SPOTTED IN IRELAND:
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Dear Friends of the Irish Wildlife Trust, As I assume the role of Chair from Claire Walsh a er serving as Treasurer for the past three years, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Claire for her exceptional leadership during her tenure. Claire’s dedication to re ning our strategy, improving our governance, and enhancing our operational systems has been instrumental in our progress. Under her guidance, our meetings and communications have become more e cient and e ective. We wish Claire the best in her future endeavours and thank her for her vision and her dedication and support. Spring, that wonderful time when nature gets more lively. What are your favourite signs of Spring? For me it’s a great time for spotting frogspawn and I’m looking forward to the nattering of the natterjack toads. ey can be heard in a few precious sites around Kerry at dusk from around April. It would be wonderful if the passing of the Nature Restoration Law means that we hear nattering in more and more locations in the future. As the days lengthen and warm, keep your eyes peeled for the rst uttering butter ies.
Our small, dedicated team continues to grow under the expert leadership of Kieran Flood. I hope you’ve had an opportunity to see the excellent Grace Carr in action on one of our Fair Seas webinars. And you may have noticed our increased communications thanks to Emily Nolan. We’re now proud to announce that we’ve added to the team again with the onboarding of Rupert Butler as our Finance and Compliance O cer. Rupert comes with a strong background in nancial roles across a broad range of industries and is also experienced with environmental NGOs. We’ve got a new Treasurer on the Board, Ronan Carroll, again with a strong nancial background and a passionate nature advocate. We’re very excited to welcome our new colleagues and look forward to working with them on progressing our strategy.
We continue to seek new board members with environmental expertise, and we welcome applications from our membership. If you know of someone suitable for the role please pass on the details.
As always this season’s magazine is rich with content and contributions from many experts and advocates across Ireland. We’ll have an update on the Fair Seas Project. e passing of the Nature Restoration Law is a huge triumph. It looked shaky there for a while. We’ve got an article outlining what this means for the future. We’ve got an interesting article based on the Citizens’ Assembly recommendations that explores the potential of moving away from GDP as a measure of progress towards a system that values nature and wellbeing.
Anja Murphy has an excellent article on how to improve our connection with nature by stopping and taking the time to perceive the natural world in a slightly di erent way. Emily Nolan’s article Dial Down the Lights explains the negative e ect light pollution has on nature and recommends actions to reduce light pollution. While Gordon D’Arcy gives us his insights on nature books that inspire him.
Billy Flynn considers the challenges migrating species face. His article is a response to the State of the World’s Migratory species report published by the UN Body “ e Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals”. Did you know that 1 in 4 animals is a beetle! Anne Sunderman takes a closer look at beetles. Her article looks at the evolution of beetles and why they are so successful. In Sound of a River the article contains a comic about the damage done to rivers through drainage and imagines what healthy rivers might look and sound like.
Our article on the work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre outlines the importance of submitting species records to the NBDC. Dr Marcus J. Collier writes about new research being carried out on the e ect that engaging with citizen science has on people’s attitudes.
We hope you enjoy this season’s edition and we wish you a happy and healthy spring.
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.
04 ABOUT US
Discover more about the work of the IWT and how to get involved
05 IWT ACTIVITY UPDATE
Update on IWT activities
07 IWT MARINE NEWS
Fair Seas key asks for Marine Protected Areas legislation
10 IWT POLICY UPDATE
The latest news from nature policy development in Ireland and the EU
12 CONSERVATION NEWS
National and international nature updates
14 CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY IDEAS
Valuing nature and wellbeing
16 FEATURE
Ways of Seeing by Anja Murray
20 WILD IDEAS
Dial Down The Lights by Emily Nolan
22 GORDON D’ARCY Inspirational Wildlife Books
24 SPRING FOCUS
Billy Flynn considers the challenges to migrating species
26 A CLOSER LOOK
Anne Sundermann takes a closer look at beetles
28 CREATIVITY & NATURE
The Sound of a River
30 CONNECTING WITH NATURE
The work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre
32 BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH
Novel Eco project by Dr. Marcus J. Collier
34 PHOTO OF THE MONTH
A selection of images from our monthly photo competition
36 COMPETITION TIME
Your Chance to win a copy of Anja Murray’s book “Wild Embrace”
Editorial Team: Kieran Flood & Marion Jammet
Magazine queries email: editor@iwt.ie
e Irish Wildlife Trust was founded in 1979 and aims to conserve wildlife and the habitats it depends on throughout Ireland, while encouraging a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
e IWT is dedicated to creating a better future for Ireland’s wildlife through: Motivating and supporting people to take action for wildlife.
Education and raising awareness of all aspects of Irish wildlife and conservation issues.
Research of the natural environment. Acquiring and managing nature reserves to safeguard species and habitats.
Lobbying decision-makers at all levels to promote policy in Ireland that provides a sustainable future for wildlife and people.
Working in partnership with other organisations to achieve results that matter for conservation.
Irish Wildlife is published quarterly by the IWT.
Supported by
e IWT encourages action at a local level and has a number of branches around the country: Dublin: dublinbranch@iwt.ie facebook.com/DublinBranchIrishWildlife Trust, dubliniwt.blogspot.ie
Waterford: Denis Cullen, iwtwaterfordbranch@gmail.com, deniscullen@eircom.net, irishwildlifetrust. blogspot.ie
Kerry: Ger, iwtkerry@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/KerryIWT
Limerick: limerickbranch@iwt.ie / https://www.facebook.com / IWTLimerickBranch
Galway: Dan, iwtgalway@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/IWTgalwaybranch
Laois/O aly: Ricky, iwtlaoiso aly@gmail.com, www.facebook.com/IWTlaoiso alybranch Monaghan: monaghanbranch@iwt.ie
You, our members, make the IWT what it is. rough your subscriptions and support we can undertake the projects that are bene ting Ireland’s wildlife. If you would like to help more, here’s what you can do:
Snail mail: The Irish Wildlife Trust, 8 CABRA ROAD, DUBLIN 7, D07 T1W2
Web: www.iwt.ie
Social media: facebook.com/IrishWildlifeTrust twitter.com/Irishwildlife instagram.com/irishwildlifetrust/
Registered Charity Number: 20010966
• Make a one-o donation to the IWT.
• Give IWT membership as a gi .
• Volunteer – we are always looking for people to help out. ere are lots of ways to get involved, from helping with important admin work in our o ce to helping us increase membership by volunteering at public events. See our website www.iwt.ie for details or contact the o ce directly.
• Do you have land that you would like used for conservation? We are always on the lookout to establish new sites to enhance wildlife or provide education opportunities.
• Remember us in your will. Why not leave a lasting legacy towards conserving Ireland’s natural heritage? e 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 o ce and we can give you the support you need to get up and running.
As spring comes on we take great pleasure in seeing and hearing nature coming back to life after a winter rest. The sound of birdsong returns to the air, we see leaf buds swelling and bursting to life, turning hedgerows from grey-brown to bright green, soon to be followed by a flush of colourful blossoms. Nature knows best they say and it does seem like a good idea to rest and take the winter off. We humans seem to have missed a trick there as we remain active and awake all winter. This is certainly the case at the Irish Wildlife Trust, where we have had a very busy winter and are welcoming the warmer weather of spring.
As usual our staff and local branches have worked hard to keep Ireland engaged with the wonders of nature and the need to protect and restore it. We delivered some great events and webinars to get people out into nature and to keep our members informed of the latest developments in biodiversity conservation. One of the most notable actions this winter was our campaign on the Nature Restoration Law. You may well have heard debate on the
"I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL THE IWT STAFF AND BRANCH MEMBERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO OUR NATURE RESTORATION LAW CAMPAIGN
airwaves and in the Dáil about this new law, which will require each EU member state to produce and deliver on a nature restoration plan, in order to reach targets for the restoration of nature in Europe. You can read more about this law in our Policy Update article. What you may not have heard about is how close the law came to being killed off in the European Parliament by political groups with an agenda to oppose further efforts to protect nature in favour of the status quo - business as usual and the continued decline of nature across Europe.
IWT staff and branch members (as well as a coalition of environmental NGOS and scientists) were busy over the winter fighting to counteract those who sought to kill off the Nature Restoration Law. This took the form of direct lobbying of the Irish Members of the European Parliament (MEPS), coordinating and sharing information with partner NGOs through
the Irish Environmental Pillar, Seas at Risk and European Environmental Bureau and running public engagement events to counteract the misinformation being spread about the law and outline its benefits for nature. This effort included one to one meetings between our Marine Advocacy Officer Grace Carr and MEPs as well as a great event in Tralee hosted by our Kerry Branch and attended by MEP Sean Kelly. This mammoth effort paid off when the European Parliament finally voted to pass this law on the 27th February 2024. As I write, we are waiting for the final sign off on the law by the European Council (the EU leaders), after which member states will have to get to work on producing their restoration plans. We will continue our efforts until this law is finally passed and acted on. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the IWT staff and branch members who contributed to our Nature Restoration Law campaign.
Lobbying lawmakers is all well and good but it's not much fun. Another important part of our work is engaging people with the wonder of nature. You will find columns in this magazine on engaging with nature through citizen science (page 30) and different ways of seeing and perceiving nature (page 16). The best way to enjoy nature is to spend time in it. Our branches ran a wonderful selection of events this winter. Our Dublin Branch ran their ever popular foraging event where forager Samuel Arnold Keane guided attendees on Whiterock Beach in Killiney and shared his knowledge on edible seaweeds, a food once relied upon by coastal communities in Ireland. Keeping it coastal, the Dublin January event was a trip to Bull Island to learn about the winter bird population. Meanwhile our Waterford branch continued their monthly nature walks right through the winter.
Our Limerick Branch offered an indoor option for the winter weather, running nature talks in Limerick City. Pat O’Connor, a Director of Salmon Watch Ireland, gave a talk on Caring for the fish and the river environment of the Lower Shannon in January and in February our Limerick Branch collaborated with their BirdWatch Ireland counterparts to host an event about the work of the Fair Seas coalition.
