Why is it that we’re so ready to lay the blame at nature’s door when things go awry in the countryside?There are plenty of examples out there. Bovine TB is perhaps the biggest that springs to mind at the moment. It’s a dreadful disease in cattle that has serious implications for dairy farmers, their families and entire rural communities. It’s a problem that needs to be … [Read more...] about Natural born scapegoats…why do we always blame wildlife?
conservation
Book Review: Fighting for Birds
Mark Avery has been fighting for birds for most of his adult life.As Conservation Director with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Europe’s largest conservation NGO, Mark has been at the forefront of some of the most iconic conservation issues to emerge over recent decades. Naturally the book has a UK focus, but the issues Mark tackles – things like … [Read more...] about Book Review: Fighting for Birds
Irish NGO calls for European Whale and Dolphin Sanctuary
On the 21st anniversary of the declaration of Irish waters as Europe’s first Whale and Dolphin sanctuary, The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has announced a campaign to extend that status to all European waters. On 07 June 1991 then Taoiseach Charles Haughey declared Ireland a Whale and Dolphin Sanctuary in recognition of the importance of Irish waters “for these … [Read more...] about Irish NGO calls for European Whale and Dolphin Sanctuary
Ireland’s BioBlitz 2012 kicks off today!
The final countdown is on for Ireland’s island wide BioBlitz 2012, with four sites across the island competing for Ireland’s biodiversity crown. Killarney National Park took the title last year, and I’m off to Glengarriff Woods Nature Reserve in West cork later today to do whatever I can to help bring the title back down south. We’re competing against Phoenix Park in Dublin, … [Read more...] about Ireland’s BioBlitz 2012 kicks off today!
What’s wrong with conservation?
The preservation of our wild places and the plants and animals that call them home should be high on the priority list of any responsible government. That’s partly because we have a duty of care to maintain our stunning natural heritage for future generations; but it’s more fundamental than that: looking after our biodiversity, maintaining the natural balance of our … [Read more...] about What’s wrong with conservation?
Landscape conservation to help Irish bats
A new initiative to help authorities make informed decisions about landscape conservation for Ireland's bat species was launched in Dublin earlier this week by Dr Liam Lysaght, director of the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC).A joint project by Bat Conservation Ireland (BCI) and the Centre for Irish Bat Research (CIBR), the "‘Landscape Conservation for Irish … [Read more...] about Landscape conservation to help Irish bats
Ocean Experts Predict “unprecedented” marine extinctions
A panel of 27 marine experts from 18 organisations spanning 6 countries has come to a stark conclusion about the health of our oceans. According to a preliminary report issued this week by the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) based on current trends we are on the verge of a “phase of marine extinction unprecedented in human history”. The findings come … [Read more...] about Ocean Experts Predict “unprecedented” marine extinctions
IWDG accept Haughey yacht for whale conservation
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group (IWDG) has confirmed on its website that it will accept the 17 metre steel-hulled yacht, Celtic Mist, as a gift from the Haughey family. IWDG coordinator Dr Simon Berrow said that the group had to weigh up the offer carefully to make sure it was a viable proposition before deciding to accept. “It was a very generous offer from the Haughey … [Read more...] about IWDG accept Haughey yacht for whale conservation
Roseate Tern offered lifeline on Ireland’s East Coast
The population of the roseate tern (Sterna dougallii), which is classed as one of Europe’s rarest breeding seabirds, is getting a much needed boost thanks to a Birdwatch Ireland and National Parks and Wildlife Service conservation initiative. According to a report in today’s Irish Times Ireland now boasts 90 per cent of Europe’s core breeding population of these scarce birds, … [Read more...] about Roseate Tern offered lifeline on Ireland’s East Coast
