildlife – keep your letters, photos and feedback coming in. Don’t forget to visit www.biology.ie to add your sightings to a national database.
I
Mammal Atlas
am contacting you in regard to a hedgehog that we have seen, and thought you would like to record it for the mammal atlas. This little fellow was seen in Renmore, Co. Galway and appears to reside in the field behind the Kingfisher Club on Renmore Road. He (well, I say ‘he’ – actually I don’t know!) seemed quite young as he was small and not fully grown. He seemed in quite good health, bright-eyed and very active. We gave him a few bits of a crumbled-up dog treat. We saw the hedgehog on August 25th at about 7pm. Here are a few photos. Sorry, they are rather blurry because he was quite active and didn’t want to stay still for the
paparazzi – can’t blame him really! Hope this is of some interest to you. Thanks for your time. Warmest regards, Mary Esther Judy Hi Mary Ester, Many thanks for your email and the lovely hedgehog photos. In fact, it is the National Biodiversity Data Centre that is collating the mammal atlas but we have emailed them on to info@biodiversityireland.ie. We have also recorded your sighting through the www.biology.ie website. This is a great way of recording all your wildlife sightings and contributes to genuine conservation research in Ireland.
Evidence of Coral Reefs in the Irish Sea
A
number of years ago, an ex-commercial trawler skipper who has over 20 years’ experience working in the Irish Sea told me that he had once found coral in his nets. When he told me that he still had a piece of it in his shed, I asked if he would show it to me. He showed me a small piece of coral which he told me he had trawled up about 20 years ago approximately 15 miles off the Irish coast. Following a bit of research I was able to identify the coral as Lophelia pertusa, a coldwater coral more usually associated with deeper water. Realising the significance of this find, I notified the NPWS and the Marine Institute. The Marine Institute confirmed my identification. Neither body was aware of Lophelia being present in the Irish Sea. This reflects a report written in 1837 (Reports from the Commissioners, Irish Sea and Herring Fisheries, 1837). This refers to corals off the Isle of Man which fishermen believed were used by herring as spawning grounds, but local fishermen blamed trawlers for “injuring the ground by scraping it quite smooth”. This report also quotes anecdotal evidence of two coral banks on the eastern side of the Isle of Man in about 16 fathoms of water (Prof. Callum Robets, Pers com). Johnny Woodlock
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Thanks Johnny!
y Many thanks to Johnn Seal h Iris the of k loc od Wo this Sanctuary who sent us an of e nc de incredible evi is t tha tem ecosys possibly lost forever.
MEMBERS’ LETTERS
Frog eyes Dear IWT, I love your magazine! You do great work to help raise awareness for our wonderful native wildlife. Anyway, I am emailing you guys a shot from my newly renovated pond and the lovely little residents of it! I am 16 years of age and I am massively interested in wildlife photography. I took this shot of this wonderful frog in my very own garden pond! I had recently relined the pond and I was worried that wildlife wouldn’t take residence in the pond, but this guy and a friend quickly moved in. I would encourage everybody to try and make a space in your garden for wildlife and, you never know, you might just be rewarded with moments like this! Yours most sincerely, Arthur Doyle Hi Arthur, That is a truly magnificent photograph. Keep up your interest in wildlife and please keep us up-to-date on your photographic career.
