“The trees are in their autumn beauty, the woodland paths are dry.”
— W. B. Yeats
This beautiful line from Yeats conjures up the joy of crisp autumn walks, boots crunching through fallen leaves, the shifting colours of the season, and the slower rhythm that autumn brings. It’s a reminder of why we do what we do: to protect and celebrate the natural world that gives us such richness and beauty.
As always, our dedicated team of staff and volunteers have been busy. From education walks that bring people closer to nature, to our Green Drinks series in Dublin, there has been no shortage of opportunities to connect, learn, and share. I hope you’ve managed to join us for some of these occasions.
rewilding and shared inspiring stories from his new Rewild You Land project. It was an inspiring evening of ideas and hope. I’d like to thank our CEO Kieran Flood and fellow board member Jamie Rohu for their work in putting this event together.
We’re also delighted to welcome a new member of the team, Charlotte SalterTownshend, who joins us as our Communications and Network Officer. In this issue, Charlotte brings us a beautiful piece about the area around Derrynane in Kerry, one of my own favourite places.
A special congratulations is due to everyone who supported the campaign against the EU’s attempts to weaken environmental legislation. Your voices matter. And they are needed again: this autumn, community conversations are being held across the country to ensure strong support for the Nature Restoration Law. I encourage you to get involved and make your voice heard. Full details are available at www.restorenature.ie/getinvolved.
Through it all, what we need most is hope and a sense of community. I encourage you to share this magazine with friends, neighbours, or even by leaving it in waiting rooms, so that more people can connect with our work.
Thank you, as always, for your support, your actions, and your care. Together, we are helping Ireland’s wildlife not only to survive, but to thrive.
Warm regards,
A highlight this autumn was a special collaborative event with the Trinity Centre for Environmental Humanities. Together, we hosted an evening of lectures, debate, and discussion on the theme of rewilding, exploring its meaning and practice, from landscape-wide projects to the smaller local initiatives. We were honoured to welcome three renowned speakers whose work has shaped how we think about nature in Ireland today. Our own Eoghan Daltun, author of An Irish Atlantic Rainforest, brought powerful insights from his rewilding project on the Beara peninsula. Mary Reynolds, whose We Are the Ark has inspired a movement of gardeners and landowners to make space for nature, shared her vision of local action for biodiversity. And long time IWT collaborator, Pádraic Fogarty, author of Whittled Away, explored what exactly is
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Anne Hannan Chair, Irish Wildlife Trust
Pass it on. If you’re finished with your Irish Wildlife don’t throw it in the bin. Pass it on to someone who you think may enjoy it – or ask your local library or doctor’s office to leave it in the reception. You’ll help the environment and the IWT while you’re at it. Irish Wildlife is 100% recyclable, so if you do choose to throw it out, please put it in the green bin.
About Us
The Irish Wildlife Trust is an environmental charity founded in 1979. Our vision is an Ireland where wild nature thrives, and society enjoys the benefits of coexisting with diverse, functioning ecosystems. Our mission is to protect and restore biodiversity in Ireland by motivating and supporting people to take action for nature.
The IWT is dedicated to creating a better future for Ireland’s wildlife through: Motivating and supporting people to take action for wildlife.
Social media: facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust instagram.com/irishwildlifetrust bsky.app/ profile/irishwildlifetrust.bsky.social linkedin.com/ company/the-irish-wildlife-trust
Registered Charity Number: 20010966
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.
Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT.
How can you help?
You, our members, make the IWT what it is. Through your subscriptions and support we can undertake the projects that are benefiting Ireland’s wildlife. If you would like to help more, here’s what you can do:
• Make a one-off donation to the IWT.
• Give IWT membership as a gift.
• Volunteer – we are always looking for people to help out. There are lots of ways to get involved, from helping with important admin work in our office to helping us increase membership by volunteering at public events. See our website www.iwt.ie for details or contact the office directly.
The IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country:
• Do you have land that you would like used for conservation? We are always on the lookout to establish new sites to enhance wildlife or provide education opportunities.
• Remember us in your will. Why not leave a lasting legacy towards conserving Ireland’s natural heritage? The IWT uses all funds towards our campaigns, managing reserves and our education programmes. Please visit www.mylegacy.ie.
• Set up a branch. Are you passionate about wildlife and are in a county that does not have an IWT branch? Contact the office and we can give you the support you need to get up and running.
Natterjack Toads. Photo: Vincent Hyland/Wild Derrynane, courtesy of the OPW
The chough, (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), is a habitat specialist and thus rare compared to other corvids.
Kieran Flood, IWT Chief Executive Officer
IWT NEWS: STRATEGY UPDATE
Autumn at the IWT
Two strong themes of our work at IWT are Connection with Nature and Hope through Action. This season we have been busy progressing our strategy in line with these themes through our three interconnected pillars of our work; Advocacy for Nature, Building Communities for Nature, and Rewilding In Ireland.
On the advocacy front we can share a few positive developments, some of which are reported on by Grace Carr in our Marine News article. This September we were part of a European wide campaign to counteract worrying developments at the European Commission. There is a risk that the Commission’s new focus on “simplification” of EU laws could well be used as a trojan horse for deregulation and the watering down of existing EU environmental protections, such as the Habitats
Directive, Nature Restoration Regulation or Water Framework Directive. When, in late summer, the Commission ran a call for evidence on this simplification proposal, civil society responded with the Hand Off Nature campaign encouraging citizens to speak up for nature and respond to this call for evidence consultation. The mobilization was truly uplifting with thousands of responses coming in from Ireland, many from the IWT community. Through this campaign we sent a clear message that we want EU environmental protections to remain strong enough to safeguard the natural world from the pressures our industry and economy exert on it.
This summer also saw an announcement from the government on the reinstatement of a ban on fishing vessels over 18m from trawling in our inshore waters. This ban, if implemented well, could take pressure off marine ecosys-
Panel discussion at our Rewilding in Ireland event, Pádraic, Mary and Eoghan chat with Kieran.
tems close to our shore by removing trawling activity from larger boats and open up the opportunity to work with the smaller inshore fishing sector to secure truly sustainable management of the inshore area.
Building communities of people who are connected with nature is core to our mission and our branches are a key component of this work. Branches run free nature events around Ireland from bat walks to educational talks. In this issue we highlight branch updates from Limerick and Monaghan involving outreach to the local farming community and recognition of community led biodiversity research.
Rewilding is an inspiring concept that is close to our heart at the IWT and with this in mind we have organised an autumn seminar series on the topic, in collaboration with the Trinity College Dublin Centre for Environmental Humanities. The series of events is taking place in Trinity College and explores rewilding in Ireland, Scotland and continental Europe. We kicked off the series with a booked out event “Rewilding in Ireland” where we heard from Eoghan Daltun, Mary Reynolds and Pádraic Fogarty. It was an inspiring and hopeful evening.
Finally we are delighted to update you that, to help us in communicating our messaging within the IWT network and beyond, we have hired a Communications and Network Officer, Charlotte SalterTownshend. Charlotte's research interests include plant ecology and folklore, symbioses, and community. For over a decade, she worked as a guide and lecturer at the National Botanic Gardens, designing and delivering talks and tours on a wide range of topics. She also worked on expedition cruises as a Botany and History Lecturer and travelled to regions including Shetland, Cape Verde, South America, and Antarctica. She has an MPhil in Public History & Cultural Heritage and recently completed an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation at Trinity College Dublin. Charlotte will play a key role by enabling communication activities within our network so we can connect more people with nature and foster hope by sharing our work to protect and restore biodiversity.
By Kieran Flood & Rhiannon Laubach
COMMUNITIES FOR NATURE
Branch Updates
Akey part of our pillar of work focused on building Communities for Nature is our branch network. Our voluntary local branches carry out education, engagement, advocacy and practical nature projects at a community scale. All branches were busy over the summer running educational events connecting IWT members and the general public with their local natural heritage. Below is some recent news from our Monaghan and Limerick Branches.
Monaghan Branch
We are delighted to share the news that our IWT Monaghan branch is a finalist in the National Lottery Good Causes Awards 2025. The branch entered the competition thanks to their Heritage Council funded Dromore Mapping Project. This project is a collaboration between the Friends of the Dromore and the IWT Monaghan Branch and involves mapping the catchment of the local Dromore river using both satellite imagery and ground truthing. The mapping project has raised awareness of the interconnecting power of river catchments and communicated this river's value as a biodiversity corridor. The project produced: an interactive digital database, a printed map, and a beautiful physical topographical model of the catchment.
"Farming 135 hectares along the Shannon Estuary, Tom and Michael manage dairy, beef and sheep enterprises, all certified organic. They are strong supporters of rare Irish native breeds, rearing Droimeann and Shorthorn cattle alongside Galway sheep"
These tools enable the project to develop the community’s spatial and visual awareness of the catchment and identify where the riparian zones are intact or in need of restorations. The mapping shows where the river and streams already act as connectors, or where targeted actions could in future connect the riparian zones with other key biodiverse-rich habitats in the catchment.
More information can be found at https://dromorerivercatchment.ie/
The Awards Ceremony Gala event is on Saturday 18th October. We wish the Monaghan branch the best of luck.
Limerick Branch
Rhiannon Laubach of our Limerick Branch reports on the recent engagement with the farming community.
The Irish Wildlife Trust Limerick Branch was delighted to visit the farm of Tom and Michael Keane in Askeaton, County Limerick, where the brothers are recognised as Farming for Nature Ambassadors. The visit gave members an opportunity to see how farming and biodiversity can thrive side by side.
Farming 135 hectares along the Shannon Estuary, Tom and Michael manage dairy, beef and sheep enterprises, all certified organic. They are strong supporters of rare Irish native breeds, rearing Droimeann and Shorthorn cattle alongside Galway sheep. Their approach not only preserves Ireland’s farming heritage but also enhances biodiversity through conservation grazing.
