Heath-bog habitat protection for endangered Hen Harrier

The blanket ban on planting forestry in certain areas important to the survival of the endangered hen harrier has been lifted (March 2007). Instead, the Government has established a new forestry management protocol for the forestry and farming groups who had objected to the ban.

Under the protocol, six Special Protection Areas (SPA), important to the hen harrier, have been designated. In these, limited sustainable and quota-based afforestation will be allowed . It is thought that this will facilitate the protection and enhancement of the hen harrier's preferred habitat, including heath and bog. The National Parks and Wildlife Service will monitor the protocol's impact on habitat.

The Special Protection Areas include the:

• Slieve Bloom mountains (Laois and Offaly);
• Stack's to Mullaghareirk mountains, West Limerick hills and Mount Eagle (Cork, Kerry and Limerick);
• Mullaghanish to Musheramore (Cork);
• Slieve Felim to Silvermines (Limerick and Tipperary);
• Slieve Beagh (Monaghan) and
• Slieve Aughty mountains (Clare and Galway).

Read more:

• UCC research project: Optimum scenarios for Hen Harrier conservation in Ireland
• Bird net: Related news, hen harrier information and controversy over new SPAs
• Coillte's Biodiversity Action Plan for the Hen Harrier
  
  

Blanket Bog Restoration Project

The Blanket Bog Restoration Project project aims to restore some of active blanket bog in Ireland - including bogs at:

• the MacGillycuddys' Reeks, Co. Kerry
• Slieve Aughty, Co. Clare
• Nephin Beg, Crossmolina, Glenamoy and Bangor-Erris in Co. Mayo
• Barnesmore Gap and Lough Golagh in Co. Donegal
• the Ox Mountains in Co. Sligo, and
• the Slieve Blooms in Co. Laois.

The website provides information about the project, its bogs, and restoration techniques. Clickable maps of Ireland enable you to locate and find out more about the 20 project sites. The bog restoration project is managed by Coillte, and funded under the under the EU LIFE- Nature Programme.

Dragonflies in Ireland

There are 32 species on the Irish dragonfly list. Of these, 22 are resident, including 11 'true' dragonfly species and 11 damselfly species. Other species include visitors, unconfirmed sightings and recent arrivals to Ireland (possibly as a result of climate change).

Irish damselflies and dragonflies start to appear around May. The Dragonflies in Ireland website includes information on dragonfly and damselfly life cycles, flight times, sightings, species found in Ireland and identification.

• The book Natural History of Ireland's Dragonflies (Brian Nelson and Robert Thompson) covers dragonfly biology, ecology, habitats and associated fieldcraft skills in an Irish context. The book is available from the Ulster Museum Shop.

Ireland's peatlands under threat

According to the Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) it has recently become apparent that the Irish government

"are slowing down on their designation of Irish peatlands as Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs). This inaction means that sites that are currently proposed as Natural Heritage Areas under national legislation (link), are in fact not protected at all".

The IPCC is particularly concerned about fens. Developers are at liberty to destroy them, which they often do:

"Two proposed NHA fens in Waterford - Kilbarry Bog and Ballina Lough have been
badly damaged. Even more depressing is the case of Girley Raised Bog in Co.
Meath, a designated NHA where a developer inserted drains all over the site"

The IPCC's Peatlands Under Threat Campaign aims to review the status of every peatland site in Ireland including

• a review and update of the boundaries, names, habitat and species designations of all existing and new peatland Special Areas of Conservation (SACs - a European Network of protected areas)


• a comparison of the IPCC's information on the boundaries, names and quality of all existing and new peatland Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) with similar information arising by a recent survey by the National Parks and Wildlife Service

Arising from these reviews the IPCC aims to publish a new strategic action plan to ensure longterm protection for Irish peatlands.