A ‘moany’ IWT? Surely not! Dear IWT, I am writing to you to regarding your article in the autumn 2012 issue of Irish Wildlife (Nature on Your Doorstep). I have been interested in natural history in Ireland from a young age. I have a special interest in people’s perception of nature and the natural world, as I think without a certain level of understanding, people will never realise the importance of environmental issues. I thought your article was quite negative and unhelpful. It was uninteresting and uninformative and does little to encourage people to get out to our national parks. You complain about a lack of exploring to be done and there’s a distinct ‘moany’ feel to the article. I’m not against criticisms, but I think you’re complaints were far from constructive – there are no suggestions to improve those things you give out about. What do you want? A road through the heart of every park, carved up out of the very land that’s supposed to be protected? What’s stopping you from going off into the wilds of these parks? If you want to explore, learn how to read a map and use a compass and head off yourself. I much prefer the idea of walking through these areas undeveloped
then along roads and boardwalks. I realise that not everybody has the privilege of being physically fit enough to do this but that does not stop those who are. I know the article isn’t necessarily about the Ballycroy National Park centre, but since you brought it up at all, a mention of the exhibition (with free entry) and work that is done with school groups as well as the (free) public talks and guided walks that are done might have been worth mentioning. With funding for these types of places at an all time low, visitor numbers are hugely important. If there is no public interest, there is little reason to keep places like this open and your article certainly doesn’t do anything to promote the place – I thought promoting environmental awareness is what your line of work is. There’s plenty to be learned at places like this, and clearly you didn’t ask many questions yourself on your visit.
Dear Richard, Many thanks for your letter and we welcome all comments on the content of our magazine – even if they’re not happy with us! Ballycroy National Park certainly is a wonderful place and we would encourage anyone to visit it. There’s no denying though that it is inaccessible for most. Our author of this piece was with his children on the day and so using a compass and heading off was not really an option. But we will try to be less ‘moany’ in future!
Nature oN your doorstep
Big Sky Country
Nature oN your doorstep
Yours sincerely, Richard Creagh
the wilderness of Ballycroy pádraic Fogarty explores our country’s desire to construct National Park and discusses of the country. the width and breadth roads and motorways
T
direction and he wind blew from every the ground. pressed the moor-grass against (although there It didn’t just blow in gusts constantly and forcefully were mighty gusts), it blew from it. For miles around, and there was no shelter could be seen, scarcely a tree or a building were ruins. They must although, remarkably, there the edge in every sense. on livelihoods been have Park, Co. Mayo – Welcome to Ballycroy National established in 1998. our newest National Park,
NP by P. Fogarty. Below: Bell heather by C. krieger
5images of Ballycroy
A World Without Roads
of Alaska, roadless areas In the high Arctic regions environmentalists as the are fiercely protected by by humanity’s last outposts of Eden, untarnished you would have to corrupting touch. In Europe, really large areas that go to Scandinavia to find in Ireland, you Meanwhile all. at roads no have are roads on the can drive everywhere. There a stroll of every piece tiniest islands and to within to Wikipedia, by the end of shoreline. According – enough to roads of of 2007 we had 101,455km of the Earth two drive around the circumference road, to bypass the Robust Laws and a half times! Our newest did national parks very in early August, I never felt that Ireland town of Longford, was opened too small, with has not diminished. well. They are too few and so our enthusiasm for roads exploring to be done we just need generally very little actual Now that we can get everywhere, through roads (I’m thinking of the well-worn to get there faster. or the relatively small against roads as Killarney and Wicklow, Of course, I have nothing national parks). and use roads as much sizes of the Burren or Connemara such. I am a car owner laws also mean how easy it is to get Our ‘robust’ private property as the next man and I like parks tend to be canals and our that the boundaries of our to places. I do look at our and therefore don’t seem how long they will distorted and convoluted railways, though, and wonder unit. In this respect, is a tiny fraction of to represent any geographical last (the current rail network I counted seven different get many years’ use didn’t We extent). Ballycroy is no different. its original one that sits on the side railway started going patches of land, including out of the canals, and the barely more than the 40 or 50 years after it of the N59 and encloses into decline perhaps only it must be one of the most cars at all in another 50 visitor centre. However, was built. Will we need and that in Ireland, in think that all those land to of road-free expanses years? Wouldn’t it be great will be the wildlife itself is enticing. tiny roads and motorways of the future? Roads are havens and cycle tracks of a space without Road to Nowhere? so ubiquitous that the idea They allow Roads represent the anti-wilderness. them stirs the imagination. everywhere while staying us to experience almost that It’s hard to believe warm, dry and motionless. tarmaced); they have in their current form (i.e. 100 years. Where they been with us for less than world, the destruction have been laid around the shortly thereafter. Roads of humanity has followed be seen from space through the Amazon can that occurs along their because of the deforestation not only people, but bring they There, margins. and heavy equipment for disease, invasive species forest. felling even more
//roads through the amazon Can be seen e from spaCe beCaus of the deforestation that oCCurs along their margins// Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘12
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Irish Wildlife Autumn ‘12
Remember, if you have a story, a question, took a nice photo or drew a picture – please share it with us and we’ll share it with our members. Just email irishwildlife@iwt.ie.