Our Kerry Branch hosted the aforementioned Nature Restoration Law event in the Tralee Bay Wetlands Centre. Gerard Scollard from the IWT Kerry branch spoke about some of the work being done in Kerry by IWT and other environmental groups. Sean Kelly, Member of the European Parliament joined us to talk about his ‘Bee Better’ campaign and the need for healthy pollinator populations. We also heard from Louise Overy on some of the work being done in the community around seagrass, oysters and elasmobranchs. Grace Carr, IWT Marine Advocacy Officer, gave an overview of the Nature Restoration Law and its importance to marine ecosystems.
"KEEPING IT COASTAL, THE DUBLIN JANUARY EVENT WAS A TRIP TO BULL ISLAND TO LEARN ABOUT THE WINTER BIRD POPULATION"
and how they think Marine Protected Areas will affect their local area. After the screening we had a panel discussion focused around Marine Protected Areas in Ireland and the chance to discuss ideas with a number of experts from different fields.
We had a hugely popular film screening in Donegal of Fair Seas’ latest film ‘The Atlantic Northwest.’ The film recently won the award of Exceptional Merit at the Documentaries Without Borders International Film Festival and has been selected as a finalist for the Big Blue Film Festival in Oregon, USA. The film spoke to different stakeholders including anglers, divers, tourism operators and seafood producers on what the ocean means to them
If you like the sound of these events, then be sure to join our email newsletter and keep an eye on the events page of our website. We are aware that we have yet to reach the capacity to deliver events constantly in every county of Ireland, but rest assured this is the goal. We want every IWT member to have events happening near them. Look out for details of our National Biodiversity Week programme coming up in May, which will see free IWT nature events delivered in each province of Ireland.
We look forward to seeing you over the spring and summer.
We’ve been waiting quite a while for the new Marine Protected Area (MPA) legislation to come through Government. We were promised the legislation before the Dail summer recess in 2023 and this deadline was then pushed back to Christmas 2023. We are now in Spring 2024 and still no sign of the legislation.
We have been told that the legislation will be released in quarter one of 2024, so we are hopeful that this deadline will be the one our Government sticks to.
Our current MPA network covers around 9.4% of Irish waters and is designated under the EU Birds and Habitats Directives as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for seabirds and as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) for other species and habitats. The designation and management process of these Directives could be improved but Ireland has still failed to meet many of the existing objectives within them such as planning, implementation, site managing, monitoring and conservation outcomes. Having strong national MPA legislation is vital if we are to effectively protect our marine environment.
Fair Seas has put together 10 key asks for the new MPA legislation which can be condensed down into 3 key messages. You can view the full 10 asks by visiting the Fair Seas website www.fairseas.ie. Here we will look at the 3 key messages and why they are so important.
The bill must have strong language that states the government ‘will designate’ and not vague language such as ‘aim to designate’. Vague language leaves the bill open for loopholes and also means that there would be no accountability if the targets are not met. Ireland (as well as many other countries) has committed to effectively protect 30% of its seas as MPAs by 2030 (30x30) at an international level under the Kunming-Montreal Global
AMBITIOUS TARGETS TO EFFECTIVELY PROTECT 30% OF ITS SEAS BY 2030
Biodiversity Framework signed at the COP15 on Biodiversity. Many countries have also started the process of designating strictly protected areas. Denmark currently has around 6% of its maritime area designated as strictly protected and will increase this to 10% by 2030. This is in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy calling for at least 10% of EU seas to be strictly protected. It states that special care in the form of strict protections should focus on areas of very high biodiversity value and those areas most vulnerable to climate change. As part of the EU Biodiversity Strategy, Member States were asked to submit a protected area pledge. The deadline for these pledges passed in March 2023 and many countries including Ireland have yet to submit their pledge. We hope to see the 10% strictly protected target committed to within this pledge as well as in the national MPA legislation.
2. A ROBUST MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK WHICH CLEARLY DEFINES: WHAT WILL BE PROTECTED, HOW IT WILL BE PROTECTED AND WHICH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT
Last year, the European Commission released a report assessing the effectiveness of Special Protection Areas (SPAs) across different Member States. Ten Member States were analysed and the report showed Ireland falling far behind our EU counterparts. Ireland scored the lowest across planning, implementation, site management, monitoring and conservation outcomes of SPAs. 87% of SPAs which were assessed across Member States had site specific conservation objectives. However
in Ireland, 90% of SPAs had generic conservation objectives which did not relate directly to the site and were taken from the text of the Birds Directive.
Ireland has also been taken to the EU Court of Justice over the failure to designate and effectively manage its Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). More specifically,
Ireland was found guilty of failing to meet its obligations under the Habitats Directive by not adopting any conservation measures for 230 of 423 sites and only adopting partial measures for 149 of the remaining 193 sites. This case looked at the time period up until 2019 and the Government has stated that since then they have made considerable efforts to rectify this, although the COVID 19 pandemic delayed the finalisation of these efforts.
Ireland needs to learn from the mistakes which have been made over the last several decades when it comes to managing protected areas. The new MPA legislation must make it mandatory to have clear, robust site specific management plans for each MPA and it must also state who will be responsible for implementing and enforcing these. We don’t want to end up in a situation where we don't know who is in charge of managing an area and therefore no one can be held accountable. Ultimately, it will be the species and biodiversity within the protected area that will face the consequences of poor management.
3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT EVERY STAGE OF THE MPA DESIGNATION AND MANAGEMENT PROCESS, BASED ON TRANSPARENCY, INCLUSIVENESS, AND FAIRNESS AMONG LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS.
Fair Seas believes that mandatory stakeholder engagement is vital for the success of an effective MPA network. A new SPA to protect seabirds was announced in January of this year called the ‘Seas off Wexford’. This is the largest SPA in Irish waters at around 305,000 hectares and it takes the current percentage of MPAs in Irish waters up to 9.4%. While we are always happy to see new designations, we are disappointed with the lack of community consultation before the designation. The Government failed to hear the views of local people, coastal communities, eNGOs and seabird researchers before designating this area to protect seabirds. Under the EU Birds and Habitats directives it is not mandatory to conduct stakeholder engagement and so the Government hasn't technically broken any rules, but we believe that resisting public consultation garners mistrust in the process. The new legislation must make it compulsory that people are consulted at an early stage before designation of new MPAs and that this continues throughout the process of managing the sites. Most people want to see healthy seas across Ireland but they also don’t want to be left out of the process. People depend on local marine areas for their livelihoods and they have strong cultural ties to these places, so it is important that this bill supports fairness, transparency and inclusivity in the MPA process.
The most important action anyone can take right now for Irish seas and marine life is signing the Fair Seas petition calling on the Government to enact strong MPA legislation without delay.
When you care about nature, it can be easy, reading the news or going for a walk, to lose hope and retreat into a belief that there is nothing we can do to protect it. While we are not moving nearly fast enough, the optimist in me likes to think that nature has finally moved up on the policy agenda in recent months and years. This article summarises recent developments at European and national levels.
With the European Parliament elections around the corner, 2024 will be a busy year in Europe.
Despite recent farmers’ protests and calls for less environmental regulation from many groups and countries, February ended on a positive note: The Nature Restoration Law (NRL) was passed by the European Parliament. While the law has been weakened since the Commission’s original proposal, it still is one of the most important pieces of legislation for nature in three decades. For the first time, it sets legally binding targets requiring each member state to restore at least 30% of habitats covered by the new law from a poor to a good condition by 2030 (including forests, grasslands, wetlands, rivers and lakes), increasing to 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050. It includes an overall target of restoring 20% of EU-wide land and seas by 2023. Once the text is adopted by the
Council - This is expected in March or April, Member States will have two years to produce and adopt national restoration plans detailing how they intend to achieve and fund these targets. The deal was adopted with 329 votes in favour, 275 against and 24 abstentions, with all Irish MEPs voting to accept the law except for Luke Ming Flanagan and Chris MacManus. While imperfect, the NRL is critical to address the biodiversity crisis we face.
In December 2023, the European Commission published a proposal to downgrade the protection status of wolves (Canis lupus lupus) in the EU from “strictly protected” to “protected”. In Europe, wolf populations reached their lowest levels in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then, the combination of land abandonment, improvement of attitudes and legal protection has created the right conditions for a beginning of a recovery of wolves across the EU. It is now estimated that there are at least 17,000 wolves in Europe (excluding European Russia) and breeding packs in 23 European Member States. However, while their conservation status is “least concern” globally, wolves remain
“vulnerable” in many parts of the EU. The conservation of the wolf in Europe is governed by the Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, and the EU Habitats Directive. The latter allows for derogations, which are already used by several member states. EU funding mechanisms also exist to support livestock farmers who operate in areas where large predators are present. In Europe, the wolf is a native species and plays an important ecological role in ecosystems, from limiting the rates of growth and densities of wild ungulates, such as deer, to providing carrion for scavengers. It’s particularly concerning to hear Ursula Von Der Leyen, president of the European Commission, declaring that “the concentration of wolf packs in some European regions has become a real danger for livestock and potentially also for humans”, while there have been no fatal attacks on humans reported in Europe in the 21st century. While the next step is for member states to decide on this proposal, it’s to some extent encouraging that the Council decided in February to postpone its decision on the protection of wolves. It
"IT SETS LEGALLY BINDING TARGETS REQUIRING EACH MEMBER STATE TO RESTORE AT LEAST 30% OF HABITATS COVERED BY THE NEW LAW FROM A POOR TO A GOOD CONDITION BY 2030"
appears that Member states are divided on the proposal. Concerns were raised about the scientific data and lack of evidence pointing to a favourable conservation status in the EU. The IWT will keep monitoring developments on this topic as beyond the protection status of wolves, the current debate questions our ability to share the planet with other species.
The last three months have been busy on the policy front at national level too. Highlights included the publication of the new National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP), as well as of a report on the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on biodiversity loss by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, and the announcement of a new protected area off Wexford coast.
Ireland’s fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) was launched in January. The first plan to be released since the Dail declared a biodiversity emergency in 2019, it covers the years 2023-2030 and sets a vision for 2050 where biodiversity is “valued, conserved, restored and sustainably used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people”.
