Birdwatch Ireland Meath

Environmental bodies from all over Ireland Protest outside Dail Eireann earlier this year against the Heritage Bill. On the 5th of December 2017, the President of the United State, Donald Trump, announced the removal of large swathes of land in Utah, 2 million hectares, under government jurisdiction from conservation status. President Trump has always made clear his attitude towards nature. Environmental destruction for business gain. Therefore much was made in the media both here and around the world of his announcement. Yet on the same day this statement was made, the Irish Government was putting the finishing touches to a Bill that would remove conservation status to an area much larger than that proclaimed by President Trump. That area being, the Republic of Ireland. Having already passed in the Dail, the death knell of Irelands eco-system, perversely called the Heritage Bill was being ‘debated’ in the Oireachtas. I use the term, ‘debated,’ lightly, as there is no

Cloosh Valley, County Galway is unrecognizable. The once vibrant landscape now scared by large blackened tracts of burnt bog, forest and fauna. Days after a gorse fire was finally extinguished by the combined forces of the Fire Service, Army and local volunteers, the scale of the destruction is still being assessed. Passing comment on the initial results as to the extent of damage done, Minister for Gaeltacht Affairs and Natural Resources Seán Kyne said; “The fire at Cloosh Valley, in particular, is one of the most serious and largest ever to occur in Ireland. Thousands of acres of forestry and bogland have been destroyed with terrible consequences for wildlife. Of even greater concern are the many homes, businesses and communities that have been put at serious risk.” The fire was started illegally by someone burning gorse. But the dry weather and windy conditions created the perfect environment for the fire to quickly to get out of hand. Media coverage of the story moved

Sitting atop a trailer load of cut turf as a child with my friend. His Dad carefully tugging us along with the tractor, on the short journey from the bog back to his family home. My friend and I acting as unofficial traffic wardens, as we commanded the cars behind the tractor, to ‘stay’ or ‘go’ with the wave of a hand. We spent two full days loading and unloading turf from that trailer. Once the turf was unloaded it was stacked in the shed. Ready for use to keep the house warm that coming winter. I loved every minute of it. Outside, all day, with my friend, in the sunshine, working like men, with men we aspired to be as strong as. This is one of many memories that spring to mind when I think of bogs or turf. Bogs and their use for fuel have a long history in Ireland. Indeed the image of turf and the process by which it is extracted from the land, turf cutting, is still used on postcards to promote an image of Ireland abroad. But it was not until later in life that I learned

The Oxford dictionary describes the meaning of Heritage as things of special architectural, historical, or natural value that are preserved for the nation.'  Yet if we are to look at the proposals, put forward in the most recent Heritage Bill by Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys  it appears our Yellowhammers are not of natural value to our nation anymore. Indeed neither are our pollinators, bats, butterflies and mammals. This is the only conclusion one could possibly reason for naming such a destructive bill after this term. The Heritage Bill 2016 will propose extensions to the dates for hedgecutting and burning in the uplands. If these changes go through they will have wide implications for some of our most endangered wildlife. See Birdwatch Irelands full statement on the proposal. More worryingly Birdwatch Ireland have already noted in relation to the bills proposed changes that, 'No scientific rationale has been

Taking a short break from work on a conservation project a few years ago, I sat with some of my co-workers to take in the sights and sounds of the unique environment we were in. That unique environment was a small Island on the Shannon Callows, just outside Banaghar, Co. Offaly. The Island is a wildlife refuge for the Callows resident and immigrant wetland birds every Spring. Some of Irelands most endangered wetland birds, Curlew, Lapwing and Red Shank nest here. These red-listed birds have been dramatically affected by Irelands changing climate, habitat loss and farming practices. With many of these birds in drastic decline Birdwatch Ireland took the decision to permanently ring fence the Island with a predator proof fence. The fence, it was hoped, would offer some protection to the many chicks, of these wetland birds, from their natural predators and in turn help stop their decreasing numbers. The fence is one of the most advanced of its kind in Europe and has