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IWT Events
Dates for your Diary There’s never a dull moment at the Irish Wildlife Trust. Join us at these events happening throughout the winter months. What’s happening in Cork december
Christmas Social Date: December 7th Time: 7.30pm Not to be missed. Come and meet us all and find out about the branch. We are meeting in Cork County Cricket Club. Last year’s location was the Temple Inn, Ballintemple for the first of our socials. This year we are celebrating our fifth year in existence. Meet at the Cork County Cricket Club/Mardyke Walk, near Fitzgerald Park for some finger food and good conversation. Please contact us if you are intending in coming along as this helps us plan the food requirements for the event. Map of location can be forwarded if needed.
Otter Survey Results Date: December 15th This will be a fun-filled event at Fota Wildlife Park where you can find out about how the Cork city otter survey progressed. We will present our results from the 2011/12 survey. We will tell you: how many otters live in the city; where they can be found and how we are promoting otter conservation. Places are limited, so please contact us to reserve a place.
January Trip to the Geara Date: January 20th The Gearagh is the remains of the only ancient post-glacial alluvial forest in western Europe. It was formed at the end of the last Ice Age and consists of a vast area of submerged islands that once supported a rich woodland flora. It gets its name from An Gaoire, the wooden river. In 1987 the area was declared a statutory nature reserve and is also a SAC (special area of
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conservation). The islands, for the most part, are covered by the waters of the Lee Hydro-Electrical scheme. However, during dry periods numerous rare species of plants can be encountered, e.g. mudwort, which is only found in one other location outside the Gearagh. This event is led by Ted Cooke. Start/ finish time is 11am-1pm. Parking at eastern car park at Toames/Kilmichael. Ted will show us one of the few remaining yew trees that survived the clearfell in the 1940s. Please wear suitable clothing, including wellingtons, and bring a packed lunch.
February Lichens and Seashores Date: February 11th Lichens and rocky shore ecology will take place at Roche’s Point. Meet at 12 noon in the car park. Paul Whelan from www.biology.ie will introduce what a lichen is, where they can be found on the seashore and what types can be
found there. Gill Weyman will lead a walk around the rocky shore area and show what species can be found there. Tea and coffee will be supplied.
What’s happening in waterford december
Christmas Outing Date: December 16th For our Christmas outing we will walk along part of the legendary Bóthar na Mná Gorm from Woodstown strand to the megalithic tomb at Harristown. The theme is shore life and shellfish (and a little bit of archaeology) and its implications for wildlife. Meeting point: main car park at Woodstown, which is eight miles from Waterford, branching off the Dunmore Road at the signpost about five miles from Waterford. Time: 2pm. Walk will be followed by a little Christmas social in a nearby hostelry.
IWT Events
What’s happening in cavan december
Bulb Planting Date: December 9th After the success of our biodiversity bulb planting event, in association with Save our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD) – where 70 people turned out even though the weather was appalling – we managed to plant 13,000 bulbs in four hours. Representatives of Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan have contacted the Cavan branch to run a similar event on December 9th from 11am to 3pm. Anyone with a spare trowel and wellies is more than welcome to come along and help make Carrickmacross a more cheerful and bio-diverse town.