The Keanes’ farm is located in a unique landscape rich in habitats and rare plant species, and they are active participants in conservation schemes that protect wildlife such as otters, bats, and pollinators. Their deep connection to nature and commitment to working with the land was clear throughout the visit and offered real inspiration for our members.
Following the farm tour, Tom kindly invited the Limerick Branch to the Irish Native Breeds Show at Bunratty Folk Park. This event provided an excellent platform to meet the public, highlight the Trust’s work in Limerick, and encourage people to get involved in conservation efforts nationally. On the day, we shared magazines, posters, and resources to raise awareness of Irish wildlife conservation. Children at the show were especially delighted to receive Irish bumblebee posters, sparking curiosity and excitement about nature. The outing was a wonderful opportunity to connect farming, conservation, and community.
IWT Limerick Branch on a farm visit with Tom and Michael Keane.
ADVOCACY FOR NATURE
NRL UPDATE By Grace Carr & Kieran Flood
IWT at the Leader’s Forum
In September we were represented by IWT Marine Advocacy Officer, Grace Carr and IWT CEO, Kieran Flood at the Marine Leader’s Forum and the Urban Leader’s Forum on Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan. The Nature Restoration Plan is the plan currently being produced which will plot out how Ireland is to reach its Nature Restoration Law targets. These events are part of the stakeholder engagement process, ahead of drafting the plan which is due for completion in September 2026. Both sessions were organised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and brilliantly chaired by Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin.
At the Marine Leader’s Forum, we were glad to see a broad range of stakeholders there to share their views. Fishing organisations, researchers, social scientists, ecologists, civil servants, NGOs and other maritime industries all had a place at the table.
The day was split into four main sessions, with two panel discussions in between. We also heard from Katherine Cronin (head of the NRP marine working group) who gave a breakdown of Article 5 of the Nature Restoration Law, which focuses on marine habitats. Different sessions focused on the opportunities and benefits of nature restoration, what innovations exist that can already be deployed, what are the tensions between
the needs of various groups, the challenges and risks that need to be overcome and what are the core priorities moving forward. Notes from the day will be recorded into a report, which will undergo further stakeholder engagement.
The Urban Leaders Forum took place in Dún Laoghaire and brought together staff from City and County Councils, as well as representatives from environmental NGOs, the building industry, and civil servants. At the Forum we learned about the method by which urban restoration will be measured in order to report on our targets.
The main measures will be the area of land classified as “green space” as well as the area of “tree cover”. Ourselves and others made the point that the ecological quality of these green spaces is vital if we are to prevent urban species like bats, swift and geese from continuing to decline. We need ambitious national targets and actions that go beyond the bare minimum and look at urban lighting, connectivity, building design and habitat quality.
"Funding is needed to
One big question on everyone’s minds was ‘where is the funding coming from?’
Since the government’s announcement that the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund has now been dedicated to infrastructure, it’s not clear how nature restoration will be funded in Ireland. Funding is needed to enact restoration measures, collect data, ensure appropriate management and monitoring of areas and very importantly, to ensure a just transition for those affected by the legislation. There was no clear answer given at the Marine Leader’s Forum but we were encouraged to keep the pressure on the government to ensure adequate funding is acquired.
These discussion and idea generating forums are a welcome step in the stakeholder engagement process. However, in the absence of any written consultation or any direct access to the Technical Working Groups, who are writing the plan, some were left wondering if key nature stakeholders are missing a chance to inform its drafting.
enact restoration
measures, collect data, ensure
appropriate management and monitoring of areas and very importantly,
to
ensure a just transition for those affected by
the legislation"
Grace Carr and the Fair Seas team at the Marine Leader’s Forum with the Chair of NRP Independent Advisory Council Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin
NEWS MARINE
By Grace Carr
Hope for the ocean
GRACE CARR REPORTS ON SOME RECENT POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS IN OCEAN CONSERVATION
Sometimes it’s important to take a step back and focus on some of the successful conservation stories. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the bad news flooding in about the natural world, so here’s a quick round up to remind us all that success stories are out there and there are many dedicated individuals trying to make a real difference to marine conservation.
Vessels over 18m banned from trawling in Ireland’s 6 nautical mile zone
In July this year, a ban on vessels over 18m trawling in Ireland’s inshore area was finally announced. The ban will be in place from October 2026 and from October 1st 2025,
"This ban will help to improve the overall marine ecosystem as well as improve opportunities for the inshore fishing fleet"
vessels over 18m will be required to get authorisation to fish for sprat in the 6nm zone and be limited to a total allowable catch of 2000 tonnes.
Sprat is an important forage fish that is vital for the health of the marine food web. Unfortunately this species has been overfished in recent years through an unregulated fishery with scientific advice on catch limits ignored. A ban was first introduced in 2019 but was unfortunately overturned by a judicial review taken by two fishermen. The ban was briefly reinstated
by the Court of Appeals but was overturned again on a technicality in 2023. A public consultation was held at the beginning of 2024 and over 5500 responses were submitted. 93% of these responses stated that at the very least they would like to see vessels over 18m restricted from trawling in Ireland’s inshore area.
The majority of Ireland’s current marine protected areas (all Natura 2000 sites) can be found in the inshore area. Our marine protected areas still need to have site specific management plans in place to
4Pair Trawling inside Glengarriff Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in 2023.
Crew of Fishermen Open Trawl Net with Caught Sprat on Board of Commercial Fishing Ship
"We
are glad to see our closest neighbours working towards effectively protecting their MPAs by engaging the public in consultations and putting in management plans to effectively protect these areas"
achieve their conservation objectives, something that is badly missing, but this ban will help to improve the overall marine ecosystem as well as improve opportunities for the inshore fishing fleet and coastal communities. Management plans for specific species such as sprat are still desperately needed if we are to achieve resilient and healthy marine ecosystems, but this measure is a move towards long term sustainability and one of the best conservation measures the Irish government has implemented in our waters. While there is still work to do, this is something to be celebrated.
Stages of consultation on banning bottom trawling in UK marine protected areas. Source: UK Marine Management Organisation.
UK proposes plans to ban bottom trawling in 41 Marine Protected Areas
A consultation was announced this summer on whether to ban bottom trawling in 41 UK marine protected areas spanning approximately 30,000km2. These plans were announced by the British government ‘to conserve the vulnerable underwater life’ found there and that the ‘overdue bottom trawling ban will benefit all’. The consultation is open until the end of September and focuses on all MPAs with seabed features.
The Marine Management Organisation is the lead regulator for fishing activities in MPAs in England and they have been looking at the impacts of fishing in four stages. For stage 1, fishing impacts were assessed for four MPA’s. A call for evidence was launched in 2020 as well as a public consultation in 2021 and it was concluded that certain fishing activities undermined the conservation objectives of these sites. Stage 2 looked at 13 MPAs with rock and reef features within them and how bottom towed fishing gear impacts them. They are currently at stage 3 of this process which looks at another 43 MPAs not assessed in stage 1 and 2. It’s estimated that if the ban is delivered that it will not only protect vitally important marine ecosystems but also benefit the economy by around 3 billion due to restored fish populations, climate regulation and nutrient cycling.
Environmental NGOs are welcoming this announcement while also calling for an effective just transition process from
damaging practices in the fishing sector to avoid unwanted knock on effects in different parts of the sea and to ensure livelihoods are protected. Currently, only four of the UK’s 377 MPAs are fully protected from bottom-towed fishing gear and we are glad to see our closest neighbours working towards effectively protecting their MPAs by engaging the public in consultations and putting in management plans to effectively protect these areas. Let’s hope the Irish government will soon prioritise protecting our precious marine life, the coastal livelihoods that depend on healthy oceans and our strong cultural ties to the sea.
High Seas Treaty
On 19 September the High Seas Treaty finally received its 60th ratification, officially kickstarting the 120-day countdown until it enters into force.
Oceana’s Chief Scientist Dr. Katie Matthews says, “For the first time, we have the legal foundation to safeguard marine diversity in waters that belong to everyone and no one at the same time. What matters now is turning paper into protection.”
In 2017 the UN General Assembly first proposed an intergovernmental conference to start the process of negotiating legally binding protections for the high seas (or areas that are outside countries' jurisdictions). This part of our planet has been neglected and described as a lawless wilderness with activities remaining unregulated and unrestricted. The high seas cover 64% of the global
“For the first time, we have the legal foundation to safeguard marine diversity in waters that belong to everyone and no one at the same time. What matters now is turning paper into protection”
ocean and include ecologically vital ecosystems that are under threat from over exploitation, pollution and the effects of climate change. Several negotiating sessions were delayed due to lockdowns during Covid, but in June 2023 after almost two decades of discussions and 5 years of negotiations, the High Seas Treaty was formally adopted. In order for this treaty (also known as the BBNJ treaty, Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction) to come into force, it had to be signed and ratified by 60 countries. During and after the United Nations Ocean Conference in June this year, there was a huge wave of support for the Treaty. Signing the treaty does not legally bind governments to the Treaty, but it does show their willingness to move towards ratification and it’s assumed that they will not engage in activities which go against the purpose of the Treaty
Ratification is when governments officially agree to the new international law and commit to aligning their national laws with it. To date, 145 countries have signed the treaty and 69 have completed the ratification process. As with other international agreements, the treaty is only binding for those countries that have formally ratified it. In late September this year, the Irish government finally approved ratification of the Treaty, having been one of the early signatories two years ago. Presently only 1% of the high seas are protected by MPAs, far short of what is envisaged by the globally agreed 30% by 2030 target. The Treaty will provide for the creation of a global network of high seas MPAs.
