Nature in the News

Capercaille

whyulittle wrote: »

Further to the video I put up last week...

I thought they stuffed 32 into the crate in the end!



More at rte.ie.

3 probably did not make it to release. A great project!

OpenYourEyes

Highland cattle being introduced to Pollardstown Fen.

http://www.thejournal.ie/highland-cattle-co-kildare-wetland-butterfly-1846371-Dec2014/

recedite

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Highland cattle being introduced to Pollardstown Fen.

The “locally sourced” highland cattle have been introduced to the fen, which is largely State owned, to help conserve rare and protected habitats and species.

Would be interesting to see how the results compare to these Kerry Bog Ponies (not "locally sourced" but "Guaranteed Irish" :pac: and probably just as tasty)

Capercaille

recedite wrote: »

Would be interesting to see how the results compare to these Kerry Bog Ponies (not "locally sourced" but "Guaranteed Irish" :pac: and probably just as tasty)

ECNR has fallen into disrepair, hopefully the Pollardstown fen project will work out better.

recedite

Capercaille wrote: »

ECNR has fallen into disrepair..

How so? Any time I go there, which is two or three times a year maybe, I see some improvement on the last time. An extra bit of boardwalk or something. In any case I don't think the winter migrants will be complaining.

Capercaille

recedite wrote: »

How so? Any time I go there, which is two or three times a year maybe, I see some improvement on the last time. An extra bit of boardwalk or something. In any case I don't think the winter migrants will be complaining.

Vandalism of hides, lack of proper management of habitat. There was huge discontent at the state of the reserve at the AGM. The problem was with the management of the reserve. Since then they have done a good deal of work at repairing/painting walkways. They let go of the lad who was running the place/manual work and the place fell apart after he was let go. Hopefully they have re-hired him.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

recedite wrote: »

How so? Any time I go there, which is two or three times a year maybe, I see some improvement on the last time. An extra bit of boardwalk or something. In any case I don't think the winter migrants will be complaining.

A fews years back I had great hopes for the ECNR but it doesn't appear now to be the best run.

Capercaille

Moses Faithful Slime wrote: »

A fews years back I had great hopes for the ECNR but it doesn't appear now to be the best run.

There are loads of young enthusiastic BWI members/ecologists who given the chance do great work. It's a pity the some of the senior members do not have the same work ethic.

recedite

Management obviously improves things, but if all human interference ceased tomorrow, it would still be a good nature reserve in 10 years time. Just by preserving it from drainage works, shooting etc..

Hides and boardwalks are good for attracting human visitors into the place, including the vandals. I get the impression that the management are in two minds about encouraging visitors. Parking is difficult, and the south end of the reserve where the riparine forest boardwalk and the pony fields are located is disconnected from the original area that they opened. It is quite difficult to get access to the south end, except in the driest weather, and some areas have "no trespassing" signs up. But if you can get in that far... you find lovely new boardwalks.

Capercaille

recedite wrote: »

Management obviously improves things, but if all human interference ceased tomorrow, it would still be a good nature reserve in 10 years time. Just by preserving it from drainage works, shooting etc..

.

The reserve contains a mosaic of habitats, if it is not managed it would all revert to scrub.

Hides and boardwalks are good for attracting human visitors into the place, including the vandals. I get the impression that the management are in two minds about encouraging visitors. Parking is difficult, and the south end of the reserve where the riparine forest boardwalk and the pony fields are located is disconnected from the original area that they opened. It is quite difficult to get access to the south end, except in the driest weather, and some areas have "no trespassing" signs up. But if you can get in that far... you find lovely new boardwalks

ECNR is supposed to be the flagship reserve for BWI. It needs to show case best practice nature conservation, somewhat like Minsmere does for the RSPB in the UK. The BWI Reserves manager is hardly ever there which does not help.

recedite

Capercaille wrote: »

The reserve contains a mosaic of habitats, if it is not managed it would all revert to scrub.

The grassland meadows would revert to scrub without the ponies, seeing as that part is no longer farmed. But most of the reserve is either marshy trees or marshy reeds. They were there long before any management program and would still be there without one. A lot of the management is "just" to facilitate the birdwatchers, not the birds. I mean paths, boardwalks, hides, and clearing vegetation to maintain sightlines from the hides. Obviously that is a good thing, and fair enough, because birdwatchers paid for and own the place.

Birdnuts

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Highland cattle being introduced to Pollardstown Fen.

http://www.thejournal.ie/highland-cattle-co-kildare-wetland-butterfly-1846371-Dec2014/

Good news that - the place had gone very rank which can't be helping the rare flora etc.

Birdnuts

Capercaille wrote: »

There are loads of young enthusiastic BWI members/ecologists who given the chance do great work. It's a pity the some of the senior members do not have the same work ethic.