The publication of this document is welcomed as for the first time the NBAP takes a whole-of-government approach, supporting cross-departmental collaboration and greater accountability.
The NBAP is now placed on a statutory footing, meaning that state bodies who have agreed to certain biodiversity actions will be legally obliged to adhere to their implementation and will be held to account. One can, however, regret that many actions remain too vague, too distant in time in their implementation, or simply linked to existing EU policies and legislation. For instance, despite seeking “to respond to the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss”, there is no mention of a review of
"IT ALSO INCLUDES IWT’S LONG ASK THAT THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND ARE AFFORDED AN OPPORTUNITY, IN A REFERENDUM, TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY THROUGH THE INCORPORATION OF THE RIGHTS OF NATURE IN THE CONSTITUTION"
the remits of Bord Na Móna and Coillte nor of the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act to better protect and enhance biodiversity. It’s also disappointing that the target of a 10% “strictly protected” Marine Protected Areas mentioned in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 was not included.
On a more positive note, many of the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss were included in the Joint Oireachtas Committee’s report. The document includes 86 recommendations that the Committee sees as vital to ensure that the biodiversity crisis is addressed. Among them are recommendations for giving priority to implementation and enforcement of existing environmental law, as well as for a comprehensive review of agricultural policy for compliance with the protection of biodiversity, and the introduction of new legislation to better protect trees, hedgerow and native woodlands. It also includes IWT’s long ask that the people of Ireland are afforded an opportunity, in a referendum, to protect biodiversity through the incorporation of the rights of nature in the constitution.
In relation to the preservation of hedgerows, the Hedgerows Legislation Project (a working group of Comhshaol – The Climate Bar Association) recently drafted and launched a Protection of Hedgerows Bill 2023. Ireland has a network of approximately 680,000 kilometres of native hedgerows remaining which provide
valuable habitat and corridors for wildlife populations. If enacted, the bill will establish the principle that significant hedgerows - defined by a number of factors such as provision of ecosystem services and protection of biodiversity - are worth protecting and ought to therefore only be removed in specified circumstances where there is no viable alternative. The Green Party has confirmed that it intends to introduce the new bill in the Oireachtas as a private members bill this year.
Last but not least, the designation of a new Marine Special Protection Area (SPA) off Wexford coast was announced. The new SPA will cover over 305,000 hectares, making it the largest SPA designed in the history of the state. This is positive news as these waters provide important food sources for seabirds, including Red-listed species such as Puffin (Fratercula arctica), Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra), however, we will need to see this SPA’s conservation objectives to assess how protection will look. Last year the European Commission released a report analysing SPAs across 10 member states. Ireland scored the lowest across all categories including site designation, implementation and conservation outcomes. So good management is not a given in Ireland.
While the eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists Group recently called in the European Parliament for an “abolition of the EU green deal (1)”, it’s worth remembering that the Nature Restoration Law wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the one million people - including many IWT members - who emailed politicians voicing their concerns and stating that they wanted a strong NRL. In this election year, and while there is a shift in political tone across Europe around how to protect our environment, we will need to keep pressure on elected representatives and candidates to act on nature and contribute towards a nature-positive world.
Reference and further reading
1 The European Green Deal is a package of policy initiatives, which aims to set the EU on the path to a green transition, with the ultimate goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. Policies and regulations such as the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Nature Restoration Law were adopted as part of the Green Deal.
• European Commission, 2023, The situation of the wolf (canis lupus) in the European union An in-depth analysis.
• Linnell, J. D. C., Kovtun, E. & Rouart, I. 2021. Wolf attacks on humans: an update for 2002–2020. NINA Report 1944 Norwegian Institute for Nature Research.
• Government of Ireland, 2024, Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023–2030
• Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action, 2023, Report on the examination of recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly report on biodiversity loss
The latest national and international news from the conservation world, compiled by
In February the European Commission announced that it was investing over 233 million euro in 12 new Strategic Projects across Europe through the LIFE programme. This funding is aimed at supporting implementation of climate and environmental efforts through the EU Green Deal. The Life Programme provides funding for the support of Environment, Nature Conservation and Climate Action projects throughout the European Union. LIFE funding has been used in the past to fund some very impactful projects such as The Burren LIFE Programme.
MPA LIFE IRELAND will receive over 15 million in LIFE funding to help designate at least 30% of Ireland’s
maritime area as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030. The overall aim of MPA LIFE IRELAND is to achieve and maintain Good Environmental Status in Ireland’s marine area. This 15 million has been matched with an extra 10 million from the Irish Government. This is a good start in the process of adequately funding and resourcing Ireland’s MPAs. To complement this we hope to see the MPA bill progress through Government without delay. Fair Seas released a Sustainable Finance report last year which calculated that Ireland would need €55 million up until 2030 to designate and effectively manage 30% of our seas as MPAs. Securing almost half of this funding already is a promising sign for
Tim Clabonthe future of our seas.
LIFE Strategic Nature Project for Ireland (SNaP) will receive over 20 million in LIFE funding. This is with the aim of targeting the barriers to the implementation of Ireland’s Natura 2000 network priority action fund. The project is being run by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Coillte. Barriers in implementing conservation measures have been identified in three main areas which are,
• The availability of quality conservation data
• The integration and drawdown of funding
• Bid writing for funding sources
LIFE Strategic Nature Project for Ireland plans to
1. Build an integrated data platform to enable consolidation and management of all data relating to nature conservation in Ireland and assist with reporting and sharing of data. This will show the value in conservation as well as assist in future plans such as the Nature Restoration Plan.
2. Implement restoration measures on 500ha of afforested peatlands and develop a National Lagoons Restoration Strategy.
3. Establish a National Complementary Funding Unit to expand the national capacity to secure further funding.
This joint investment in biodiversity from the EU and Irish government is good news for nature. In the past we have seen LIFE funding used for transformative projects supporting result based conservation initiative and essential research. We hope that this latest round of LIFE funding will be equally impactful.
e impact of plastic in the environment is sadly well known - ask anyone who has done a river or beach clean! Tiny plastic particles are perhaps the worst, and this was highlighted in December 2023 when millions of nurdles (plastic pellets) washed up on a Spanish beach.
e incident has been described as a plastic spill with locals and Spanish environmentalists likening it to an oil spill.
e spill occurred o the Galician coast in Spain where a merchant ship making its way from Algeciras to Rotterdam via the Bay of Biscay lost six containers registered to Maersk overboard. While ve of the containers contained other items and are believed to have sunk, one of the containers held 1,050 bags of nurdles -Each bag weighing 25kg. One kilogram equals roughly 46,000 nurdles and Greenpeace estimates the total number of nurdles to be almost 1.3 billion. Being no bigger than a small bead they get everywhere and in the sea get transported all over the place.
Hundreds of volunteers, state employees and contractors have joined the e ort to clean the beach, utilising strainers, sieves and buckets to separate the plastic from the sand.
e Spanish state prosecutor has opened a le to monitor the situation and investigate whether there is any criminal responsibility. is is happening among a mist of accusations where the local government and environmental organisations are not happy with the speed in which the central government acted.
Microplastics are concerning on so many levels. ey look similar to sh eggs and can be ingested by marine animals causing malnutrition and starvation. ey are also non-biodegradable, so will always be present in some form.
"MICROPLASTICS ARE CONCERNING ON SO MANY LEVELS. THEY LOOK SIMILAR TO FISH EGGS AND CAN BE INGESTED BY MARINE ANIMALS CAUSING MALNUTRITION AND STARVATION."
As well as the chemicals used in their production, they can also absorb other chemicals and so become more toxic. In large numbers they can also change the physical properties of sandy beaches. Furthermore, microplastics end up in our food. As well as being found in sh for human consumption they have recently been found in fruit and vegetables, so yes, we are now eating them whether we eat meat or vegetables.
Since 2012, it is estimated by the group Fidra that there have been 10 major nurdle spills globally. One example is the sinking of the merchant ship X-Press Pearl which released an estimated 1,680 tonnes of plastic pellets o the coast of Sri Lanka.
e EU is aware of the risks of nurdles in the marine environment and it is estimated that 176,000 tonnes of these end up in the oceans each year. e European Commission is currently proposing measures to prevent microplastic pollution from spillages and only a er this
recent spill o Spain have included maritime transport in the proposed new law. is was excluded previously as environmental issues in international shipping are handled by the International Maritime Organization. Sadly, the law would only cover transport within EU waters.
A nurdle is a pellet no bigger than 5mm made of plastics such as polyethylene, polystyrene or polypropylene and o en contains additives to make di erent pellets of densities. ey can be clear or white, though can be other colours if a dye is added. ey are light so can either oat in water or have neutral buoyancy.
ey are transported from their manufacturing plants to other factories to make a range of plastic items such as drink bottles, car parts and toys. Recycled plastic is o en turned into plastic akes or nurdles before being reused to make bottles etc.
2023 saw the publication of the “Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss” as well as the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Actions “Report on the examination of recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly report on biodiversity loss”. At the IWT we were delighted to see many progressive solutions to the biodiversity crisis within the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly as well as the Joint Oireachtas Committee reports. It is vital that the government of Ireland act on these recommendations. This year we will be looking closer at some of the ideas in order to keep a focus on them. In this issue our guest writer Caroline Whyte is exploring the ideas of how we measure societal success in Ireland and the link with nature protection and restoration.
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
By CAROLINE WHYTE
Caroline Whyte has a background in ecological economics, and does research and advocacy for Feasta, the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability. She is an Environmental Pillar representative on the National Economic and Social Council, and is on the steering committees of Stop Climate Chaos and the Environmental Pillar. She is the author of a range of Feasta submissions to Irish and European official institutions and is a core member of the Wellbeing Economy Ireland Hub, in which Feasta takes a secretariat role.