5 High Seas Treaty ratification map. Source: High Seas Alliance Website
NATURE RECOVERY NEWS
By Charlotte Salter-Townshend
WHITE-TAILED EAGLE REINTRODUCTION PROGRAMME WRAPS UP AFTER 18 YEARS
The Eagle has landed
Once widespread, the Whitetailed Eagles became extinct on this island over 200 years ago. Now there are estimated to be more than 150 of these spectacular birds in our skies, thanks to the White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme, a collaboration between the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, with additional expertise from the Golden Eagle Trust. The project has been successful thanks to participation of landowners and farmers.
In August, the Programme was completed with the successful release of four chicks at Killarney National Park— a location befitting the occasion, as this is where they were first released back in 2007. The first wild breeding and fledging followed at Lough Derg in 2012. Several releases later, they continue to disperse and are now breeding in Counties Cork, Clare, Galway, Kerry, Tipperary, and Waterford. All chicks are fitted with satellite tags so we can track their progress. Juvenile White-tailed Eagles can disperse tens to hundreds of kilometres from their natal sites before settling to breed, with some flying up to 160 km in a day.
White-tailed eagles tie with the mute swan as our largest resident bird species, with a wingspan over 2 metres and a body length of around 1 metre. Males weigh up to 5kg and females up to 7kg. They feed on carrion such as dead seals and sheep and occasionally small mammals including rabbits and hares, but they prefer fish. Also known as Sea Eagles, they tend to keep close to larger bodies of water. They are typically spotted high over water, scanning for fish near the surface. When they eye
their prey, they plunge downwards at speeds reaching 160kph. In a lightningquick aerial manoeuvre, they seize the fish with their impressive talons, avoiding wetting their feathers.
In September, the first white-tailed eagle in over 150 years fledged in Co. Waterford. This is “hugely significant” according to Project Manager Eamonn Meskell, as the chick’s parents moved to the region of their own accord after being released at the Waterford-Cork border in 2021. It is the furthest east the birds have bred to date.
Norwegian Ambassador to Ireland Aslak Brun said: "I am impressed with the Irish-Norwegian cooperation to reintroduce the white-tailed eagle to Ireland. Eagles are once again spreading their wings in Ireland, thanks to wildlife experts and volunteers from both our countries. We have the obligation to protect nature and halt the loss
"Eagles are once again spreading their wings in Ireland, thanks to wildlife experts and volunteers from both our countries"
of biodiversity. It is my hope that the unique cooperation to reintroduce eagles will serve as an inspiration for other wildlife projects."
There have been some tragic incidents along the way (including deliberate killing and wind turbine collisions), but the growth and spread of the birds over 18 years has been heartening. Indeed, the last decade has seen some very encouraging progress made in the re-establishment of breeding populations of other charismatic birds including Osprey, Common Crane, Great Spotted Woodpecker, and Marsh Harrier.
The White-tailed Eagle's success shows the power of nature to recover when given a chance and the benefits we can see when the State supports species reintroductions.
REFERENCES:
NPWS, White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme marks successful completion with final release of chicks at Killarney National Park, (11 August 2025).
5White-tailed eagle hunting. Photo: Mike Brown
ASH TREES EVOLVING RESISTANCE TO DREADED DIEBACK: GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH REVEALS EVOLUTION IN ACTION MAY SAVE OUR ASH TREES FROM THE BRINK OF LOSS.
A New Hope
Since 2012, Ash dieback, caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, has ravaged populations across Ireland and the UK. It was first detected here in young trees imported from continental Europe. Airborne spores spread like wildfire and the fungus is thriving in our damp climate. All over Ireland we bear the scars— gaps in our hedgerows, devastated plantations, and the skeletal remains of once proud trees. Ash dieback was declared a national emergency in 2023, with Teagasc, the Irish government's Agriculture and Food Development Authority, estimating that up to 90% of our ash trees could succumb to the disease over the next two decades. The loss of so many trees impacts biodiversity, landscape, economy, and even our beloved national sport, hurling.
But hope has sprouted anew. Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Queen Mary University of London announced in the journal Science that a new generation of ash trees, growing in a woodland in Surrey, is showing greater resistance than their parents. The researchers observed that some saplings have inherited thousands of tiny genetic tweaks that help them fend off the fungus. This demonstrates not only the astonishing capacity of trees to adapt and survive but also provides evidence for a widely assumed but difficult to prove theory— that selection of a trait is influenced by numerous genes.
Thanks to this, future generations of ash have a fighting chance against the disease. However, we are not by any means out of the woods. As the population has plummeted, genetic variation is lowered, and the rate of selection is slowed down. This is why we need to protect young ash trees, any of which may hold resistance in their genetic code. Unfortunately, many
"The researchers observed that some saplings have inherited thousands of tiny genetic tweaks that help them fend off the fungus"
ash trees continue to be pre-emptively felled or grazed by animals such as deer and sheep. We await further research to inform selective breeding and accelerate the evolutionary process.
Ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior) hold immense significance in Ireland. Deeply embedded in our culture, they are one of seven ‘nobles of the wood’ in Irish folklore. Their dense wood is traditionally used to craft hurleys. They are crucial for biodiversity and ecosystems in Ireland and their decline has a ripple effect on our wildlife. Ash trees provide food and habitats for nearly 1,000 species of animals, plants, and fungi. Their alkaline bark is ideal for many species of mosses and lichens. The leaves provide food for moths and other invertebrates. Animals including bullfinches and squirrels feed on its seeds (or ‘keys’) and hole-nesting birds
including owls and woodpeckers find nesting sites in mature ash trees. It is a host for non-pathogenic fungi and its open canopy allows sunlight to reach the woodland floor, promoting the growth of plants like bluebells and wild garlic, which in turn support insects and other wildlife.
We have a long road ahead and much to learn from the ash dieback emergency. It highlights the dangers of importing trees without adequate protocols in place (and often this importation is completely unnecessary). The experience also highlights how important biodiversity is for resilience. For people and nature to thrive, we need a ‘safety net’ of species. When many different species are fulfilling the same role in an ecosystem, the loss of one species is less likely to destabilise the entire system. Much like the vast genetic code of an ash sapling, there is safety in numbers.
References: Metheringham, C.L., Plumb, W.J., Flynn, W.R., Stocks, J.J., Kelly, L.J., Nemesio Gorriz, M., Grieve, S.W., Moat, J., Lines, E.R., Buggs, R.J., Nichols, R.A., Rapid polygenic adaptation in a wild population of ash trees under a novel fungal epidemic, Science, (2025) 388(6754), pp.1422-1425.
5Ash tree with dieback disease showing loss of leaves while sunlight shines through canopy.
Photo: Gabriel Hemery, iStockphoto
EUROPEAN VIEWS
By Marion Jammet
The hidden toll of
ROADS
IMPACTS & MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - EXAMPLES FROM EUROPE
Dead birds and mammals are a common sight along roadsides across Europe. In fact, an estimated 223 million wild birds and mammals are killed on European roads each year [1]. Species like hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and common blackbirds (Turdus merula) are among the most frequently affected in Western Europe [2]. However, these direct casualties represent just the visible portion of a much larger issue. Roads have far-reaching impacts on wildlife. This article takes a closer look at how roads affect wildlife populations, and
explores some potential solutions being tested or implemented across Europe to help reduce these impacts.
Effects of Roads on Wildlife
Europe is among the most road-dense regions in the world, with half of the continent’s land area located within 1.5km of a paved road or railway [3].
Roads directly impact wildlife populations through vehicle-induced mortality. Certain species are especially vulnerable: amphibians, for example, are at high risk due to their strong site fidelity during the breeding season [4], while carnivores with large home ranges face
"An estimated 223 million wild birds and mammals are killed on European roads each year"
increased mortality from frequent road crossings [5]. Roads can also function as ecological traps or sink habitats—areas that attract wildlife with apparent resources, such as roadkill or edge vegetation, but ultimately expose them to higher mortality. Birds of prey, such as the barn owl (Tyto alba), are often drawn to roadsides for foraging, placing them at heightened risk of vehicle collisions.
While wildlife-vehicle collisions are a significant cause of mortality for many species, the broader ecological impacts of roads on wildlife extend far beyond direct fatalities. Roads fragment habitats and degrade them through noise, chemical, and light pollution. They also introduce edge effects, create corridors, and can facilitate the spread of invasive species. For example, the horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella) has spread across much of Europe
5The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus). Road collisions accounted for around 75% of unnatural Iberian lynx deaths in 2024. Photo: iStockphoto
since the 1980s, with its dispersal significantly accelerated by human transport, particularly along motorways. Collectively, these factors—combined with increased human activity in road-adjacent areas—can also lead to behavioural changes in wildlife.
Although roads affect a wide range of species, their impact does not seem evenly distributed. A recent study examining the abundance of 75 bird species in the UK found that 81% occur in lower numbers near motorways and A-roads. However, it also shows that rarer and more specialist species—such as yellow wagtails (Motacilla flava) and skylarks (Alauda arvensis)—appear to be particularly vulnerable to these effects [6].
Mitigation Measures - Best practices from across Europe
Mitigation strategies to reduce wildlife collisions and related impacts have become a standard element in the planning and design of new road developments in Ireland. Since the mid-2000s, newly built motorways have incorporated various measures to protect mammals, such as fencing to prevent access to roads, underpasses for safe crossings, and a green overpass bridge specifically designed for lesser horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus hipposideros). The bat bridge was designed to allow lesser horseshoe bats safely cross the motorway to feeding grounds at Coole Park and a roosting site at Kiltartan Cave which were separated by the new road.
Another example is the publication of mitigation guidelines for barn owls in 2021 by Transport Infrastructure Ireland - in collaboration with BirdWatch Ireland [7]. How can we build on this progress by drawing on the experiences of other European countries, including recent research and pilots?
Countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden have implemented extensive networks of wildlife crossings— both overpasses and underpasses—based on decades of ecological monitoring and research. Recent innovations include sensor-triggered warning systems for drivers, as well as habitat connectivity mapping to guide mitigation placement. While 85% of metropolitan France is affected by light pollution, many French villages are now switching off public lights at night - typically between 11pm and 6am - to save energy and protect biodiversity. German researchers have estimated that 150 insects are killed each summer night beneath a single streetlight [8], disrupting food chains and reducing nighttime pollination, which relies heavily on moths and other nocturnal species. Recent studies in France have shown that turning off public lights at night yields immediate and measurable ecological benefits for insects, amphibians, bats, birds, and the wider food web—with little to no corresponding rise in crime. For example, in Longpont-sur-Orge, near Paris, a full blackout from 23:00 to 05:00 over a two-year period led to the return of bats, moths, and owls within the town limits [9]. Building on these encouraging results, the Cévennes National Park in southern France has recently mapped out its black grids, a network of ecological corridors, where local authorities have to take priority action to allow wildlife to move freely without light barriers [10].
Further south, the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) has become one of Europe’s most striking conservation success stories, rebounding from fewer than 100 individuals in 2002 to over 2,400 in 2024 [11]. However, road collisions remain the leading threat to this recovery, accounting for around 75% of
“Under the LIFE Lynxconnect initiative, lynxes fitted with GPS collars trigger generic “animal nearby” alerts when approaching national roads, prompting drivers to slow down”
A traditional approach to lynx road death prevention. More high-tech methods are being trialled.
Photo: iStockphoto
unnatural deaths in 2024. In response, standard mitigation measures—fencing, wildlife crossings, signage, and speed reduction—are being supplemented with innovative pilots. Under the LIFE Lynxconnect initiative, lynxes fitted with GPS collars trigger generic “animal nearby” alerts when approaching national roads, prompting drivers to slow down. Pilot “virtual fences” have also been installed along key road stretches: sensors detect oncoming lynxes and activate deterrents— such as lights and sounds, e.g., wolf howls—when vehicle headlights are detected, reducing risky crossings and modifying driver behaviour. Additionally, researchers at the University of Córdoba are trialling synthetic scent trails to guide lynxes toward safe underpasses by mimicking natural scent markings near preferred crossing points.
Not all solutions need to be high-tech— recent studies highlight the importance of
“In
Longpont-sur-Orge,
near Paris, a full blackout
from 23:00 to 05:00
over a two-year period led to the return of bats, moths, and owls within the town limits”
REFERENCES:
1. Grilo C, Koroleva E, Andrášik R, Bíl M, González-Suárez M (2020) Roadkill risk and population vulnerability in European birds and mammals. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 18(6): 1–6. https://doi. org/10.1002/fee.2216
2. Kristjjn Swinnen et al. 'Animals under wheels: wildlife roadkill data collection by citizen scientists as a part of their nature recording activities'. Nature Conservation. 2022.
3. Meijer JR, Huijbregts MAJ, Schotten KCGJ and Schipper AM. 2018. Global patterns of current and future road infrastructure. Environ Res Lett 13:064006.
4. Glista, D.J., T.L. DeVault, and J.A. DeWoody. 2008. Vertebrate road mortality predominantly impacts amphibians. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 3(1):77-87.
5. Grilo C, Smith DJ, Klar N (2015a) Carnivores: struggling for survival in roaded landscapes. In: van der Ree R, Smith DJ, Grilo C (eds) Handbook of road ecology. Wiley, Oxford, pp 300–312. https://doi. org/10.1002/9781118568170.ch35
6. Cooke, S.C., Balmford, A., Donald, P.F. et al. Roads as a contributor to landscape-scale variation in bird communities. Nat Commun 11, 3125 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/ s41467-020-16899-x
simple factors like road orientation. While typically based on human needs and cost, recent research shows that roads that cut across landscape gradients, such as rivers where key resources like water are found, require more crossing infrastructure and fencing to enable safe animal passage and prevent collisions. In contrast, roads running along these gradients may rely more on fencing or signage to deter animals from traveling along them and warn drivers of animals travelling on the road [12].
Conclusion
Although these mitigation measures are valuable and offer important lessons, avoiding habitat fragmentation, restoring existing habitats, and maintaining the connectivity of green infrastructure, must be prioritised - even if this may place some constraints on the speed of our movements and activities. Isn’t it time to remember how to live alongside nature?
7. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (2021), ‘Survey and Mitigation Standards for Barn Owls’. Available at: https://birdwatchireland.ie/ new-mitigation-to-reduce-barn-owldeaths-on-irish-roads/.
8. See www.urbanwildlands.org/ abstracts.html.
9. Marc Taubert, "Économie d'énergie et biodiversité : ces villes qui font le choix d'éteindre l'éclairage public la nuit", France Info, 12th Oct. 2024
10. Angela Bolis, "The Cévennes is France's shrine to the dark night and the starry sky", in Le Monde - 23rd Nov. 2022.
11. Spanish Government (2025). La población de linces ibéricos creció un 19% en 2024 respecto al año anterior.
12. Mulero-Pázmány, M., Rollán, L., D'Amico, M. and GonzalezSuarez, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-00015069-8900 (2023) Road orientation affects the impact of roads on wildlife. Wildlife Research, 50 (1). pp. 39-46. ISSN 1035-3712 doi: 10.1071/ WR21149 Available at https://centaur. reading.ac.uk/105585/
5 Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros).
Photo: Mike Brown.
WE LEARN ABOUT CROWS DIVERSITY IN IRELAND, A CORVID COUNTRY
DR FIONN Ó MARCAIGH
One day in the late 17th century, the people of Forth in Co. Wexford began to notice a bird that they had never seen in the area before, one that was not known to occur anywhere in Ireland at that time. Noisy and brash, with neat piebald plumage that shone blue and green in the sunlight, this striking bird must have seemed quite exotic to those unused to it. In 1682, a landed resident of Forth and former governor of Wexford (who was something of an outsider to the area himself, having
come over as a Cromwellian soldier), gave one of the first Irish accounts of a species that is now very familiar here:
"One remarque more is, that about ten years since, or more, there came with a strong black Esterly wind a flight of Magpies, under a dozen, as I remember, out of England or Wales, as 'tis verily believed, none having been ever seen in Ireland before. They light in the Barony of Forth, where they have bred, and are soe increased that they now are in every village and wood in this County—especially in this Barony abundant, my own garden, though in the Towne of Wexford, is continually frequented by them, and they are spread more thinly into other County’s and parts of the Kingdome. The
natural Irish much disgust them, saying they shall never be rid of the English while these Magpies remain. The observation is that the English Magpies entered Ireland in the same County where the Englishmen first entered it, and in the English Barony alsoe."1
The locals may have been wary, but the spread of magpies (scientific name Pica pica) across the Irish Sea was not an unnatural phenomenon. Birds often make use of new habitats in this way when they can: the Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) and Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) have both established breeding populations in Ireland in recent years, to name just two examples of birds flying in to a place and making themselves
Scientists believe that the passerines have thrived partly due to their intelligence and ability to adapt to different habitats, and the corvids stand out as exemplars of these traits
at home. The fact that magpies spread so rapidly across Wexford, and then Ireland, is a testament to both their own adaptability as a species and the suitability of the Irish landscape for a bird such as this. For the magpie is a member of the family Corvidae, which also includes the crows, jackdaws, rooks, ravens, jays, and choughs. Tracing the paths of ancestry down the limbs of the tree of life, this family in turn forms part of the order Passeriformes (meaning "sparrowshaped"), a highly successful group that contains around 60% of all known bird species. Scientists believe that the passerines have thrived partly due to their intelligence and ability to adapt to different habitats, and the corvids (as Corvidae species are known) stand out as exemplars of these traits.
All over the world, as humans alter habitats and landscapes, certain species thrive where others lose out. This often leads to adaptable generalists winning out over narrow specialists, and many corvid species have evolved to exploit exactly these kinds of dynamic, changing situations. Ireland, with its landscape that has been extensively altered over a long history, is a case in point. A 2018 study that compared population densities of
magpies and crows in European countries (the authors grouped hooded and carrion crows together), found that Ireland had the third highest density of each, and was in fact the only country to rank so highly in both cases (other countries had dense populations of one corvid or the other, but not both). Whatever effects these dense populations have, and however we choose to feel about them, there is no getting around the fact that Ireland is corvid country.
It is not too surprising that corvids have proven to be adept at living alongside us, when you consider the traits that we have in common. In fact, when scientists have sought to understand how the corvid mind functions, they have turned to methods originally developed to study the intelligence of humans and other great apes, such as the Primate Cognition Test Battery. This suite of tests assesses the performance of the subject across a range of mental challenges, and when it was applied to ravens of different ages3, it was found that four-month-old ravens could perform on par with chimpanzees and orang-utans in the majority of categories. Interestingly, the one category in which the ravens seemingly under-performed was spatial reasoning, which involved remembering the locations of hidden treats
The magpie, Pica pica, made its way to Ireland in the 17th century
The jay, Garrulus glandarius, a shy woodland corvid associated with oaks. Photo: Mike Brown
and showing them to the testers. It would be surprising if ravens were not able for this task, given that they are adept at hiding and finding caches of food in the wild. The authors suggested that the ravens were likely quite aware of the location of the treats, but refused to share this knowledge with the testers, viewing them as potential competitors. It is evidently quite difficult to test the intelligence of a species that is so full of brains and character, it will try to outsmart the test itself.