The ones in HQ certainly can't be described as "inspirational" apart from one or 2 like Niall Tierney. The folks working out of Banagher are sound enough though.

Capercaille

recedite wrote: »

The grassland meadows would revert to scrub without the ponies, seeing as that part is no longer farmed. But most of the reserve is either marshy trees or marshy reeds. They were there long before any management program and would still be there without one. Obviously that is a good thing, and fair enough, because birdwatchers paid for and own the place.

Reedbeds invariably dry-out over time so management is essential especially on such a small site.

A lot of the management is "just" to facilitate the birdwatchers, not the birds. I mean paths, boardwalks, hides, and clearing vegetation to maintain sightlines from the hides.

You are correct there, but one of the main aims of the ECNR is public education. If people can't go somewhere to see wildlife they will have no desire to protect it. A reserve like ECNR should be a balance between providing habitat for wildlife and providing a place where people can enjoy seeing wildlife.

Capercaille

Birdnuts wrote: »

The ones in HQ certainly can't be described as "inspirational" apart from one or 2 like Niall Tierney. The folks working out of Banagher are sound enough though.

Yes, sadly.:(

Capercaille

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/connemara-road-plan-could-threaten-endangered-freshwater-pearl-mussels-1.2046955?fb_action_ids=10152494773591681&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=.VJlfdSSbEj0.like
One of the largest Fresh water pearl mussel sites in danger of destruction.

Capercaille

http://www.ifa.ie/ifa-meets-minister-humphreys-and-calls-for-action-on-impact-of-land-designations/#.VJ7nOF4i4
IFA opinion on Hen Harrier designations and proposed hedge cutting changes.

OpenYourEyes

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/protecting-birds-of-prey-earns-farmers-bonanza-of-13m-30869302.html

Some figures for money paid out to farmers for Hen Harrier protection.

OpenYourEyes

Irish Times article on the open consultation on the urrent hedecutting and controlled burning seasons:

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/another-life-control-of-bird-habitats-in-hedges-and-on-hills-remains-a-burning-issue-1.2052896?page=1

(Submissions for the above can be made until the end of next week!)

OpenYourEyes

An article about urban foxes - nothing to be afraid of!

http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/outdoors/donal-hickey/foxes-are-at-home-in-cities-305216.html

splish

Poorly researched Irish Examiner article about invasive species in Ireland.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/outdoors/dick-warner/new-species-of-animals-and-plants-probably-wont-destroy-our-ecosystem-304261.html

OpenYourEyes

splish wrote: »

Poorly researched Irish Examiner article about invasive species in Ireland.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/outdoors/dick-warner/new-species-of-animals-and-plants-probably-wont-destroy-our-ecosystem-304261.html

Terrible article in my opinion alright - plenty of people giving out about it today!

Capercaille

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

Terrible article in my opinion alright - plenty of people giving out about it today!

What fool wrote that?
Mink are ok?????????????

whyulittle

Dick Warner.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

whyulittle wrote: »

Dick Warner.

That man has never had the first clue about Nature in Ireland.

Capercaille

Moses Faithful Slime wrote: »

That man has never had the first clue about Nature in Ireland.

Agree there. Looking through his previous articles they are pure muck. look at this rubbish below.

All our conservation efforts to try and support these declining species have concentrated on improving conditions for them here.

We have schemes, for example, to encourage changes in the way farmers mow meadows to help nesting corncrakes. But it’s beginning to look as though the main problem may lie elsewhere.

For the past 40 years the Sahara Desert has been getting bigger. There are several reasons for this. One is a decline in rainfall caused by climate change. Another is increased grazing pressure on the desert’s fringes and the effects of a slash-and-burn type of tillage farming to produce millet, which is the staple crop on the southern edge of the desert.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I just love that, when it comes to Nature, we can still find so many new things.
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30643756

OpenYourEyes

The Department of Health are looking for someone to get rid of seagulls from their HQ:

http://www.thejournal.ie/seagulls-tender-dep-of-health-1877012-Jan2015/?utm_source=twitter_self

Capercaille

OpenYourEyes wrote: »

The Department of Health are looking for someone to get rid of seagulls from their HQ:

http://www.thejournal.ie/seagulls-tender-dep-of-health-1877012-Jan2015/?utm_source=twitter_self

Typical Irish response. A few harmless Herring gulls nesting on a roof and they have to go get rid of them or kill them. What a waste of money.......

Capercaille

http://www.rspb.org.uk/news/388446-rspb-scotland-welcomes-first-uk-prison-sentence-for-raptor-persecution?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=News
George Mutch becomes the first gamekeeper in the UK imprisoned for raptor persecution. Would be great if the people shooting and poisoning our reintroduced Raptors could get similar treatment.