Pub Quiz January
January
Portlaw Woods
Birdwatching on Bull Island
Date: January 13th A trip to Portlaw Woods followed by a visit to the Portlaw Heritage Centre. Meeting point in Portlaw (tbc). Start time: 2pm.
Date: January 20th Bull Island nature reserve is an important site for many of our wintering birds. Niall Keogh and Sean Kelly will be leading this event to see the wintering birds feeding along the exposed mudflats. Please bring your binoculars and scopes and dress appropriately. Meeting at 12 noon on the Causeway Road. Booking is essential. To book your place please, email dublinbranch@iwt.ie.
February
Waterford Estuary Walk Date: February 10th The county Wexford side of Waterford estuary is the location for this interesting walk from Ballyhack to Dunbrody House, taking in the foreshore and its rich marine life and the old deciduous woodlands of Dunbrody House. Meeting point: Passage East car ferry terminal. Time: 1.45pm.
Date: December 14th A pub quiz will take place at The Chestnut Tree, Virginia at 9pm in aid of IWT Cavan Branch and SOSAD.
January
Native Reptile and Amphibian Talk Date: January 16th The talk will take place at Bailieborough Development Association (BDA)/ Enterprise Centre, Shercock Road, Bailieborough at 7pm.
Contact Ray at 083 106 7042 for details on events taking place in Waterford.
What’s happening in dublin december
Green Drinks Date: first Tuesday of every month Come join us upstairs in Messrs Maguire, Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. Note: there will be no Green Drinks event in January.
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on location
brush strokes Annabel Langrish speaks about her love of West Cork, the wildlife that inhabits the area and the artwork she creates in response to the beauty of one of Ireland’s most beautiful locations.
L
iving in the north-west of Ireland since the 1970s, I decided it was time to move nearer to the sea, where I feel happiest. I have chosen to make my home in West Cork and now live above my gallery and café with my musician, gardener, woodworker, gallery manager: Klaus. We have a large garden, open to the public, with wildlife ponds, a wild flower meadow, resident hare and rabbits, assorted dogs, cats and pet pigs.
Schull Herons The Sheepshead peninsula is fantastic for wildlife and a great inspiration for my work. I regularly see otters on my walks, while oystercatchers, herons and lately several egrets have settled here. I once rescued a baby otter injured on the road – he was just at the bottom of my hill – and was rewarded for my efforts with a bite on my hand, but it was the most beautiful wild animal I have had the fortune to hold. Some subjects are hard to find, like hares,
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puffins and red squirrels, but others are natural models. The herons in Schull pose on the pier and are not shy of humans. My dog found a hedgehog that had fallen into my neighbour’s cattle grid. Rain was threatening and I was afraid he would drown, so I had to fashion a scoop from a stick and a ladle and got him in to a shopping bag, but of
course he went into a ball and I couldn’t get him through the bars. I left him suspended, hoping he would scramble out, but when I returned, someone had moved my contraption and pulled him through the bars. He was still breathing and I helped him to the side of the road. I have some great drawings of him and later I also helped a baby (maybe his) across the road.
Respect for Wildlife I try to share my love of animals and birds with people through my art and hope to inspire people to take a bit of quiet time. If you keep your eyes open and treat our natural landscape and heritage with respect, all sorts of animals and insects will come out of the woodwork! Do visit our café, the Heron Gallery, in the spring or summer. We open the café and garden for Easter and remain open until end of August. Visit www.annabellangrish.ie.
//The Sheepshead peninsula is fantastic for wildlife and a great inspiration for my work//
CARSTEN KRIEGER PHOTOGRAPHY FINE ART PRINTS - BOOKS - WORKSHOPS
“There’s a haunting quality to his work that makes even familiar images feel eerily new” Irish Independent
STUDIO GALLERY NOW OPEN Kilbaha North, Loop Head, County Clare, Ireland
Web: www.carstenkrieger.com Email: info@carstenkrieger.com Phone: 00353-87-6949385