Readers of this magazine are probably aware that the richness and variety of our
biodiversity is being severely depleted and undermined in Ireland and around the world. The biggest culprit in this, as the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) describes it, is land use change, including “the conversion of land cover (e.g. deforestation or mining), changes in the management of the ecosystem or agro-ecosystem (e.g. through the intensification of agricultural management or forest harvesting) or changes in the spatial configuration of the landscape (e.g. fragmentation of habitats).”1
Many experts argue that in order for biodiversity to be able to regenerate, we will need to impose binding limits on the consumption of certain resources, such as fossil fuels and mined minerals, and to extend the number of ‘no-go’ areas where resource extraction is not allowed at all. According to a 2020 academic article on biodiversity policy, ’the establishment—
https://www.ipbes.net/models-drivers-biodiversity-ecosystem-change
via multilevel governance—of absolute caps [limits] on the amount of resources embedded in imported goods and services is crucial’. It also proposes that there should be more “resource sanctuaries” where no extraction of resources is ever permitted, and that large infrastructure projects need to be scaled back in order to give nature enough space to thrive.2
In a similar vein, the 2021 Dasgupta Review on the economics of biodiversity asserts that ‘in the face of significant risk and uncertainty about the consequences of degrading ecosystems, in many cases there is a strong economic rationale for quantity restrictions [e.g. absolute limits on resource use, and resource sanctuaries] over pricing mechanisms.’3
There is a catch to these approaches, however: they will make some types of economic activity much harder to carry out, if not impossible. As a result, the overall level of national (and global) economic
"BOTH THE CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY AND THE JOINT OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE’S (JOC) REPORT ON BIODIVERSITY LOSS INCLUDE SOME FAIRLY
activity may well decline. In other words, we may no longer have economic growthand indeed, we may even have an economic contraction.
Economic contraction is often assumed to be a terrible problem to be avoided at all costs, for reasons that I’ll describe below. The ‘solution’ to it that is routinely proposed by people in political circles and the media is that we should figure out how to decouple economic growth from environmental damage. In other words, we should transform our economic activity in such a way that we can continue to increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while no longer disrupting ecosystems. This is frequently described as ‘green growth’. However, there is no convincing evidence that green growth would actually be possible at the scale, speed and definitiveness required to reverse biodiversity loss4 (or indeed, for that matter, climate disruption5).
Both the Citizens’ Assembly and the Joint Oireachtas Committee’s (JOC) Report on Biodiversity Loss include some fairly strong language on economic growth. The Citizens’ Assembly has called for a move away from GDP growth as a goal in itself, and the JOC has stated that ‘our country’s progress should not be based solely on the narrow lens of economic growth, but instead should capture overall quality of life across health, environmental, social and economic areas.’
The European Environment Agency comments that “it is unlikely that a longlasting, absolute decoupling of economic growth from environmental pressures and impacts can be achieved at the global scale; therefore, societies need to rethink what is meant by growth and progress and their meaning for global sustainability.”6 And the IPBES has also weighed in on this, implying that we should be “steering away from the current limited paradigm of economic growth.”7
Indeed, two arguments can be made for such a steer. The first one, already
described, is economic growth’s close connection with dangerous environmental impacts. The other argument is more about a lack of connection.
It’s probably a good idea, at this point, to clarify exactly what is being referred to when we talk about ‘economic growth’. The term is often used interchangeably with ‘GDP growth’. GDP is the sum of all of the monetised economic activity in a country, and the GDP measurement is, in turn, closely related to Gross National Product (GNP)8, which was first devised by the economist Simon Kuznets in the mid-20th century. Kuznets also gave clear warnings about its limitations. He would surely turn in his grave if he saw how blithely it tends to be conflated with progress now.
A famous speech by Robert F Kennedy in 1968 sums up many of the problems with economic growth as a measure of success:
“Too much and for too long, we seemed to have surrendered personal excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our Gross National Product, now, is over $800 billion dollars a year, but that Gross National Product…. counts air pollution…and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors and the jails for the people who break them. It counts the destruction of the redwood and the loss of our natural wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm and counts nuclear warheads and armored cars for the police to fight the riots in our cities. … it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile.”
74% of people in the G20 group of nations - which includes the US, Russia, China and India - support the idea that their country’s economic priorities should move beyond profit and increasing wealth, and focus more on human wellbeing and ecological protection9. Research endorses
2. https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12713
3. Dasgupta Review Headline Messages, p3: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/final-report-the-economics- 3 ofb iodiversity-the-dasgupta-review
4. https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12713
5. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(23)00174-2/ fulltext
6. https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/growth-without-economic-growth
7. https://www.ipbes.net/news/Media-Release-Global-Assessment
8. An explanation of the difference between GNP, GDP and GNI (a related metric
this view, indicating that beyond a certain minimum income that is needed to meet our basic needs, wealth’s correlation with happiness breaks down10.
In spite of this, many influential economists, politicians and civil servants continue to have serious misperceptions about growth. For example, growth is often assumed to be necessary to achieve healthy levels of employment, and to sustain social spending and a welfare state. Indeed, the relationship between growth and abundant state coffers is frequently described as though it is an ironclad law of physics. And yet, where such a relationship does exist (which is not everywhere11), the reasons for it are entirely political and cultural. It’s possible that a taxation system that targeted wealth and environmental impacts more than labour, along with a more diverse, balanced approach to economic production - especially in key sectors such as agriculture and transportcould achieve those same employment and welfare goals, and rather more efficiently than at present12
Examples of countries that are using measures of success other than GDP to help nature are Bhutan and Costa Rica. Conservation of the environment is one of the four pillars of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness philosophy. As mandated in its constitution, Bhutan preserves (at all times) 60 percent of its land under forest cover and more than 51% of the country is protected—the largest percentage of any Asian country.
Ways to help enable a shift to a growthindependent national and global economy are being researched by Feasta alongside a rapidly-expanding group of organisations around the world; ironically, our area of work is on a strong growth trajectory! If you’re interested in learning more and joining the vibrant discussion on moving towards a wellbeing, ‘post-growth’ economy that enables both humans and nature to flourish, please save the date for our ‘Rethinking Growth’ conference in Dublin on June 25 and 26 2024, which Feasta is co-hosting along with our colleagues in the Wellbeing Economy Ireland Hub13. You can find more at https:// www.rethinking-growth.ie.
which is often used in Irish economic statistics) can be found at: https://www.cso.ie/ en/interactivezone/statisticsexplained/nationalaccountsexplained/ grossnationalproductgnpandgrossnationalincomegni/
9. https://globalcommonsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Global-CommonsG20-Survey-full-report.pdf
10. https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1015962107
11. https://www.etui.org/publications/welfare-farewell
12. https://weall.org/resource/failure-demand
13. http://www.weall.org/ireland
As the energy of spring and summer surges up, it’s easy to feel enthusiastic about the colourful splurge of spring wildflowers erupting everywhere and the unfolding fresh leafy canopies of deciduous trees. Longer evenings beckon us outdoors. Wild things all around us announce their presence: bumblebee queens are gorging on pollen from hazel and willow catkins; orange tip butterflies catch the eye as they fly from cuckoo flower to cuckoo flower; and white blossoms erupt in a cornucopia of nectar on blackthorn, then hawthorn, rowan and crab apple. There is so much to see when we open our eyes to the everyday wonders all around us.
But readers will also be aware that ecosystems everywhere are collapsing under the weight of anthropogenic pressures. It’s sobering to know that two-thirds of Ireland’s wild bird species are ‘Red’ or ‘Amber’ listed as ‘Birds of Conservation Concern’, meaning that their populations are declining rapidly and their future is in jeopardy. One-third of the 100 species of native wild bees in Ireland are threatened with extinction. The vast majority of our most valuable habitats (those protected in the Habitats Directive) are in ‘unfavourable’ or ‘poor’ condition, and almost half are demonstrating ongoing declining trends. This is a situation we are legally and ethically obliged to rectify, though policy failures continue to stifle conservation efforts. Half of our rivers are failing to meet the basic standards of ‘Good Water Quality’ set out in the Water Framework Directive and over 500 ‘pristine’ water sites
recorded in 1990 have been reduced to less than 20 sites in 2020.
Witnessing the demise of so many native plants and animals that were ubiquitous in the 1970s and ‘80s, now threatened with extinction on this island, can feel distressing and overwhelming. Yet we all have a responsibility not to turn away. Maintaining our engagement with these issues whilst not becoming complacent or cynical is not easy.
Training ourselves to look closely at the details of wild plants and animals, to observe and explore the nuances of their lives, can be a wonderful way to feel more rooted in the natural world.
Cultivating our curiosity about the many wondrous natural phenomena that we are fortunate enough to still live among is both reassuring and a source of joy. Seeing the incredible interactions between species, the interdependence that frames the lives of every living thing, can help shift our perspective. These practices can also enhance our resilience to bad news and our determination to keep up conservation actions.
"MUCH OF WHAT SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERING IN RECENT DECADES, FROM AVIAN COGNITION TO THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF FUNGI AND VASCULAR PLANTS, EVEN THE EXTENT TO WHICH OUR SURVIVAL IS DEPENDENT ON BACTERIA IN OUR GUT, SHOWS US THAT WE STILL KNOW VERY LITTLE OF HOW THE WORLD WORKS"
During the month of May, hawthorn blossom is out. Looking closely at a hawthorn flower, the pink tinged, pollen laden anthers are visible. Once the flower has been pollinated, normally by a fly or a bee, these anthers turn brown, a transition worth looking out for.
Early summer is also the time when meadow buttercups bloom, their tall branching form and effusive yellow flowers filling up wet meadows. Buttercups are well known for their shiny petals, as though each is coated in a delicate covering of high gloss varnish. The petals have a thin film of minutely engineered air chambers over a layer of yellow pigment, which enhances the intensity of the yellow whilst also creating a shimmer. Sunlight reflecting off the petals serves to attract insect pollinators from afar, many of which can be seen lounging in the warmth of the cup shaped flowers.