The corvid mind is not always uncooperative and solitary. Corvids often live in complex social settings, and anyone who has watched a colony of jackdaws (Coloeus monedula) or rooks (Corvus frugilegus) chattering and milling around will see the resemblance to a community of people, lacking only a language that we can easily understand. Contributing to this resemblance is the fact that these birds often build their homes on or near our own, with one noticeable example being the huge rookeries that exist on the edges of many small Irish towns. Konrad Lorenz, one of the pioneers of ethology (the science of
Whatever effects these dense populations have, and however we choose to feel about them, there is no getting around the fact that Ireland is corvid country
6The chough, (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), is a habitat specialist and thus rare compared to other corvids.
animal behaviour), gave particular attention to the colony of jackdaws that nested on his roof, and his book King Solomon's Ring (1949) follows their squabbles, partnerships and alliances through the generations. He used to disguise himself with a demonic Krampus mask when handling their nests and young in the course of his studies, so that the jackdaws would not come to associate his face with these intrusions. He was quite right to be cautious, as more recent corvid research has demonstrated. After a team of ornithologists all wore matching masks while capturing and handling American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) for their research project, they found that anyone wearing a similar mask in the area would be confronted by angry crows, some of which were too young to have been part of the original study.4 Not only did the crows remember the mask as the "face" of a potential intruder, but they even taught their young to be hostile towards this figure. This combination of excellent memory and social communication allows the crows to build and maintain a body of knowledge, a culture, just as we humans do.
As we've seen, many corvid species are proficient at spreading across new habitats, particularly ones altered by humans like those in Ireland. There are exceptions, however. Unlike most of our corvids, the Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) is a bird with quite specific habitat requirements, as it relies on picking up invertebrate prey from the ground. Intensively managed farmland does not provide the correct foraging habitat for them, but neither does a grassland where the sward has grown too long. As a result, these birds have been lost from much of their former range, and are now found only in certain coastal areas, mostly in the West. Anyone who has not had the pleasure of observing a chough in its stunningly nimble flight, all black and red like an acrobat from some mediaeval court, really owes it to themselves to seek it out. The jay (Garrulus glandarius) also has particular needs, being essentially a forest bird and particularly fond of oak trees, but it has managed to retain a relatively wide distribution nationally. Even in an environment as urban and built-up as Dublin, jays have made homes for themselves in locations like the Phoenix Park, happily scoffing the acorns from the ceremonial oak trees planted at Áras an Uachtaráin by various refined personages. Jays are relatively shy birds, however (at least compared with the other, bolder corvids), and so many people do not see them.
4The hooded crow, Corvus cornix
Photo: Mike Brown
Photo: iStockphoto
Another thing that can halt the spread of a corvid species is another, closely related corvid, as it is very difficult for a species to utilise a niche that is already occupied by a similar species. Ecologists call this the principle of competitive exclusion, and it is seen in the case of the Carrion Crow (Corvus corone), which is widespread throughout much of Britain and western Europe, but has largely failed to occupy Ireland (though there is apparently a small breeding population on the fringes of County Down). This is because Ireland is home to the closely related Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix), which some people know as the Grey Crow, and which is also found in Scotland, Scandinavia, Italy, and central and eastern Europe. The birds are so similar that some biologists argue they should actually be treated as the same species, and whatever about that taxonomic debate, it is clearly difficult for one crow to spread where the other one is already established. The lesson: you can't be such a generalist that you escape competition with other, similar generalists.
This
combination of excellent memory and social communication allows the crows to build and maintain a body of knowledge, a culture, just as we humans do
Returning to those first magpies that alighted in Forth, and the reaction to this new species suddenly making itself at home in the villages and farmyards, it is interesting that the locals immediately viewed these birds with suspicion. Negative perceptions often attach themselves to the corvids, which might be inevitable in species that are so frequently encountered and so noticeable. For sure, the sheer population size of some corvid species can be a source of problems in certain contexts.
About the Author: Dr Fionn Ó Marcaigh is a zoologist, biogeographer, and ornithologist from Dublin. He was awarded a PhD from Trinity College Dublin in 2023 for his thesis on the evolution of birds on islands. His book Encounters With Corvids was published in April 2025 by Natural World Publishing, illustrated by Aga Grandowicz.
But at the end of the day these birds are only doing what they have evolved to do, using their intellect to adapt to the environments they find themselves in. All different from each other, and yet sharing a keen intelligence, our corvid species are among the most fascinating of our common fauna. If they seem bold, or cheeky, or even ruthless, perhaps we need to ask ourselves what it is we are seeing in these birds that have minds so uncommonly like our own.
REFERENCES
1. Richards, S. (1682) Particulars relative to Wexford and the Barony of Forth. Editor: Hore, H.F. (1862), The Journal of the Kilkenny and South-East of Ireland Archaeological Society 4(1): 84-92.
2. Roos, S., Smart, J., Gibbons, D.W., Wilson, J.D. (2018) A review of predation as a limiting factor for bird populations in mesopredator-rich landscapes: a case study of the UK. Biological Reviews 93(4): 1915-1937.
3. Pika, S., Sima, M.J., Blum, C.R., Herrmann, E., Mundry, R. (2020) Ravens parallel great apes in physical and social cognitive skills. Scientific Reports 10, 20617.
4. Cornell, H.N., Marzluff, J.M., Pecoraro, S. (2012) Social learning spreads knowledge about dangerous humans among American crows. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 279(1728): 499-508.
A NATIVE WOODLAND ON THE BANKS OF THE AVONMORE RIVER
Vale of Clara Nature Reserve, Co Wicklow Places to connect:
BY KIERAN FLOOD
In this new series of articles, we will share recommendations of nature reserves and wild areas where you can go to connect with nature. Spending time outdoors in wild, functioning ecosystems allows us to strengthen our relationship with the natural world, of which we are part. Modern human lifestyles force us to live disconnected from nature in sterile environments, often spending large amounts of time indoors, interacting with computers and other in-organic devices. Nature is made up of messy and complex systems; by spending time outdoors among the beautifully diverse and interrelated species found in a healthy ecosystem, you may find that you develop a sense of awe and wonder as you tune into the natural world. This reconnecting with nature can benefit your wellbeing and develop your understanding of your local landscape.
At the IWT we want to support our community to spend more time outdoors in nature and we hope this series of articles will inspire you to get out and reconnect.
Clara Vale nature reserve is nestled in a wooded valley along the banks of the Avonmore River
The twisted boughs of oaks overhang the Avonmore river
New footbridge at the southern end of the nature reserve
Our Autumn Recommendation
We’ll cover all four provinces in this series, and we begin with a recommendation of a native woodland on the east coast - the Vale of Clara Nature Reserve, Co Wicklow. Clara Vale is a state-owned nature reserve established in 1983 and is described by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as “a large area of fragmented oak-wood. It contains the largest area of semi-natural woodland in Co. Wicklow and is potentially one of the largest stands of native hardwoods in the country. The area has been at least partially under woodland since the Ice Age. The oak-woods are also of high scenic value.”
Clara Vale nature reserve is nestled in a wooded valley along the banks of the Avonmore River. The woodland stretches from just outside Rathdrum village north-west toward Clara Bridge. Within the nature reserve you can walk along the banks of a flowing river, under giant, awe inspiring oaks that tower above, clad in mosses, ferns and lichen. While some monoculture planting still remains, the site has large areas of old oak woodland, as well as younger emerging woodland and wet woodland. The main path follows the course of the Avonmore, allowing you to take in the sights and sounds of the river as well as the woodland. Species such as Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and Jays (Garrulus glandarius) can be seen in the woodlands, Dippers (Cinclus cinclus) forage in the river, while rarer species such as Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) have been recorded here.
Fraocháns, oak galls and fungi are all easily visible here. Fraocháns are wild blueberries that often grow in the understory of oak woodlands on the east coast. Oak galls are growths found on oak leaves and are the product of gall wasps that rely on oak trees to complete their lifecycle. The gall wasp larvae live inside the gall protected by its growth. Fungi, found through the woods, feed on and
break down deadwood, releasing its nutrients and allowing for new plant growth.
To visit the nature reserve in autumn is a beautiful experience - the mix of trees turn warm golds and reds and the smell of fallen leaves fills the air, while mushrooms can be seen popping up as symbols of the dynamic process at play under your feet. On a recent visit I encountered quite a number of oak seedlings pushing through the ground. Hopefully some will evade Oak seedlings 2 different types of oak galls - both the flatter disks and spheres are growths caused by insects that rely on oaks to complete their life cycle
YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS
If you have a recommendation of a favourite place to connect with nature, please let us know? We do not want to put pressure on sensitive habitats, so we ask that you share places that have an existing path network. If you’d like to get involved please send the info listed below to editor@iwt.ie with the subject: Connecting with Nature.
» Location: coordinates or an online map link
» Images: At least one high resolution image of the site
» Description: A description of the site itself, what nature can be encountered there and a recommended route (max 500 words).
Woodland keystone species, supporting whole networks of life among their towering, twisting boughs
grazers and saws alike, to become the next generation of this woodland keystone species, supporting whole networks of life among their towering, twisting boughs.
Planning your trip
Thanks to a new footbridge on the Avonmore Way, near Ballygannon Woods, the nature reserve can now be easily accessed either by parking at Ballygannon Woods carpark or by walking the Avonmore Way directly from Rathdrum itself. There is also limited parking at the Clara Bridge end of the reserve. The nature reserve has a network of paths throughout. You can walk all the way from the new footbridge to the old Clara Bridge and back (8.5km) or cover more ground by looping up into the higher paths. With a train station in Rathdrum village, this walk is accessible by public transport on the Rosslare-Dublin line.
So, leave the dog at home, turn off the phone and allow yourself time to explore and connect with the natural world.
JANE CLARKE
LITTLE TERN COLONY, KILCOOLE
In shallow nests among pebbles most of the eggs survived the high tides.
August slips into September – the fledglings, light as whelk shells, get ready to fly.
