Changes to benefit the environment...

Base price wrote: »

When I was younger I used to have long hair and occasionally they would get caught in it which wasn't as bad as a bat getting caught in it :eek:

As an aside, around 12 years ago my brother built a small extension to my late Uncles house in Longford and within a year or so bats moved in. They arrive in Spring and stay well into the Autumn. They do their bat thing and hang outta of the eves. Unfortunately he found two dead on the floor a couple of weeks ago after the cold spell.

Any idea what type of bats the are.

gozunda wrote: »

Afaik theres a couple of different species in Ireland. There was a bat group that used to ask permission to check out some old buildings, but havn't seen them in a couple of years. They had a 'bat box' which I think picked up sonar so they could track the bats at dusk.

Base price wrote: »

At the time I paid for a download app thingie for the phone that was supposed to identify their sonar calls/sounds but it didn't work.

My brother never finished off the room where the bats are hanging over as at the time he didn't want to disturb them. He then discovered that they produce lots of of small mouse size pellets/****s - there is no ceiling/plaster board in the room.

I think one of the dead bats fell onto the widow sill and is still there. I will take a pic during the week.

Pics of the dead bat if anyone can identify the species.

The rest of the clan are in situ and judging by the amount of ****e/pellets that they expel they are happy chappies.

Base price wrote: »

Oops - the pictures didn't load, I will try again.

Common Pipistrelle Bat ?

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/common-pipistrelle

Leitrim farmer blocks Coillte over planting policy - https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/forestry-enviro/forestry/no-more-sitka-please-farmer-blocks-road-over-coilltes-tree-planting-policy-38202837.html?fbclid=IwAR0GfcKfjRJpsCszQ-nITtjdzSAruTJIikYRlvIq4xY920ZoVGgj2FlwYIg
I hope he gets support but reading the article Coillte have all their basis covered.

Base price wrote: »

I came across this initiative on the biodiversity Ireland website. It is called Backyard biodiversity and encourages people with urban and rural gardens who are new to recording biodiversity to identify and record 20 specific species. New species will be added throughout the seasons. I think it's a great initiative especially for children.

http://www.biodiversityireland.ie/record-biodiversity/backyard-biodiversity/

Spent 2day visiting a friend in Dun Laoighre - have to say I was very impressed how they manage green areas in that part of the city - strips and meadows of wildflowers everywhere with the likes of Roundup virtually phased out

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

A bit from NZ on their perspective of their proposed reductions.
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2019/05/15/new-zealands-farmers-chance-climate-leaders/

That article hasn't said how they propose to reduce methane.
That could be a reduction in livestock numbers by 25%.

At least our own muckers in their climate plan propose introducing methane reducing ingredients into feed for our livestock to meet targets.

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Yeah, adding methane reduction products to feed and moving onto more diverse swards for grazing would be some of the methods they are trialling atm. Some interesting results as well.

Diverse swards could be a bit of a stickler for those of us in high rainfall areas or heavy ground. You see it any time there is a bit of poaching weeds take off, managing those swards would be difficult.

Mooooo wrote: »

Diverse swards could be a bit of a stickler for those of us in high rainfall areas or heavy ground. You see it any time there is a bit of poaching weeds take off, managing those swards would be difficult.

You can choose suiteable species for such areas - in terms of herbs your talking about the likes of greater birdsfoot trefoil, lesser spearwort etc. along with grasses like Marsh foxtail etc. they would certainly require alot less inputs then maintaining monoculture ryegrass swards on such land.

Mooooo wrote: »

It's not about growing them but managing weeds and maintaining output tbh. I'll look at any trials and see how they may apply here but at the end of the day, I have debt to repay and an income required from the farm, as most of us do, I just don't see many comments on financial sustainability when all these things get bandied about. Not against measures that may help but the way the conversation is going policy makers seem to think we'll be able to live on fresh air, farming is the sole income here.

You could throw in cocksfoot. Timothy, fescues or festuloliums to suit, without affecting management much but the sward would be more efficient at using n.

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

You could throw in cocksfoot. Timothy, fescues or festuloliums to suit, without affecting management much but the sward would be more efficient at using n.

Atm the current advice on practices which can be used to sequester carbon and mitigate GHG emissions from livestock and manure:

• Select regionally appropriate forages.