Of course, we know that the reason why flowers tend to
"THE VIEW THAT WE ARE SEPARATE AND SUPERIOR TO THE REST OF NATURE, FREE TO EXPLOIT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE, IS RELATIVELY NEW, AND IT IS THIS NARRATIVE THAT IS AT THE CORE OF THE ECOLOGICAL AND CLIMATE CRISES WE FACE TODAY"
be so colourful and structurally symmetrical is not to please our human eyes. Every child knows that they have evolved that way to attract the insects that pollinate them. It can be fun, therefore, to imagine approaching a flower from the viewpoint of an insect pollinator. Many flowers invite visiting insects to their core by laying out a landing platform on the petals and a waymarked route to the nectary. Foxgloves are a great example of this. Each velvety pink, tubular flower has a patterned pathway of purple spots mounted on white, marking the trail that guides the visiting bee to the nectar source at the end of the tunnel. There the perfectly positioned stamens sprinkles grains of pollen on the bee, precious parcels of genetic coding to be couriered across to another foxglove.
As humans, there are lots of things that we cannot see. Our vision has evolved to be sensitive to green and red, as an advantage for hunter gatherers spotting ripe fruit and useful vegetation from a distance. Insects, by contrast, have adapted the ability to see ultraviolet light. Many flowers show the pathway for visiting pollinators with ultraviolet markings. But because our eyes are unable to see ultraviolet wavelengths, what looks like a fairly plain set of yellow or white petals might appear richly patterned to a bee or a butterfly.
I find that gathering wild foods is a great way to slow down and observe what’s around. I am often amused at how many previously unseen details I notice each time I walk a familiar route with my focus on picking wild foods. At the beginning of spring, picking the tender tops of nettles for making a soup, I heard the first skylark of the year, singing energetically as it hovered in the open sky far overhead. Plucking small, tangy wild sorrel leaves along a field verge, I noticed a relatively rare helleborine that I had never seen there before. Gathering fraocháns (wild bilberries) in summer is the only time I have noticed a beautiful brown and turquoise patterned caterpillar in among its rounded leaves.
Foraging undoubtedly sharpens our powers of observation. Last weekend, out walking along a wild Connemara shoreline, some bright pink Dillisk growing on the shore caught my eye. I bent to harvest some tips from this seaweed, still attached by a holdfast to the rocks, and then noticed several tiny almost fluorescent looking lime -green specks. I looked closer, and they were donut shaped, though only about 3 millimetres in diameter. When I used the magnifier on my phone, I could see that each tiny donut shaped blob consists of miniscule green spheres, so I think it likely that these were the eggs of a marine creature, whether a whelk or a fish. I may yet find out.
Back on land, wild strawberries are one of my favourite things about June. I am obsessed with the intensity of their flavour. Watching out for the little glimmers of red in the hedgebank as I walk my favourite boreen is often gorgeously immersive and absorbs my attention to such an extent that whatever worries I may have on my mind tend to dissolve.
In our human environments, it's normal for us to keep our gaze at eye-level, or to focus downwards, limiting what we see to what’s nearby. But when we remember to look up, perhaps into the branching pattern of a tree canopy overhead, with backlit green leaves against a blue sky, our brains are activated in a different way to how they are when we focus on the near distance. Looking upward, or toward distant vistas, stimulates contemplative and reflective thinking.
Looking upwards also gives up a sense of the aerial world that birds, bats, and many insects inhabit. There is joy in looking up to watch a passing flock of geese, flying overhead in their characteristic V formation. Tracing the song of a skylark up high in the air to watch it hovering on rapid wingbeats as it sings can be mesmerising. Watching them has prompted me to learn lots about these exceptionally impressive vocalists and the complexity of their song. A skylarks’ song can last
for 28 minutes, during which they continuously sing new syllables and barely repeat a phrase.
Observing things from an alternate viewpoint also helps to understand and empathise with the non-human world. Recently, I have been doing some research into Jays, the charismatic but rarely seen woodland birds. Jays are members of the corvid family, which are highly intelligent. They are capable of recognising people, figuring out how to solve novel problems, fashioning tools, and planning for future events. They are also capable of understanding others’ perspectives, are quick learners and have exceptionally good memory. This is an example of the kind of research that challenges widely held assumptions that only humans, and perhaps some other primates, are capable of complex cognition.
What other animals living in the wilds are capable of a great deal more than we give them credit for? Our understanding of the degree to which organisms in an ecosystem are interconnected has been much expanded by recent revelations about the wondrous ways of mycorrhizal fungi. These fungal filaments connect up the root systems of woodland trees, enable the exchange of life-giving compounds between elders and saplings, between stronger and weaker trees, between conifer and deciduous species, even warning each other of pending insect attacks.
Much of what scientists have been discovering in recent decades, from avian cognition to the interconnectedness of fungi and vascular plants, even the extent to which our survival is dependent on bacteria in our gut, shows us that we still know very little of how the world works.
These revelations are humbling. Lack of humility is at the core of our current ecological and climate crises.
The more we look at and understand our place in the ecosystems that support the entire web of life, the more
outlandish our collective assumption that humans are legitimate owners and rulers of the world, with a right to override the needs of every other living thing.
Most of us are doing our best to live well, care for others, contribute positively to the world, and maintain our mental health. This tends to entail endless things to do and places to be, tasks and to do lists. With such busy lives, it's easy to filter out the company of ladybirds, butterflies, grasshoppers and wild bees and the details of their lives. We are too distracted to look up and pause when we hear swifts or skylarks overhead. We are not inclined to find out about the lives of the incredible creatures we share the gardens, cities, fields and woodlands with. We have become accustomed to looking only at the details of our increasingly human centred environments.
Throughout history, it has not been unusual for cultures to see humans as one component of the great community of life, interdependent with the lives of everything else. The view that we are separate and superior to the rest of nature, free to exploit without consequence, is relatively new, and it is this narrative that is at the core of the ecological and climate crises we face today.
If we are to change the current trajectory of mounting destruction, quantifiable as it is in scientific terms, we must look more deeply at the theoretical perspectives, and work to change our own worldview. A good way to begin this journey is to make space in our lives to observe, understand and empathise with wild creatures. With practice, this imaginative process of experiencing the world from other species’ perspectives becomes second nature, if you will excuse the pun.
Anja Murray is an ecologist, broadcaster and author, familiar to many as presenter of Eco Eye on RTÉ1 and Nature File on RTÉ lyric fm. Before that, she was active in the Irish Wildlife Trust, even spending a few years with the Irish Wildlife Trust as a project manager and as a volunteer on the IWT board. Her current work explores the wonders of nature in Ireland and the challenges facing the natural environment. Many of the themes touched on in this article are dealt with in more detail in her bestselling book ‘Wild Embrace’ (Hachette Ireland, 2023).
rom the garden of my family home in Tipperary, I can see an expanse of the rural landscape against the backdrop of the Galtee Mountains. Dissecting the view is the N24. A steady supply of car lights streams across the road beneath overhanging road lights. As it gets darker, the houses dotted around the landscape light up one by one, casting a glow across the space. Before the invention of the incandescent light bulb (in 1879) this view would have looked a lot di erent. Aside from a scattering of oil lamps, gas lamps and ames before 1879, the landscape would only be illuminated by the movements of the sun and moon. No road lights, no cars, no house lights. e rapid expansion of arti cial light is not something wildlife evolved to contend with. We are cutting through the landscape, not just physically, but through the senses. In our adoption of arti cial light, we have radically altered our relationship with natural light and dark skies. And inadvertently, we have created a new sensory lightscape for wildlife.
Ecological light pollution refers to the disruptive e ects of arti cial light on natural ecosystems, particularly at night. Arti cial light at night (ALAN) alters the natural patterns of light and dark in an environment, a ecting the behaviour, physiology, and interactions of many organisms. ALAN can confuse animal navigation, alter competition among species, disrupt predator-prey relationships, and a ect the reproductive cycles of plants and animals.
LEDs are increasingly installed to reduce energy consumption but emit more blue light than uorescent bulbs or incandescent bulbs. Blue light exposure inhibits melatonin production, so when repeatedly exposed at night time, sleep quality and health is a ected by disturbing hormonal cycles in human and non-human animals. e proliferation of arti cial light is no longer just an urban phenomenon; it extends through the atmosphere and follows transportation routes into and around areas that were previously untouched by such pollution, and has in ltrated the marine environment.
e World Atlas of Arti cial Sky Brightness estimates that in Europe and the US, 99% of inhabitants live under light polluted skies. Professor Brian Espey of Trinity College Dublin
estimated in 2014 that less than 5% of Ireland has skies free of light pollution. Despite hosting two internationally signi cant dark sky areas (in Mayo and Kerry) and light pollution being a widespread problem in Ireland, there are currently no speci c laws to mitigate it.
Migratory birds use the Earth's magnetic eld for navigation, but light cues from the environment are also crucial for many species. Urban lighting can act as a misleading beacon, diverting birds from their natural migratory paths due to positive phototaxis - where animals are attracted to bright lights. Alternatively, negative phototaxis drives species away from bright light a ecting birds' resting and feeding behaviours along migratory routes, as seen recently in Belfast.
In December 2019, the Department for Infrastructure (DFI) in Northern Ireland upgraded the lighting on Albert Bridge in Belfast by installing brighter LED lanterns. Installing these LED lights met the required British and EU safety and environmental standards. However, shortly a er the new LEDs were installed, alarms were raised about the disappearing annual starling murmuration that graces the skies above Albert Bridge. Local conservationists argued that the starlings were likely deserting the roosting site due to the new lights and demanded action; citing the government's statutory duty to promote biodiversity, especially for red-listed species like starlings. In response, some lights were removed from the underside of the bridge, red lters were implemented on the lights on the side of the bridge, and blanking screens have been installed on the lanterns at the top of the bridge. And this year, the murmuration returned in similar numbers to years prior to the light upgrade.
e phenomenon of positive phototaxis poses a signi cant risk to many animal species. Billions of insects are lost every year as they slam into fast-moving cars. Additionally, moths and other ying insects attracted to outdoor lighting frequently fall prey to predators or succumb to exhaustion overnight. Arti cial light draws moths away from owering plants, reducing plant pollination and the number of pollen types transported. In turn, as these ying insects cluster around light sources, it changes the foraging and hunting behaviour of the species that feed on them. For example, it has been found that
in areas in the UK with a lot of white LED xtures, populations of the critically endangered mouse-eared bat dwindle as they can’t compete with larger bat species who can monopolise the feast of insects at these light sources. Disruption to nocturnal pollinators may a ect daytime pollinators too, as the pollen output of the plants is a ected with di ering responses across insect orders but overall may lead to reduced pollination.