The sun and stars will guide them, and though they’ll be hungry, thirsty, cold,
the earth’s magnetic field will pulse in their hearts like hope.
Jane Clarke
‘Little Tern Colony, Kilcoole’ was commissioned by RTE Television for Shine Your Light Summer Concert 2020
Poet & editor, Jane Clarke is the author of three poetry collections, The River (2015), When the Tree Falls (2019) and A Change in the Air (2023) published by Bloodaxe Books. She edited the illustrated anthology Windfall: Irish Nature Poems to Inspire and Connect (Hachette Books Ireland, 2023). Jane grew up on a farm in Co.
Roscommon and now lives in the Wicklow uplands. Her work is inspired by nature and she believes in the power of poetry to engage hearts and minds in the work required to protect species and habitats. Find out more at www.janeclarkepoetry.ie.
Ten poems by Jane Clarke feature in The Hare’s Corner, a beautiful new book from the Burrenbeo Trust which celebrates the quiet, hopeful revolution taking place across Ireland where people are making space for nature to thrive once again. The Hare’s Corner is coming out on the 26th September 2025, and is available at www.newisland.ie
GORDON D’ARCY
Garden Party
for the Planet A
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
PRESIDENT MICHAEL D. HIGGINS CELEBRATING
Gordon D’Arcy with other members of the Galway Tuatha (who are responsible for the Terryland Park) meet the President.
Photo: president.ie
Amidsummer gathering in the tranquil setting of Áras an Uachtaráin in Phoenix Park provided great cause for optimism in these turbulent times. The event, a garden party, hosted by President Michael D. Higgins and his wife Sabina, brought around 500 invited activists together to celebrate Global Solidarity and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in an atmosphere of multicultural conviviality. I was delighted to be included as part of the Galway Tuatha, Terryland Forest Project. The garden setting, with its 130 acres of formally designed Victorian pleasure grounds comprising walled gardens, lawns, arboreta and ceremonial trees – some clearly ancient – proved to be a perfect venue for mixing, mingling and celebrating in plein-air.
Three of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – Climate Action, Life Below Water and Life on Land relate directly to the welfare of the natural environment while Clean Water and Sanitation and Affordable and Clean Energy connect essentially, though less directly. The combination of issues directly concerned with humanity such as famine, geopolitical conflict, climate change etc. with those related to the decline of the non-human world such as biodiversity gave rise to such a powerful, UN Directive. It is, in essence, a mandate for a better world.
Inclusiveness among the attendees was evident throughout. Representatives from socially focused charities and human rights NGOs such as Concern, Trocaire and Self-Help Africa, exchanged common concerns with those from many environmental groups. These included Coastwatch, Burren Beo, and Galway’s Aquarium and Tuatha. ‘Teaching Sustainable Goals to Children’, an initiative of Mary Immaculate College, Limerick gave an educational context. The African gospel choir and various ‘home-grown’ musicians provided uplifting accompaniment to the afternoon event.
timber for fuel supply also included the abandonment of others to enable the natural recycling of nutrients and enrichment of the ecosystem.
The manner in which the elegant architecture of the Áras with its walled and open gardens gives way, apparently seamlessly, to the open wooded ambience of the Phoenix Park is a reflection of the enlightened work of the gardening staff. There are, of course, ecological caveats; the Aras and its gardens, for instance, are no-go areas for the large numbers of browsing fallow deer in the Park.
The president’s speech, eagerly awaited by all present, was the highlight of the event. Given his long-standing background in the field of human rights, it came as no surprise that his oration began as an impassioned comment on the erosion of humanitarian values in many places throughout the world. This pervading decline, he averred, could not be separated from the on-going, in some cases accelerating decline in the state of the environment. The existential threat of climate change, now at a crucial stage in planetary history, was cited as being both a humanitarian and ecological crisis. The message was urgent, hardhitting but in no way, dystopian.
Three of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) –Climate Action, Life Below Water and Life on Land relate directly to the welfare of the natural environment
A chat with the President’s adviser, the effervescent Claire Power, revealed that the issue of the environment was by no means a minor consideration at the Áras. A comprehensive survey had been carried out to establish the biodiversity of the grounds, earlier in the year. This resulted in the establishment of a number of unmanicured zones, set aside for wildlife. Wildflower areas had been created with pollinators in mind. The identified species list was subsequently logged with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. Storm-damaged trees were carefully and sensitively handled. Post-Eowyn tree management involving the removal of some of the fallen
Serious news delivered, the President was fulsome in his praise of the cohorts of dedicated people, fighting tirelessly to reverse the decline. His enthusiasm for the gathering - a coming together for sustainability - was clearly evident. The prolonged standing ovation spoke eloquently of the wisdom of the words and the high regard in which the speaker is held.
The delightful setting of the Áras also played a significant part in the airing of such profoundly important issues. The confines of a conference centre in a hotel or some such location would surely have failed to engender such an atmosphere.
Indeed, optimism, for both the natural environment and humanity in general, was the much-needed gift taken home by participants from this memorable event.
As the presidential term draws to a close, it is important to acknowledge Michael D’s unwavering commitment to sustainability and the environment. It must be hoped, for the sake of this country, and the planet, that such concern exhibited by the President will be continued by his successor.
“The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment”.Trends Biotechnol Pharmacy 9, 293-304 (2015).
A Wasted OPPORTUNITY
NEWS FROM THE RECENT SESSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE ON PLASTIC POLLUTION
BY BILLY FLYNN
It’s surprising how one can become accustomed to disappointment. Or perhaps not, if you’ve been a keen follower of the Climate or Biodiversity COP events over the last couple of decades. While some of these have been ground-breaking, the aftermath of almost all of them have shown that even though the rhetoric of urgency was often stirring, it became business as usual as soon as the delegates went home. So, when the latest Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC 5.2) came to a grinding halt and with no results, it really didn’t come as a shock. It might be shocking to some though, that the draft resolution that was produced was rejected by a majority of the parties, and for very different reasons. Plastic pollution has become a hot topic.
The scale of our plastic usage is staggering. The United Nations’ Environment Programme (UNEP) has calculated that 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually
Scarcely a week goes by without new research finding out how prevalent plastic or its components are in the environment or how bad these are for our health. The scale of our plastic usage is staggering. The United Nations’ Environment Programme (UNEP) has calculated that 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually. It may come as a shock to those who responsibly use their green bins and Return points that of all the plastic produced, less than 10% is recycled. Worse still, instead of ending up in a landfill site, over 20 million tonnes of this finds its way to our oceans year on year. The UNEP has predicted that in a ‘business as usual’ scenario (if we don’t change our ways), by 2040 we will be sending 129 million tonnes of plastic to landfill and a further 227 million tonnes will be ‘mismanaged.’ The latter scenario basically means that this amount will go God knows where, but most likely most of it straight into our seas and oceans.
INC 5.2 brought together in Geneva this August over 2,600 delegates from 183 Member States and 400 observer organizations
Changes will have to be made. With this in mind, the INC 5.2 brought together in Geneva this August over 2,600 delegates from 183 Member States and 400 observer organizations, including environment groups, waste-picker networks, indigenous and youth representatives, industry lobbyists, ministers, and other high-level officials. No-one was denying that there is a serious problem. But could a way to begin addressing this problem be found?
In a word, no.
Some delegates felt that previous agreements were being ignored during INC 5.2. One of the most divisive issues was whether the treaty should encompass the full life cycle of plastics—including production—or focus only on post-use management. Many called for a comprehensive scope, while others resisted the idea of introducing production limits. Delegates debated creating a new, dedicated fund versus relying on existing structures like the Global Environment Facility (GEF)1, public-private partnerships,
or hybrid models. The proposal also touched on a new categorization of donor countries (‘parties with capacity’) to aid implementation in vulnerable nations.
Disagreements persisted over mandatory versus voluntary measures for product design, listing of problematic plastics and chemicals, and whether to embed global phase-out criteria. Civil society groups, notably from Mexico and Switzerland, pushed for stronger provisions that many saw as essential for a meaningful treaty. Delegates debated standalone or integrated provisions on ‘just transition’ for workers, with groups like waste pickers, youth, and indigenous peoples calling for binding mechanisms, human rights protections, gender equity, intergenerational equity, and local governance roles.
On reporting and compliance, transparent, expert-based, nonpunitive mechanisms tied to national reporting and compliance, possibly enforceable through a compliance committee, were proposed. However, the structure and linkage of such mechanisms (such as tying compliance to finance) remained unclear and unresolved.
In summary, nobody was happy. Environmental groups felt that the measures were not nearly enough.
Delegates from oil-producing countries felt that they were overly punitive and potentially damaging to the economies that they represented. On 15 August, the talks collapsed. Officially, the conference was ‘adjourned without consensus.’ No summary presentations of what had been agreed or achieved were given. No agenda for the next such conference (INC 5.3) was set. Perhaps worse still, delegates left not knowing if INC 5.3 will convene based on any progress made in 2025 or will it be right back to where we last left off in 2024? The scale and urgency of the plastic waste crisis are not in doubt. The real question is whether the world can agree on a way out of the mess we are in.
1. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is an international partnership and funding mechanism that supports developing countries to address complex environmental challenges and work towards meeting international environmental goals.
Plastic production is on the increase and single use plastics are still prevalent in society Photo: iStockphoto
Pollution from “mismanaged” plastic, Irish Town Nature Reserve, Co Dublin
BY TIM CLABON
This Halloween, Skip the Scream — Make Homes for
LEARNING THE TRUTH ABOUT HOUSE SPIDER
As summer draws to a close many creatures find their way into our homes, or at least become more obvious, as they seek warmth and shelter. Spiders and their look-alikes are some common examples of such cohabitants. Whilst they can make our skin crawl, they play an important role and should be seen as beneficial rather than feared. In the article we will learn more about our house spiders.