• Read the Irish Peatland Conservation Council Action Plan 2005


• Join the IPCC to support and get regular updates on their work

Kildare bog home to 21 of Ireland's 28(ish) butterfly species

Lullymore West Bog in Co. Kildare is being conserved by the Irish Peatland Conservation Council for its incredible diversity of butterflies. According to the IPCC:

"With 21 out of the 28 Irish resident breeding butterfly species finding refuge here, including the endangered Marsh Fritillary, this fragile wetland habitat is exceptional in Ireland... The remoteness of the bog is a double-edged sword. On the one hand it's fantastic for wildlife watching, but on the other it allows unscrupulous people to undertake anti-social activities at our bog, such as dumping, quad biking and tree felling."

In response the IPCC have developed a management plan to guide activities at the 4.5 hectare site for the next five years (to 2012). Plans include

• providing fencing, information signs and visitor guidance;
• carrying out habitat and species mapping and
• setting up a long term butterfly transect to enable ongoing monitoring.

You can find out more, see photos and donate to the Lullymore West project.

Other sources indicate that there are actually closer to 31 species of butterfly in Ireland.

Ireland's native reptile, the common lizard

Despite being partial to open, sunny, undisturbed and well drained habitats, Ireland's native common lizard thrives particularly well on Irish bogs. It also likes rough grassland, open woodland, woodland edges, sea cliffs, sand dunes, dry-stone walls, hedgerows, roadside verges, railway embankments, disused quarries or sandpits, suburban wasteland and golf courses. Not a fussy one is our lizard!

Our lovely lizard is a protected species
It was added to the species listed on Fifth Schedule of the Wildlife Act 1976 and Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 following the enactment of the Wildlife Act 1976 (Protection of Wild Animals) Regulations 1980. This means it receives full protection under Section 23 of the Wildlife Act 1976 and Section 31 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. Together these prohibit the hunting, taking or killings of common lizards and wilful interference or destruction of their breeding places or resting places.

1% of Ireland is internationally important wetland

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, is an intergovernmental treaty concerned with the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands (especially those of importance as wildfowl habitats) and their resources. It supports conservation cooperation and action at local, national and international levels. The 153 participating countries are required to nominate Wetlands of International Importance based on significance in terms of ecology, botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology. The Ramsar Convention currently lists 1631 such wetland sites. Ireland accounts for almost 3% of these.

1% of Ireland’s own land area is designated as Ramsar site

• Between 1984 and 1996, 45 wetlands in Ireland were designated, totalling 700 sq km
• Ireland has four times the average number of individual Ramsar sites per participating country
• However, each site being small, Ireland's total Ramsar site area is less than a 10th of the average per country
• Worldwide, Ramsar sites total over 1500000 sq km. Irish sites accounts for approximately .05% of the total area.

Peppered throughout Ireland

A map of Irish Ramsar sites is available from the Ramsar Sites Information Service. They are also listed below.

1. Wexford Wildfowl Reserve
2. The Raven
3. Pettigo Plateau
4. Slieve Bloom Mountains
5. Owenduff catchment
6. Owenboy
7. Knockmoyle/Sheskin
8. Lough Barra Bog
9. North Bull Island
10. Rogerstown Estuary
11. Baldoyle Bay
12. Clara Bog
13. Mongan Bog
14. Raheenmore Bog
15. Tralee Bay
16. Castlemaine Harbour
17. Easky Bog
18. The Gearagh
19. Coole Lough & Garryland Wood
20. Pollardstown Fen
21. Meenachullion Bog
22. Ballycotton Bay
23. Ballymacoda
24. Sandymount Strand/Tolka Estuary
25. The Broadmeadow Estuary
26. Dundalk Bay
27. Tramore Backstrand
28. Blackwater Estuary
29. Cork Harbour
30. Inner Galway Bay
31. Dungarvan Harbour
32. Bannow Bay
33. Trawbreaga Bay
34. Cummeen Strand
35. Killala Bay/Moy Estuary
36. Blacksod Bay and Broadhaven
37. Ballyallia Lough
38. Lough Corrib
39. Lough Derravaragh
40. Lough Ennell
41. Lough Glen
42. Lough Iron
43. Lough Owel
44. Lough Gara
45. Lough Oughter