Over 22% of the world’s coastlines, excluding Antarctica, are continuously exposed to light pollution from cities, o shore oil platforms, ships, and coastal towns, cities and ports. Permanent light sources enhance night brightness over wide areas like estuaries, bays, and continental shelf seas. e shi towards using "white" or broadspectrum lights, along with a greater diversity of light types, creates intricate colour and brightness patterns across marine environments at night. ese patterns disrupt the previously uniform spectrum of moonlight. e impact is signi cant for biological processes that depend on light variation with depth.
Despite the widespread issue of light pollution, it only gained formal recognition as an environmental concern with an update in 2021 to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The update urged the European Commission and member states to confront both light and noise pollution by creating guidelines to curtail ALAN and setting reduction targets for 2030. Nonetheless, specific reduction goals have not been defined, nor have rigorous guidelines been put into practice. In 2021, the European Commission announced a proposal titled "Delivering the European Green Deal," with the goal of achieving at least a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. This plan includes updating current EU climate and energy laws, such as the Energy Efficiency Directive, aiming to decrease energy use across the public sector, especially in public lighting. From September 2023, all fluorescent lighting will be phased out. However, LEDs are the chosen replacement. If we are to tackle energy consumption as well as light pollution, we must recall instances like that of the Starlings in Belfast, where the ecological impacts of such lighting upgrades need to be carefully considered. With the future widespread upgrading to light fixtures, the ecological impacts cannot be ignored. Following the launch of the Department of Community and Rural Development's Rural Development Policy for 20212025, Dark Sky Ireland devised a strategic plan to address the issue of light pollution in Ireland. More details can be found on their website but some actions and advice for individuals are below.
• ADOPT SHIELDED LIGHTING: Implementing fully shielded light fixtures directs light downward where it's needed, minimising upward and outward dispersion that contributes to skyglow and glare.
• USE MOTION SENSORS AND TIMERS: Integrating motion sensors and timers can significantly reduce unnecessary lighting, ensuring lights are on only when needed, thus reducing overall light pollution.
e most impacted by marine light pollution may be zooplankton.
ese tiny creatures perform the planet's largest daily biomass migration, ascending from deep waters every night to feed on phytoplankton. is process is a critical part of the carbon cycle and marine food chain. Light pollution that disrupts the ability of zooplankton to discern night from day could alter the entire marine food chain, impacting species up to the largest whales and threatens the carbon and nutrient cycles of marine ecosystems. Some evidence of this disruption was found in Daphnia species, or water eas, in freshwater bodies. Arti cial light and skyglow from urban regions was shown to restrict the upward migration of the species. So, it is possible that ocean plankton are also a ected by light pollution.
• CHOOSE APPROPRIATE LIGHT LEVELS: Using the minimum necessary lighting for safety and functionality can prevent excessive illumination, which is a key factor in ALAN.
• SELECT LOWER COLOUR TEMPERATURE LIGHTING: Opting for LED lights with a warmer colour temperature (under 3000 Kelvin) can decrease the amount of blue light emitted, mitigating its more profound effects on wildlife and human health.
• IMPLEMENT SMART LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY: Smart lighting systems allow for dynamic control of intensity and timing, adapting to specific needs and reducing wasted light.
M"MORE SPACE IS BEING MADE FOR NEW WILDLIFE BOOKS THAN WAS THE CASE, EVEN A DECADE AGO. PEOPLE ARE UNDOUBTEDLY BECOMING MORE INTERESTED IN WILDLIFE"By GORDON D'ARCY
ore space is being made for new wildlife books than was the case, even a decade ago. People are undoubtedly becoming more interested in wildlife. Books certainly facilitate this trend, providing time and space for thoughtful consideration, an important alternative to the rapid-fire transience of the digital world. Most wildlife books make a valuable but short-lived contribution. Others, so powerful that they leave a deep impression – inspirational wildlife books – never die. As we head into spring with its perennial promise of long summer days and birdsong, I am reminded of one of the great wildlife books: Silent Spring (Houghtin Mifflin, 1962) by Rachel Carson. Though published more than sixty years ago, the author’s warning about the damage that humanity was inflicting on nature is as valid today as it was then. Her book linked the impact of chemical sprays, such as DDT, in agriculture to an alarming decline in nature’s food chain, evident in the bird population. At a time when agricultural productivity in the US was a given, Carson challenged the nature-hostile methods being widely employed. Initially she was ignored but, over time, decisionmakers listened and changed: the banning of chemical sprays followed. Carson wrote other, ‘celebratory’, books too, mainly about the sea and coastal habitats but ‘Silent Spring’, a spring without birdsong (just imagine!), is her magnum opus and her great legacy.
Another US publication that had a profound impactincluding with me, was The Last of the Curlews (Longmans,1955) by Fred Bodsworth. It was so successful that, since first published, it has sold millions of copies. The authentic story
follows the tragic demise of the Eskimo curlew (Numenius borealis), a wading bird that once ‘blackened the skies’ on migration from the Canadian Tundra to wintering quarters in Patagonia in Argentina. Hunted ruthlessly, for food, by the Hudson Bay Company, its extinction was inevitable. No Eskimo curlews have been reliably reported since the mid-twentieth century. A poetic statement on the inside cover, ‘’The beauty of a work of art may be reconceived, though its first material expression be destroyed…but when the last individual of a race of living beings breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again’’ is so poignant and a warning about the declining breeding status of our own curlew. The delightful scraperboard illustrations by T.M. Shortt have elevated this little book to the status of a classic.
A number of stylish natural history books have also emerged from the UK in recent years. ‘The Common Ground’ by Richard Mabey is one example but my favourite in this genre is The Wild Places (Granta, 2007) by Robert MacFarlane. This compendium of the author’s first-hand experiences in often remote places in the UK, is written in a most engaging style. His contemplative narrative deals with habitat change and the decline of true wildness, but not in a dystopian fashion. An extract from the back cover: ‘’he spends nights sleeping out on cliff-tops and remote beaches, deep in snowy woods, on pilgrim islands, mountain summits, and ancient meadows…’’ encapsulates the lengths to which Macfarlane has gone for authentic experiences. One of his chapters ‘Grave’ takes us into the Burren where he mingles perceptive comments about the flora and fauna with the region’s rich human history. Macfarlane’s writing has provided us with a series of valuable wild place benchmarks for the future.
David Attenborough needs no introduction as a brilliant wildlife film maker but he has also penned over twenty books about different aspects of the natural world. His literary span begins, (unbelievably) in the 1950’s and he is still writing about his extraordinary life in the natural world, today. His most
important book is surely Life on Earth (BBC etc., 1979). In this monumental study he covers the history of life on the planet from its origins in the primordial ‘soup’ 4 billion years ago to the bewildering diversity of lifeforms today. While there is no doubting Attenborough’s personal erudition, this book is also the collective contributions of many scientists –microbiologists, palaeontologists, zoologists, geologists and many others. Though essentially a highly readable science book, ‘Life on Earth’ is greatly enhanced by its many dramatic nature photos.
Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv (Algonquin, 2008), is one of the most thought-provoking educational books to have emerged in the present millennium. Concerned about the circumstances nowadays separating children from the natural world – a connection that he and others of his age took for granted - he cites ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’ as the tragic outcome. In his own words, ‘’the child in nature is an endangered species, and the health of children and the health of the Earth are inseparable’’. His book has had a dramatic effect internationally giving rise to the ‘Children and Nature movement’ which, by way of his recommendations, seeks to influence educationalists,
environmentalists, parents and even politicians to bring about real change for the sake of future generations and of course, the planet.
In the library of home-grown wildlife books there is no shortage of inspiration. ‘Whittled Away’ by Padraic Fogarty, an investigation of our lost wildlife, comes to mind, as does Richard Nairn’s recently published ‘Wild’ trilogy. However, the Irish wildlife book that has connected most readily and repeatedly with me down the years is An Irish Beast Book, (Blackstaff, 1975) by James Fairley. This book is unique in its format – acute scientific observation and recording, combined with history, anecdote and folklore - in a delightfully readable text. The wonderful illustrations, the work of Raymond Piper, one of our finest nature artists, are an inspiration in themselves.
"DAVID ATTENBOROUGH NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION AS A BRILLIANT WILDLIFE FILM MAKER BUT HE HAS ALSO PENNED OVER TWENTY BOOKS ABOUT DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE NATURAL WORLD"
By BILLY FLYNN
As this article is being prepared, it is February. Culturally, this is spring in Ireland although this morning there was frost on the ground and ice on the windows. Some early signs of spring owers are appearing on the roadsides and hedgerows but it seems a long way o before we can begin to search for swallows (Hirundo rustica) and house martins (Delichon urbicum) on their return. e journeys of these diminutive migrants never fails to ll me with absolute awe at the e orts that they must make, years in and out. It’s appropriate, therefore, that a unique report on migratory species has just been released. e rst ever State of the World’s Migratory Species has just been released by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals – also known as the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) and more commonly known as the Bonn Convention (1). is is the rst time that
the CMS has produced a comprehensive overview and analysis of the conservation status and trends of migratory species. It doesn’t make for cheerful reading.
Every year, billions of animals undertake a migratory journey. These can be in large groups like immense flocks of birds or solitary voyages such as those taken by sea turtles. Migration is essential to ecosystem functioning all over the world. It moves nutrients around the globe, provides for essential pollination, predation and grazing. It provides regulation without which the ecosystem could collapse. Many human populations depend on migrating animals for sustenance. It is hard to imagine that there is any human society to whom the migration of animals is without aesthetic, cultural or spiritual significance. But migration, it seems, has never been more difficult or endangered than right now.