Eight legged visitors
Although they are present all year, House Spiders (Eratigena/Tegenaria) are noticed more in the late summer and autumn. There are five species in Ireland, including the House Spider (Tegenaria domestica) and its larger cousin the Giant House Spider (Eratigena atrica). They look similar and can only reliably be identified by close examination. These are the dark hairy spiders often seen in baths or scurrying across floors. Although they are often found living in garages and sheds, or under the sofa, they naturally occur in tree hollows, under logs, or under stones. These are “synanthropic species” that thrive alongside us. While they may not be welcome visitors (by all) they provide a valuable service by controlling species of insects such as flies that may be even less welcome in our homes. They weave a sheet web that terminates in a tubular enclosure, and are most active at night - which is when they are most often seen. The females can live for several years, while the male distinguished by its smaller size and boxing glove appendages near its mouth (pedipalps) only live a few months and die after mating, usually being eaten by the female.
SPIDERS
Despite their size and appearance House Spiders are fairly docile and seldom bite
It is usually the male that is seen as they are more active as they spend time searching for a female. Some people have reported hearing the spiders run across floors. Most spiders move lightly and can’t be heard, but it is possible depending on the spiders size and surface they move across.
Spiders are often found in baths or sinks. It is a myth that they climb up through sewers or pipes as the “U” bends filled with water would prevent this. They typically end up in baths or sinks either because they are looking for moisture (to drink) or they fall in accidentally. Without the means to climb the slippery surfaces they remain there until found. If you find such a bath-bound spider remember it cannot escape without some help.
Despite their size and appearance House Spiders are fairly docile and seldom bite. However, nobody really wants to grab a spider, including the spider, so the easiest method to remove it is to place a glass over the spider and carefully slip a piece of paper or light card under the glass to contain it. Then take the spider and place it in a sheltered location. Alternatively, if you are happy to let your eight legged visitor roam your house, but would rather not find them in the morning, placing a towel over the side of the bath or sink will give the spider a means to get out by itself. If you are arachnophobic or have a dislike of spiders there is one species of spider you may actually welcome: the Cellar Spider (Pholcus phalangioides). This is an introduced species first recorded, after being found in cellars, in the UK in 1864, but there is no record of when it was first found in Ireland. Its natural range is in the sub-tropical areas of Asia. Its preference for warmer (and damper) habitats means this species is almost always found within homes and other sheltered locations. However, warming climates also mean that this species is increasingly being found outside (pers. opp). But why is this species an arachnophobics friend? Apart from preying on insects it also predates other spiders. Using its relatively long legs it can negotiate the webs of other spiders. It often gets the prey spider to come out by tricking it into thinking a prey item is trapped in its web by mimicking the vibration of a caught insect. Again, the benefit of its long legs mean it can spin a web and quickly entangle the spider and bite it before being bitten itself. It is sometimes said the Cellar Spider has the most potent venom of any spider but its fangs are too small to bite us, this is a myth. The venom is not particularly strong, and the myth probably arose through the spider's ability to tackle species with far more potent venom. While the Cellar Spider can tackle spiders such as the House Spider, the webs of False Widows do pose challenges due to their tangled nature.
They frequently fly into homes, attracted by light. Their clumsy, noisy flight can be startling, but they are completely harmless
The house spiders in the bath often need help to get out.
Photo: iStockphoto
The Cellar Spider (Pholcus phalangioides), often referred to as DaddyLonglegs, seen here with captured spider prey.
Photo: iStockphoto
The European Crane Fly (Tipula paludosa)
Photo: iStockphoto
Flying Spiders?
The downside of having Cellar Spiders in the house is their webs found in the corners of rooms and following the joins between walls and ceilings can appear messy.
It was often believed that the large species of Crane Fly were the winged form of Cellar Spiders having remarkably similar legs and their appearance overlapping. Whilst we know this not to be true, its belief can be forgiven as many species of insect undergo a metamorphosis from one bodyform to another.
The Crane Fly in question is the European Crane Fly (Tipula paludosa), though there are a couple of similar species. It is often called Daddy-Longlegs, however, the Cellar Spider and Harvestmen are also called this name. Where the name came from, nobody really knows. Apart from the long legs the “daddy” part is a mystery. The European Crane Fly is encountered in late summer and autumn. During this time they emerge from pupation after spending the spring as larvae called leatherjackets feeding on grassroots and stems. The newly emerged adults don’t live for long and mate during their short life. The female has a long abdomen ending in a pointed ovipositor which is used to lay eggs in soil. They frequently fly into homes, attracted by light. Their clumsy, noisy flight can be startling, but they are completely harmless.
We hope that learning a bit more about our household spiders will help you share your home with them this year and enjoy a bit of real-life biodiversity watching from the comfort of your couch.
By Land, Air, or Water
STRATEGIES FOR SEED DISPERSAL
ANNE SUNDERMANN
Although plants seem anchored by their roots to one location, they have developed a variety of evolutionary adaptations and dispersal strategies to maintain their established territories and pioneer growth in new sites.
Technically, seed dispersal is the movement of
a seed and any attached structure that aids in movement (for example, fleshy fruit, wings, shells) away from a parent plant. Together, this seed–structure assembly is known as a diaspore (Beckman and Sullivan, 2023). The dispersal process can be grouped into two broad categories: use of abiotic factors such as water or wind, to transport seeds; and use of biotic factors, where animals or insects move the seeds along. Within those categories, each species fine tunes their dispersal strategies to best match their specific circumstances, including environmental conditions and life cycles.
High Fliers and Low Rollers
Wind dispersal, or anemachory, is an easy, cost-effective way for plants to spread small,
Blackbird feeding on hawthorn by Mike Brown. Hedgerows are a vital source of food in autumn and winter as plants seek to disperse their seeds through fruits
lightweight seeds away from the parent plant. This avoids crowding close to the mature plant, which creates competition for nutrients and limits the distance of dispersal. This low-effort dispersal method is illustrated best by the downy seeds of the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), blowing away on the slightest breeze. Samaras or winged seeds of sycamore, ash, and maple helicopter their way to new and hopefully productive landings, while the tiny seeds of rose bay willow herb (Chamaenerion angustifolium) are held aloft by hairlike cilia.
The windfall of heavier seeds, such as nuts and fruits, may only land a short distance from the parent tree (gravity-led dispersal, or barochory) but are assisted in dispersal efforts by animals that cache food. The hard shells of oak acorns, hazel nuts, and beech seeds protect the seed from predation, and the seeds remain viable for a longer period.
Hoarders and Hitchhikers
The winter seed stores of the squirrel are a classic example of animal-led dispersal (or zoochory) of woodland tree nuts and fungi. Birds, particularly jays, cache seeds, but many species are more prone to on-the-spot dining, eating seeds and fruit.
Even if the animals transport seeds but a short distance, their caches are often favourable for germination. And the animals benefit as well. The red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) is one such example. A listed species in Ireland, the red squirrel can be found in coniferous, deciduous, and mixed woodlands. According to recent research (Lawton et al., 2020), “red squirrel population densities fluctuate annually, in close relation to seed availability. A diverse mix of tree species, resulting in multiple seed sources, provides a more suitable habitat for red squirrels.”
The hedgerow serves as a smorgasbord for many avian species, with hawthorn fruit, rose hips, as well as bramble and blackthorn berries expanding their range by way of bird droppings. And anyone walking the countryside knows that plants like heather and Velcro-like cleavers will readily grab on to passing animal fur, or pants legs. This method of attaching to other creatures via hooks, burrs, or barbs is known as epizoochory.
Larger mammals such as deer or livestock often push seeds into the ground, often adding a little fertilizer to help them along. However it is a much smaller creature, the ant, that creates a most interesting and mutualistic relationship with plants. So significant is this relationship that ants have their own category of seed dispersal, myrmechochory.
Research has shown that ants are attracted by lipid-rich elaiosomes (Kalish, 2024), which coats many woodland plants. According to Kalish: “Once ants encounter a seed with an elaiosome, they generally return to the nest with that seed, remove the elaiosome, and consume it, although
which individuals within the nest consume the elaiosome is in many cases unclear. Once the elaiosomes have been removed, seeds are then disposed of either within the nest or outside of the nest, where they can be potentially secondarily dispersed by wind, water, or animals, including other ant species.”
Movers and Shakers
Some plants adapt a form of ballochory, or mechanical seed ejection. In Ireland, pods from gorse (Ulex europaeus) dry in the summer sun, and then forcibly eject their seeds allowing them to scatter over a wide area, sometimes meters away. Some seedheads, such as poppy pods, act like salt shakers with the seeds scattering from small holes atop the pod.
“Although ballochory is represented in 23 plant families,” note Sharpe and Ruxton (2025), it has never become common.” These researchers theorize that predation of the parent plants and a less-than-optimal landscape could justify the higher cost of this strategy, enhancing seed survival in the face of limited dispersal options.
Floating Downstream
Willow and alder use a water-borne strategy, known as hydrochory, to disperse seeds over long distances. Air-filled alder seeds are buoyant and float—sometimes for months—before germinating. The downy seeds of the willow are light but sturdy enough to float downstream. Most water-borne seeds feature a moisture-resistant shell to protect against rot.
Resilience and Diversity
Plants have adapted to our planet’s diverse landscapes and challenges by developing a robust set of seed dispersal strategies. According to Beckman and Sullivan (2023): “Seed dispersal underpins many important plant ecological and evolutionary processes such as gene flow, population dynamics, range expansion, and diversity.”
Some key benefits include reduced competition, as seeds are transported to new areas, there is less competition with the parent plant and others for available nutrients. New habitats increase the chance of plant survival in different environments and create a platform for a more diverse mix of genetic material.