• utilise high quality feed that will reduce methane released from enteric fermentation

• Practice rotational grazing

• Manage manure to reduce methane and nitrous oxide (thru improving nutrient management planning in combination with optimal use of slurry and legumes helping to increase nitrogen efficiency and reduce nitrous oxide emission)

I'd say in Ireland we are more suited than most to adopt many of the above recommendations because of existing largely grass based systems already incorporating many of those practices or at least the opportunity of implementing them

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/grass-based-dairy-and-beef-production-will-remain-the-backbone-of-irish-farming/

With regard to reducing methane and nitrous oxide reckon a big change could be widespread Anaerobic digestion. This was mooted back in 2018 - but I haven't heard much about it since tbh

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/multimillion-euro-mitchelstown-project-to-use-slurry-to-power-56000-homes-888554.html

2 things about that that I'd like to see answered.
A - was the bird watcher trespassing?
B - has the nest been verified by the NPWS?

https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/dairy/ireland-still-advocates-jersey-cows

On a side note rangitata island where the man is based was described as being "a place so hungry the rabbits brought a packed lunch" that was beflre irrigation and dairying started up there.

The government is to measure hedgerows nationwide for their carbon sink - https://www.farmersjournal.ie/hedgerow-carbon-sink-potential-to-be-measured-by-2021-476941

Base price wrote: »

The government is to measure hedgerows nationwide for their carbon sink - https://www.farmersjournal.ie/hedgerow-carbon-sink-potential-to-be-measured-by-2021-476941

I worked with Brazilians for a number of years in America, their dream was to return home eventually and buy their own ..as they put it 'big ranch' (they never use the words farm or farming) Basically what they meant was buying a few thousand acres, dirt cheap, of what we call 'The Amazon Rainforest' and clearing it of all vegetation by the slash & burn method and stocking it with cattle.
On average 150 acres of this Amazon Rainforest is lost every minute of every day - that's approx. 78 million acres per year. That's a lot of smoke going into the atmosphere + a major decrease of the earth's 'lungs'

Anyone who thinks for a minute that growing a few extra hedgerows, cutting the no. of cattle or changing from petrol/diesel cars to electric in Ireland will make a difference is sadly delusional.
It's rather ironic that the EU will penalise Ireland for exceeding certain carbon limits, yet they just made a deal with Brazil to buy more of their beef..........beef that will probably be produced on the ranches referred to above - the more demand there is for their beef the more land will be cleared.

White Clover wrote: »

Any word on how much/m we'll get? Everything has a value now ....

Hopefully it will be done fairly. People who have annually flailed hedges kept at a height of 1 foot should get minimal payment. People who have bio diverse tall/wide hedgerow should get maximum payment.

Anyone able to identify these? Thanks

Spotted sheeps bit scabious flower at the weekend

Muckit wrote: »

Anyone able to identify these? Thanks

I presume SMN is correct on the first pic so I had a look in this website (http://www.irishwildflowers.ie/) for the second pic and can't see anything like it. You can search the site by the colour of the plants.

Base price wrote:

I presume SMN is correct on the first pic so I had a look in this website (

Base price wrote:

for the second pic and can't see anything like it. You can search the site by the colour of the plants.

Lady Haywire wrote:

I thought the second one looked sorta like a snapdragon but Google is potentially saying toadflax?

I use an app called plantsnap. Haven't found one yet it doesn't recognise. Think there's a limit on how many to check per day before you have to pay but is handy for recognising stuff I havent seen before

JJayoo wrote: »

Have been planting trees on the land for the last 10 or so years. 95% are trees grown from seed, of this 90% are oak.

Last 3 years I have bought 400 apple/pear trees and the bees are keen on this, also have a large number of crab apple/plum and cherry trees which all have nice flowers.

Still have thousands of trees left to plant on the land, at moment they are planted in small nurserys.

The end goal is to have a legit Oak forest, from acorns collected in Union wood in Sligo, and also to have a few thousand fruit trees.

All trees are planted in fields with grazing sheep so takes a good bit of effort to prune them and protect them but with the correct spacing they should only improve the ground.

Did you avail of the agro-forestry grants by any chance?

gozunda wrote: »

The only one that comes close imo is yellow rattle - but the plant in the photo looks too tall - otherwise dark or maybe a form of yellow mullein. Are the stem / leaves wooly to touch?

I think you're on the ball with yellow rattle.

BTW what is a "form of yellow mullein"?

Do you protect the trees from the sheep? I planted a small oak Forest and will let sheep in their in a few years when they get more established.

80sDiesel wrote: »

Do you protect the trees from the sheep? I planted a small oak Forest and will let sheep in their in a few years when they get more established.

I put tree guards and big post with each tree. If sheep get used to trees they don't seem to pass much heed, just have to prune off any lower branches. The main issue is that they will itch against them, pushing their entire weight into the tree/post and this can loosen them.

Rams just aren't allowed in the fields that are planted as they will take all the bark off with their horns.

Had some issues with hares and deer striping bark, found that painting on a mix of sheep dung and water stopped the bark stripping and also stopped the sheep from jumping up at the fruit trees.

Water John wrote: »

What a lovely job: 'I'm painting the tree with sh1t'.

Were you at the Nots farm walk this evening Water John?
I think you mentioned you were at a previous one?