One in five of the migratory species listed by the CMS are
"MIGRATION, IT SEEMS, HAS NEVER BEEN MORE DIFFICULT OR ENDANGERED THAN RIGHT NOW. ONE IN FIVE OF THE MIGRATORY SPECIES LISTED BY THE CMS ARE THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION"
threatened with extinction. 44% of the CMS listed species are undergoing population declines. Levels of extinction risk are also rising across the full range of listed species. Between 1988 and 2020, 70 of these showed a deterioration in conservation status. In contrast only 14 species saw an improvement in this status over this time.
So what are the threats facing our migrants? Unfortunately, things are much harder for migratory species. They depend on multiple habitats and the connections between them. Anthropogenic threats can therefore be multiplied for them and these threats may interact. Land-use change, habitat loss and fragmentation can make the migrants’ journey difficult and survival if they complete it impossible. The report describes how 3 in 4 of CMS-listed species are affected by habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. Under the sea, things are no easier. Over exploitation of our oceans has come at a cost. A shocking 90% of the CMS-listed fish species have declined over the last four decades. Climate change can also serve as an amplifier of threats. Warming of oceans can affect weather patterns and currents that disrupt and hinder migration.
However, despite all the bad news in this report, there is hope. This lies in the wealth of information that now exists within the CMS and its supporters. While threats to migrants may be as bad as they ever have been, there has never been a better understanding of these species and the pressures that they are under. A key action highlighted is an expansion of the global network of areas protected for conservation, especially those of importance to migratory species. Here, we as a country can play a part. There is real appetite and a mature attitude to protected sites in Ireland and the number and size of these are expanding. The Irish Wildlife Trust has long been an advocate for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and for making our coastal waters safer for wild species. A robust network of protected terrestrial sites and MPAs will be a huge contribution to providing safer breeding, over-wintering or just a safer route for dozens of species. We rely on our summer visitors to brighten our lives each year. They now rely on us to make changes that will allow such species to exist.
The State of the World’s Migratory Species was released on 12 Feb. 24. The full report is available at www.cms.int.
(1) The CMS was signed in Bonn in 1979 and came into force in 1983. 131 member states have signed to this convention, including Ireland.
FPhoto: Mike Brown
rom your familiar ladybird to pesky our weevils to the imposing ground beetles, Coleoptera species are some of the most diverse and longlived species on our planet, dating from approximately 300 million years ago. In that time, beetles have successfully adapted their needs to that of a changing planet. In fact, they have excelled: It’s been said that approximately one quarter to one h of all life on Earth are in Order Coleoptera.
According to Tim Clabon, IWT Board member and coleoptera enthusiast, “2,154 species of beetle can be found in Ireland, making up about 16% of our native fauna.” e largest beetle family in Ireland are the rove beetles (Staphylinidae), which re ects its more than 66,000 species worldwide.
One reason that so many beetle species are such successful evolutionary competitors is the development of elytra. Many insects have two sets of wings. In beetles one set is hardened and is called elytra. ese elytra , or hardened forewings, are seen in lineages as far back as the Carboniferous period (358.9-298.9 million years
ago). As Minecra fans will know, elytra o ers a player a cape-like shield of protection, in the gaming world as in the natural world.
In beetle species, forewings ceded their ability for nimble ight in return for protection of its so underbody and the remaining set of wings. us shielded, the beetle species are able to win ground battles in many di erent habitats such as leaf litter, decaying trees and plants, and soil.
e hardened or sclerotized wings are composed of chitin (a polysaccharide), and a complex amalgam of cuticular proteins (carbohydrates), organic elements such as quinones and other ingredients that together harden into several layers of protection, coloration, and even waterproo ng. According to Arakane et al. (2012), “Expression of such cuticular proteins in the modi ed forewings appears to be a fundamental evolutionary step in transforming the exible and thin membranous wing into a thickened and rigid elytron in the Coleoptera.” Recent research by Goczał and Beutel (2023) show “the potential of the elytra to take over multiple tasks has enormously contributed to the unparalleled diversi cation of beetles.”
Elytra may add to the beetles’ defensive prowess but individual species are still quite adaptable. For example, the very successful and prolific family of rove beetles has shortened its elytra, which enables it more flexibility. This balance between protection and freedom of movement allows rove beetles to become a dominant predator in its preferred habitat of soil and leaf litter.
Several species emulate the rove beetles with a shortening of the elytron, others species have fused wings. Some ground beetles in the family Carabidae, scarab beetles (family Scarabaeidae), and weevils (family Curculionidae) have no hindwings and are flightless.
Although many coleopterans are predators, there is a group of herbivorous beetles: Phytophaga. Farrell (1998) characterises the role of flowering plants (angiosperms) in Coleoptera evolution, finding that the origins of those ”angiosperm-feeding beetle lineages are associated with enhanced rates of beetle diversification.”
Rove beetles’ success may stem from a novel adaptation of the shortened elytra, but they have developed other useful tools. Since the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary (204-145 million years ago) rove beetles have developed the ability to manufacture chemical defences. In the Aleocharinae subfamily of Staphylinidae, commonly found in Ireland, research by Parker (2021) discovered two distinct cell types that evolved to work together to form a specialized gland (that is, the tergal gland) that manufactures and secretes these defensive and protective chemicals, which in turn allows the species success in more diverse habitats.
Tim Clabon notes: “Beetles occur in all habitats, from coastal to mountainous habitats throughout Ireland. Their diverse habitats are reflected in their size and shape (from 1.5 mm to 40 mm).” A small number of species can cause problems attacking crops and trees, and invasive species are of particular concern.
Beetles provide beneficial services, being decomposers, predators of problem insects, and a food source for other species. For example, 13 species of carrion beetles (a member
"13 SPECIES OF CARRION BEETLES (A MEMBER OF FAMILY SILPHIDAE, ALONG WITH BURYING BEETLES) THRIVE IN IRELAND PERFORMING THEIR ECOLOGICAL SERVICE BY SPEEDING AND ENHANCING THE DECOMPOSITION OF ORGANIC MATTER, INCLUDING DEAD ANIMALS"
of family Silphidae, along with burying beetles) thrive in Ireland performing their ecological service by speeding and enhancing the decomposition of organic matter, including dead animals.
Coleoptera are nothing if not resilient when their habitats are under pressure, whether it be from human development or effects of climate change. Normanly (2019) highlights that adaptability, showing motorway run-off ponds in two midlands counties played host to a diversity of aquatic beetles, supporting over 25% of the Irish water beetle fauna, including several uncommon and red-listed species.
Although beetles are successful worldwide, loss of their Irish habitat presents a critical threat. There are 244 species of water beetles in Ireland, and most of the red-listed, endangered, and vulnerable species live in brackish or running water. Of the more than 200 native species of ground (or saproxylic) beetles in Ireland, more than 100 are considered rare, and only 25 are considered common. NPWS-sponsored research by Anderson and Alexander suggest that this reflects the “overall rarity and fragility of saproxylic habitats across Ireland.”
• Alexander, K. N. A. & Anderson, R. (2012) The beetles of decaying wood in Ireland. A provisional annotated checklist of saproxylic Coleoptera. Irish Wildlife Manuals, No. 65. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of the Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dublin, Ireland.
• Arakane, Y., Lomakin, J., Gehrke, S.H., Hiromasa, Y., Tomich, J. M., Muthukrishnan, S., Beeman, R. W., Kramer, K.J., Kanost, M. R. (2012) Formation of Rigid, Non-Flight Forewings (Elytra) of a Beetle Requires Two Major Cuticular Proteins.
• Farrell , B.D. (1998) "Inordinate Fondness" Explained: Why Are There So Many Beetles?. Science 281,555-559. DOI:10.1126/science.281.5376.555
• Goczał J, Beutel RG. (2023) Beetle elytra: evolution, modifications and biological functions. Biol Lett. Mar;19(3):20220559. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0559. Epub 2023 Mar 1. PMID: 36855857; PMCID: PMC9975656.
• Goczał J, Rossa R, Tofilski A. (2018) Elytra reduction may affect the evolution of beetle hind wings. Zoomorphology. 137(1):131-138. doi: 10.1007/s00435-017-0388-1. Epub 2017 Nov 18. PMID: 29568156; PMCID: PMC5847043.
• Normanly, R. (2019) The role of motorway attenuation ponds as new habitats for mobile aquatic insects (Unpublished paper). UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science research paper, Dublin.
• Parker, J. (2021) Evolutionary assembly of cooperating cell types in an animal chemical defense system, Cell.
Written by Stroud District Council o cer Chris Uttley and illustrated by local Stroud artist Joe Magee, the book tells the story of Monica, a girl who sets out to nd out why her house has ooded. She travels back in time to learn that historical changes made to the way the river ows have not only resulted in the loss of wildlife and plants, but also increased the likelihood of ooding. e title is based on the idea that a healthy river generates a variety of sounds, therefore the healthier and more natural the river, the more sounds it creates. Historical land drainage and river engineering have simpli ed and deepened channels, speeded up ows and causing the river to fall silent. e comic was produced to highlight to people just how arti cial some rivers are and what a natural river should actually look and sound like. It also shows that we can restore our rivers back to a more natural state and that doing so will not only be of bene t to wildlife, but also be a part of reducing ood risk and making our communities more resilient to increased ood risk caused by climate change
THE COMIC WAS PRODUCED TO HIGHLIGHT TO PEOPLE JUST HOW ARTIFICIAL SOME RIVERS ARE AND WHAT A NATURAL RIVER SHOULD ACTUALLY LOOK AND SOUND LIKE.
You can find the full comic to read for free online here
https://nbscomics.com/2023/05/30/2023-sound-of-a-river/
In this new column we will be looking at ways to connect with nature and the benefits this can have for people and biodiversity.
In this issue Tim Clabon of the IWT takes a look at the work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) who promote and enable Citizen Science and biodiversity recording in Ireland. Citizen Science is research conducted with participation of the public. When it comes to nature, citizen science can play an important role in gathering species records that can be used to monitor wildlife population trends. The act of recording species involves slowing down, noticing nature and recording what you see. As mentioned by Anja Murray in our feature article “Training ourselves to look closely at the details of wild plants and animals, to observe and explore the nuances of their lives, can be a wonderful way to feel more rooted in the natural world.” Biodiversity recording can strengthen our connection with nature while also contributing to nature protection.
