Almost all the wintering population of Light-bellied Brent Geese

Strangford Lough is a large (150 sq km) shallow sea lough situated on the east coast of Co. Down in Northern Ireland. About a third of the Lough is intertidal - at low tide huge expanses of sandflats are exposed at the northern end. At high tide this area is covered in shallow water.

Strangford Lough supports plentiful wildlife from common and grey seals and porpoise, to horse mussels, sea-anemones, kelp forests, soft corals, sea-cucumbers, curled octopus and sunstars. Burrowing in the finer sands are brittlestar, pelican's-foot shells, and the sea pens. Birds include waders such as dunlin, turnstone, black and bar-tailed godwits, plover and knots. In winter, these are joined with up to 15000 overwintering Brent geese along with flocks of knot, dunlin, curlew, redshank and oystercatcher. The decline of widgeon and arrival of Little Egrets are thought to be as a result of climate change.

In total, over 2000 marine animals and plant species have been found, including 72% of all the species recorded from around the Northern Ireland coast. Of these, 28 are found only in the Lough.

• Lots more information on the biodiversity and management of Strangford Lough can be found at http://www.strangfordlough.org/
• Visit the Castle Espie Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre which forms part of the Strangford Lough Ramsar site.

Save our squirrels

In many parts of Ireland, red squirrels are being outcompeted by non-native grey squirrels. However, a pilot project that is taking place throughout 2007, aims to preserve healthy populations of red squirrels in the West of Ireland. Here, the Shannon forms a natural barrier, inhibiting the spread of greys from East to West.

The project involves identifying suitable woodland habitat, and relocating red squirrels from other areas where they are at risk. In February, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) managed the relocation of 15 red squirrels from Portumna National Park in Co Galway to Derryclare Wood in Connemara. Squirrels are also due to be relocated to Belleek Wood in Co Mayo. The relocation approach conforms to strict International Union for the Conservation of Nature guidelines.

Conserving Ireland's 50,000 red squirrels

The IUCN's Red List categorises the Eurasian Red Squirrel as Near Threatened. The species is widespread, but suffering from habitat fragmentation and competition from introduced grey squirrels. It is estimated that for every 1 red squirrel in Ireland there are 5 greys (around 50,000 reds to 250,000 greys). However, a pilot relocation project West of the River Shannon (where there is less pressure from the greys) aims to restablish healthy populations in new habitats.

In Co. Galway, 15 red squirrels have recently been trapped and relocated from Portumna National Park to Derryclare Wood in Connemara. A second translocation of squirrels to the Coillte owned Belleek Wood in Co. Mayo has been approved by the Minister for the Environment Dick Roche. It is thought that Beleek Wood could support a population of 65 red squirrels but before any are introduced the Belleek Wood Enhancement Group and Coillte are improving the wood as squirrel habitat.

The Department of the Environment's National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is overseeing the work within guidelines from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

• Read the Proceedings of the Irish Red Squirrel Conservation Symposium, 2005 (PDF, 19 pages, 106KB)