RESOURCES & REFERENCE
The hedgerow serves as a smorgasbord for many
avian species, with hawthorn fruit, rose hips, as well as bramble and blackthorn berries expanding their range by way of bird droppings
Beckman, N.G., Sullivan, L.L. The Causes and Consequences of Seed Dispersal. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 2023, 54:403-427.
Lawton C., Hanniffy, R., Molloy, V., Guilfoyle, C., Stinson, M. & Reilly, E. (2020) All-Ireland Squirrel and Pine Marten Survey 2019. Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 121. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland.
Karnish, A. Seed Dispersal by Ants: A Primer. International Journal of Plant Sciences 2024, 185(5).
Sharpe, C.R., Ruxton G.D. Can Predation Pressure Help Explain the Curious Evolution of Ballistic Seed Dispersal? Ecological Evolution 2025 Mar 13;15(3).
Stokstad, E. ‘Alarming’ decline of seed-dispersing animals threatens Europe’s plants. Science 10 Oct 2024. Washington, DC, AAAS.
of DERRYNANEDunes
CHARLOTTE SALTER -TOWNSHEND, IWT COMMUNICATIONS
When properly implemented, tourism management can result in a win-win for both biodiversity and visitor experiences, according to Dr Andrew Torsney and Professor Yvonne Buckley at the School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin. Their paper Ecological benefits of tourism management and the challenges of habitat classification challenges common conceptions around the damaging effects of tourism on nature. They uncover compelling nuance, but further discussion is called for.
Nature-based tourism
According to a recent Tourism Ireland poll, our landscapes and scenery are the main attraction for overseas visitors. This fuels well-founded concerns regarding negative environmental impacts from tourism. Another paper by Buckley and Torsney (2023) found that tourist and recreational activity affects 58% of protected areas in Ireland – a little over the EU average. Previous studies looking at the impact of tourism on protected areas recommend restriction of visitor numbers. However, using visitor
CAN TOURISM MANAGEMENT BE HARNESSED AS A CONSERVATION TOOL?
& NETWORK OFFICER
numbers as a proxy for environmental damage can overlook nuance needed to address complex conservation challenges. Sometimes high impact activities by a relatively small proportion of visitors causes the issue. The paper argues that in some cases engaging with strategies to attract visitors can benefit wildlife as well as tourism.
Great Irish Grasslands: Derrynane
Derrynane House, a sensitive area attracting a high volume of visitors, was selected as the study site. Managed by the Office of Public Works, it is a heavily promoted heritage site. The ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell, it is also part of the Kenmare River Special Area of Conservation and home to a range of protected species including the Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros), the Natterjack Toad (Epidalea calamita), and the Narrow-mouthed Whorl Snail (Vertigo angustior). Habitats include mature broadleaf forest, salt marshes, and a Great Irish Grassland (see Dr Maria Long’s feature in our last issue).
The management of the species-rich semi-natural grassland is informed by traditional farming practices. From late
autumn, after the wildflowers have faded and seed is set, cattle roam the grassland. After the winter, when the dominant grasses are grazed back, the cattle are removed and space becomes available for flowers to thrive, enticing visitors from near and far. To examine the effects of this grazing on biodiversity levels, the researchers conducted an exclosure experiment from 2019-2022. They roped off plots from the cattle and compared diversity of ungrazed plots versus grazed areas each summer. After four years, they observed a 20% drop in biodiversity in the ungrazed plots, supporting the theory that appropriate grazing management can significantly enhance species-richness in semi-natural grasslands. According to the authors, this
View of Derrynane House.
Photo: Benson Russell, courtesy of the OPW
Kerry Lily (Simethis mattiazzii).
Photo: Vincent Hyland/ Wild Derrynane, courtesy of the OPW
Natterjack Toads.
Photo: Vincent Hyland/ Wild Derrynane, courtesy of the OPW
Recreational activity affects 58% of protected areas in Ireland – a little over the EU average
grazing management is driven by tourism and has a positive effect on biodiversity.
Habitat classification
Importantly, the study highlights the impact of classification on biodiversity outcomes. The European Habitats Directive (1992) describes 233 legally protected habitat types. Attached to the habitat classifications are site-specific conservation objectives and guidelines. Unfortunately, habitat definitions can be inconsistent, especially in coastal areas. To compound the issue, in Ireland there is a lack of habitat classification training for up-and-coming ecologists.
At Derrynane, there are 3.58 acres of semi-natural grassland which are usually classified as grey fixed dunes. The authors describe it instead as ‘machair-like’. Machair refers to semi-natural coastal grassland that developed in close association with farming practices. Machair and fixed dune habitats share some physical characteristics (sandy substrate, exposure to coastal winds) but their community compositions are very different. Fixed dunes feature specialised plants (including the grasses that anchor them). Grey fixed dunes are slightly further inland and are characterised by a cover of grey lichens (such as Cladonia) and herbaceous vegetation. Meanwhile, machair landscapes have more diverse vegetation. They are dominated by Fescue Grasses (Festica spp.), Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lancelota), Daisy (Bellis perennis), Common Bird’sFoot-Trefoil (Lotus corniculata), Lady’s
Bedstraw (Galium vernum), and White Clover (Trifolium repens). Although the Derrynane site features these hallmark species, it does not conform to the climatic variables listed for machair. Therefore, it is ordinarily categorised as fixed dune. Treating it as such would exclude the winter grazing that has led to species-rich grassland. The paper suggests that the machair-style grazing management, introduced to encourage tourism, has increased biodiversity. However, it may also be argued that increased footfall damages what could be embryonic and recolonising dunes. An expansion of the dune system would increase habitat for some of Derrynane’s key protected species including Natterjack Toads and Narrow-mouthed Whorl Snails. This conundrum demonstrates how habitat classification plays a key role in biodiversity outcomes. It would be interesting to see the methodology of this study applied to other semi-natural grasslands and to novel ecosystems such as North Bull Island.
Aligning management structures
As with every conservation issue, humans are at the heart of the problem and the solution. Management at Derrynane have mown paths through the grassland, encouraging visitors to keep out of the sensitive areas. The authors note that a flexible/alternating path network could be introduced if trampling impacts become apparent. A suggested future study could investigate path fidelity at Derrynane, identifying causes for straying off the path. This would inform production of engaging signage and interpretation, an underutilised management tool in many nature-based tourism sites.
Despite the negative environmental impacts (carbon emissions being the most obvious one), tourism also brings an opportunity — through facilitating nature connection we can inspire positive action for nature. Though many successful ecotourism projects focus on charismatic
flagship species (e.g. ‘the big five’ of southern and eastern Africa), they may have less true ecological impact than a broader focus on habitats, such as semi-natural grasslands. A Coastal Monitoring Project at Derrynane, including a Climate Impact Assessment, is monitoring the impacts of climate change and visitor disturbance in conjunction with University of Galway and the local community. This will help to inform sustainable management of Derrynane and its habitats going forward. Both academic and community discourse is vital to find the optimum balance for each specific context.
For better or worse, increasing awareness of how special our habitats are also means more footfall. Over the coming years, we may expect more tourists to choose Ireland as a destination. 35% of respondents to the Tourism Ireland poll say they have reconsidered hot-weather destinations owing to recent extreme weather. With the associated increase in visitors at our sensitive sites, further research is urgently needed to align conservation and tourism management. Successful management practices, whether by farmers, communities, or even tourism-focused bodies can provide a useful template and strengthen evidence-based policymaking. To find out more about the conservation of Ireland’s machairs and fixed dunes, check out the LIFE on Machair project and local initiatives such as the Maharees Conservation Association.
REFERENCES
Andrew Torsney, Yvonne M. Buckley, Ecological benefits of tourism management and the challenges of habitat classification, Global Ecology and Conservation, (2025) 58, e03477.
Andrew Torsney, Yvonne M. Buckley, Visitor demographics, site-type and activities determine the occurrence and severity of environmental impacts at nature-based tourist destinations, Ecological Solutions and Evidence, (2023) 4(1), p.e12207.
Keith Kelly, Ireland’s landscape the main feature attracting tourists amid declining visitor numbers, Irish Independent, (2 September 2025).
Almost certainly when people talk about wasps they are thinking about the social wasp which belongs in the Vespidae family of the Order ‘Hymenoptera'
1. Green Shore Crab by Aidan Kirwan
2. Red Squirrel by Jerome Fennell
3. Ladybird by Chris Bolton
4. White tailed bumblebee by Luke Moran
5. Fox by Michelle Concanno
6. Grey Heron by Francis Caulfield
COMPETITION
For this season’s members only competition you have a chance to win a copy of Encounters with corvids written by Dr Fionn Ó Marcaigh, illustrated by Aga Grandowicz.
Marcaigh, by
ENCOUNTERS WITH CORVIDS
by Dr Fionn Ó Marcaigh, illustrated by Aga Grandowicz.
Join zoologist Dr Fionn Ó Marcaigh on a journey across Ireland, exploring stunning landscapes and sharing heartwarming stories – each as remarkable as the seven native corvids whose intelligence has allowed them to thrive where many other species have struggled.
This collection of personal encounters, scientific insights, and detailed illustrations by Aga Grandowicz blends perfectly, offering a unique perspective on this fascinating family of birds, their adaptability and the behaviours that make them so popular with seasoned birdwatchers and curious nature lovers alike.
Welcome to the world of the rook, jay, hooded crow, jackdaw, chough, magpie and raven, and seven wonderfully crafted chapters that promise to give you a new love and appreciation for these incredible birds.
To enter the competition just answer this questionWhat was the name of Konrad Lorenz’s book that featured jackdaws nesting on his roof?
This is an IWT members only competition.
To enter the draw send your answer, name, and address to magazinecomp@iwt.ie by 1st November 2025.