The National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) works to make biodiversity data freely available in order to better understand and assist the protection of Ireland’s biodiversity. IWT are active supporters of the work of the NBDC. We have run species surveys in the past on newts, lizards and otters and submitted our findings to the NBDC. We are also partners of the NBDC’s All Ireland Pollinator Plan. In this article we take a look at the 2023 recording activity and trends.
The National Biodiversity Data Centre received 163,502 records through their
Citizen Science Portal in 2023 with 8,033 people submitting records across all 32 counties. Were you one of them? If so, thank you. If not, 2024 could be your year. Recording all species occurring within and around Ireland helps create a better understanding of nature and its distribution.
The annual results for the recording period showed an interesting trend that noted that while 38 recorders submitted over a thousand records (including nine who submitted over 2,000 records) more than half of the people submitting records only submit one record per year. The people submitting over a thousand records in a season makes up less than half a percent, but this small group of recorders were responsible for 45% of all records submitted in 2023 . (Figure1)
The number of records submitted through Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal is down on previous years and appears to be entering
into a plateau after a few bumper years of recording which were noticed during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. (Figure2)
Recorder numbers rose in 2023 compared to 2022, with the second highest recorder numbers, only behind 2021 which had 9,000+ recorders. (Figure3)
The most commonly recorded group, remaining unchanged since 2022, was flowering plants, with over 38,000 records making up 23% of all submissions. Following in second place with 36,000 records are birds. Third place goes to moths with over 31,000 records. In fourth and fifth place are butterflies with over 14,000 records and terrestrial mammals with 7,000 records.
Although flowering plants were the most recorded group, no individual species from that group made it to the top ten. The most recorded species from the National Biodiversity Data Centre were:
"NOT
GOOD PHOTOS AND THE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING AND IDENTIFYING THEM
Butterflies made up half of the most frequently recorded species in 2023. Some of these species are common visitors to gardens. More information on recording garden butterflies can be found at the Garden Butterfly Monitoring Scheme on Biodiversity Ireland’s website. Species such as otter and hedgehog are both being recorded as part of national surveys through partner organisations. This shows the impact that can happen when an organisation helps bring attention to a particular species and support people to get out and record it in the field. More information on these can be found on the National Biodiversity Data Centre website.
Out of the ladybirds being recorded, the 7-Spot Ladybird is the most recorded, accounting for more than half of all Ladybird records in the Ladybirds of Ireland dataset. Groups with fewer numbers included 24 records of Mayflies, 18 records of Stoneflies and Caddisflies with 61 records. Carrion Beetles had 75 records and Longhorn Beetles 92 records. Both carrion beetles and longhorn beetles are quite interesting groups. However, they are not as eye-catching as butterflies and harder to identify and in some cases harder to find. Carrion Beetles can be found in gardens, hiding under piles of stones or logs, and frequently turn up in pitfall traps. However there are many species, and the smaller ones can be hard to identify. Longhorn beetles can be found in or near woodlands, where their larvae live in decaying wood, or in or under bark. Some adult species can be found visiting flowers. Not every group of plants and animals can be easily recorded due to the difficulty in getting good photos and the difficulty in finding and identifying them - requiring specialist knowledge for verifying the records.
The National Biodiversity Centre’s Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal is available to be used by anyone; if you see a species of note and are sure of its identification, please submit the details to https://records. biodiversityireland.ie/ so that the observation
2023
Source: The National Biodiversity Data Centre
can be added to the national biodiversity database. This will continue to build on the knowledge base on what species we have in Ireland and help us to better understand how they are distributed.
Records can be submitted for any and all species. There are also projects concentrating on specific groups being run such as the Spring Flowers Project (a great one for beginners), the Ladybird Atlas 2025, as well as projects covering species such as otters, hedgehogs and the Irish Stoat. Records of invasive species can also be submitted.
Records submitted go through a validation
and verification process to help remove incorrect records so they may contact you if the record requires querying, and to remove duplicates. Once approved records are loaded onto the mapping portalBiodiversity Maps.
For recording species in the field, the app (downloadable from the website, android or apple store) is useful, but only for recording ‘live’ data. For submitting records retrospectively, it is best to use the website.
So, if you have not yet tried species recording, this year could be your year for submitting records!
it’s also about humans it’s not just about nature;By MARCUS COLLIER
In 2001, in an issue of the now discontinued Wild Ireland magazine, I wrote an account of a unique and memorable encounter that I had with wild bison while backcountry hiking in Alberta, Canada. I say memorable, because though I have forgotten many things in my life, I clearly remember this one and its impact on me and my career pathways. In the article, I described how I was caught in a sudden thunderstorm and with no cover I was forced to take shelter in a woodland very close to a herd of bison who were rather agitated by the storm and therefore rather dangerous to me. e experience was exhilarating. Because of this and other encounters in nature as part of my professional career in the intervening years, I have been working to reconnect people with wild nature and natural processes, particularly through the medium of ecological restoration. ough restoration ecologists still have a lot to learn about the potential of restoring ecosystems, much less is known of the social and sociological potential. is being the UN Decade on Restoration Ecology, it is a good time to push this agenda. For many years I have felt like a lone voice, advocating for using ecological restoration as a conduit for bringing people and communities closer to wild nature. It’s a far cry from cowering in a forest surrounded by bison, but having experienced the visceral e ect rst hand I know what an impact that reconnecting with nature can have.
So, early in my career I worked with volunteers, bringing them to di erent locations and habitats to engage in ecosystem repair, rejuvenation, and restoration. It amounts to the same thing really, and whatever the activity that the volunteers were involved in I was constantly amazed to hear how exhilarated and happy they felt at the end of even the most tiring, muddy, rain-soaked days. Perhaps by bringing people together to restore an ecosystem of the past also opened their minds to the values of nature? In more recent years the rebranding of restoration ecology into ‘rewilding’ has opened the door for a broader and more futureoriented approach to restoration. Rewilding has many de nitions, and no one de nition seems to be t for all purposes. However, as a bridging concept, rewilding
encapsulates ‘more than nature’ and ‘more than human’ into a single paradigm. I see this newly popularised phrase ‘rewilding’ in a broader sense – rewilding the person! Having seen rst-hand how powerful a personal impact that physical participation in a rewilding or restoration activity has, I wondered if this could be a conduit to altering human behaviour and facilitate the transition to being more sustainable as a society. But funding for a study that demonstrated this would prove di cult to get.
Roll on to our more recent experience with COVID movement restrictions which served to change many things in society. One of the most noticeable changes I noticed was the increase in observations of nature that was found nearby our homes. Perhaps, when people are forced to limit their movements it serves to sharpen their observations of the everyday. is seemed to have been the case during COVID and hearing so many people asking about wild plants and animals that they spotted in their neighbourhoods gave me hope for how re-connectivity can be achieved as
"WE ARE SURROUNDED BY INFORMAL WILD SPACES: ON THE SIDES OF THE ROAD, ON WASTE GROUNDS, WALLS, AND CORNERS, AND IN ABANDONED SPACES"
well as how powerful this can be. Because the majority of humans are urban, and since most urban ecosystems are humancreated, I have been fascinated by the concept of novel ecosystems. ese are anthropogenic ecosystems that have no historical analogue but nonetheless pervade our planet, especially our cities. While the concept is contested and controversial ecologically, there is hardly any
understanding of the social potential of novel ecosystems despite their proximity to humans on a daily basis. We are surrounded by informal wild spaces: on the sides of the road, on waste grounds, walls, and corners, and in abandoned spaces.
It took eight years to get approval, so now thanks to funding awarded by the European Research Council in 2021, I started the rst research project to examine the social and societal potential of urban novel ecosystems, NovelEco (www. noveleco.eu). It is a project that looks at informal wild spaces in cities and investigates how communities interact with abandoned, wild spaces. Yes, it boils down to talking about weeds sometimes, but it is about more than that. I’m looking to see if by asking people to gather data on plants in cities it a ects them. Already, having run numerous workshops in cities like New York, Dublin (see photograph), Valetta, London, Melbourne, and Bogotá the NovelEco team has been given some deep insight into the attitudes of communities to these spaces. e results, so far, are not 100% crystal clear because there are many di culties in getting to the nitty gritty of these interactions. It is not easy to gain insight into social-ecological values and perceptions, but the team has been using multiple methods in several languages and we have gained a lot of insight into how reconnecting people with nature can be highly emotional, no matter where in the world we look. We have lots more to do in the next two years, and to broaden our search we will be launching an app in 2024 to encourage citizen scientists to gather data of the plants growing wild in cites (something that is surprisingly rare) and, at the same time, gather information on how this a ects the data gathers themselves. Watch this space!
For further information on the NovelEco project, please visit www.noveleco.eu.
Dr. Marcus Collier is an Associate Professor (Botany) in Trinity College Dublin and the Principal Investigator of the NovelEco project.
3.
4. Watchful Sika Stag by Gregory Ufnal, GMU Photography
5. Goldfinch by Kells Tackle
6. Robin in the Holly by E.J. Fallon
7. Snail by Jolene Coady
We have three copies of “Wild Embrace” to give away.
Wild Embrace is about cultivating curiosity and awe in nature, in a time of eco-anxiety and overwhelm. As ecologist Anja Murray opens our eyes to the hidden bounty of the land, sea and sky around us, we head out on a unique journey through the Irish landscape.
She explores the joy of foraging, the marvels of Irish birds, the roles of our native trees in environmental regeneration, nature at night and in the city, and much more –including fascinating insights into our ecological past.
With beautiful illustrations by Jane Carkill (@lamblittle), Wild Embrace awakens our senses to the everyday environmental wonders within reach, as we set out on a path to empowered change into the future
To win on of these great prizes just answer this question “What form of light have insects evolved to see?”
Entry instructions
Send your answer, name, address and prize preference (the book OR a t-shirt - if you choose the t-shirt, tell us the size, colour and design preference) to magazinecomp@iwt.ie by 10th May 2024.
You can view our t-shirt selection on https://iwtclothing.com/
