Currently celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Irish Wildlife Trust's stated mission to 'get people to open their eyes to nature' is going from strength to strength, writes SHARON NI CHONCHUIR
STRANGE sights awaited anyone venturing outdoors last Sunday. People craned their necks to watch bats flying overhead in Cavan. People bent over plants in the Burren, learning about their medicinal qualities. And in Wexford, people were led on a coastal safari, spotting seabirds and exploring ponds full of natterjack toads as they went.
These were some of the events organised as part of Wildlife Watch Weekend, the 30th anniversary celebration of the Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) – Ireland’s first national and only non-governmental wildlife organisation.
“Our aim is to get people to open their eyes to nature,” explains Paraic Fogarty, chairman of the trust. “If they do that, nature stands a better chance of being protected.”
This need to combine education with conservation has been the IWT’s rally cry since it was founded in 1979. Although Ireland is renowned for its green and unspoilt environment, many Irish people are unaware of the range of biodiversity that surrounds us – the hen harriers, lizards, bats and orchids that are to be found in our hedgerows, riversides, parks and woodlands.
“This is dangerous because it means we may not realise what we’ve got until it’s gone,” says Billy Flynn, an ecologist with the IWT. “Too often, the true impact of places and creatures are only understood when they are lost.”
This was a real risk in 1979. At that time, pesticides were commonly misused, fish kills were frequent and there was little or no wildlife protection.
“Money was tight and wildlife was far down the list of priorities,” remembers Billy. “Nature wasn’t being spoken for and it needed a voice.”
A group of concerned people, all sharing a passion for Ireland’s natural heritage, joined together and the IWT was born. Since then, the organisation has used its voice to effect significant changes.
In the early 1980s, it spearheaded the campaign to have Ireland’s territorial waters declared a sanctuary for whales, porpoises and dolphins. Other successes included gaining protection for seals and encouraging a change in attitude towards badgers.
Often unfairly blamed for spreading bovine tuberculosis, badgers used to be snared and baited by farmers. Thanks to the IWT’s awareness campaign, this now happens very rarely.
DESPITE SUCH achievements, Billy Flynn believes the IWT is as necessary as ever. He cites hen harriers as an example. This species has been classified as protected by the EU, but legislation has yet to be put in place here in Ireland.
“The IWT was formed when the environment was in trouble and this shows that we’re still in trouble today,” he maintains. “At times of recession, there tends to be a diversion away from environmental issues, but the problems dont go away. The IWT is as – if not more – necessary than ever.”
Last weekend’s celebrations were designed to draw the public’s attention to the richness of wildlife around them. However, it is but one example of the many different projects currently being undertaken by the IWT.
These projects tend to have one of two purposes: education or conservation. “They are at the heart of everything we do,” says IWT chairman Paraic Fogarty. “People have lost touch with nature. If we can get them back in touch with nature through education, conservation stands a better chance in the future.”
The IWT’s educational work with children includes Nature in the Parks and the OWLS Club. Nature in the Parks is a project that highlights the importance of caring for local parks; a message that will hopefully translate into less vandalism in our parks in future. The OWLS (or Outdoor Wildlife Learning and Survival) Club has approximately 200 members aged between seven and 12. They meet monthly, to build nest boxes in trees, learn how to make camp fires and have fun in nature. Confined to Dublin for now, there are plans to expand nationwide in the near future.
The IWT’s work with adults is just as varied. Its newly introduced pilot project Make it Wild is working with Tidy Towns groups in Laois, Westmeath, Roscommon, Dublin and Kildare to improve biodiversity in these areas.
The aim is to halt the loss in biodiversity by creating areas for wildlife and people to enjoy. Already, ponds have been dug and native trees planted, all of which encourages a greater range of wildlife.
One of the IWT’s most unusual projects is the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) watch. “These are important habitats all over Ireland that are protected by legislation,” explains Billy Flynn. “However, many of them are not in government ownership and are vulnerable. Our SAC watch is designed to help.”
More than 100 people have volunteered for this scheme since it was introduced in 2006. Over the course of 10 weekends, they are trained in how to monitor their local SAC.
“They learn all about the habitat, the wildlife to be found there and the different safeguards that are in place,” says Flynn. “Once they are trained, they can observe the SAC and pass on any concerns to the wildlife ranger.”
The IWT is also pushing for the protection of more habitats, with a particular emphasis on limestone pavements and hedgerows. With 36,300 hectares, Ireland has the most significant proportion of limestone pavement in the EU. This unique habitat – mostly to be found in the Burren – is home to more than 700 different flowering plants and ferns, 75 per cent of the total to be found in all of Ireland. And yet, despite various protective measures, it’s under threat from quarrying, agriculture, tourism and increased demand for rockery stone. “We need to protect it better,” insists Flynn.
HEDGEROWS ARE just as important. They serve as natural corridors, allowing for the dispersal and migration of flora and fauna. But more are being destroyed every year, often illegally.
The IWT is calling on the public to report people who cut hedges during nesting season – from February 1st to August 31st. “This is against the law and has a huge impact on wildlife,” says Flynn. “We shouldn’t stand for it.”
In fact, education and conservation aside, ensuring that the relevant legislation is implemented constitutes the majority of the IWT’s work. From objecting to a housing development that encroached on the habitat of the endangered corncrake in the Shannon Callows, to pushing for a prosecution in the case of the poisoned white-tailed eagles in Kerry, the IWT does all it can to protect the wildlife of Ireland.
Today, 30 years on from its foundation, it seems to be gaining in support. The number of branches has doubled in the past year and they are now to be found in Clare, Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Sligo, Tipperary and Waterford. Last Sunday’s Wildlife Watch also proved so popular with the public that there are plans to make it an annual event.
“We’ve achieved a lot in recent years but, we lost a lot to the Celtic Tiger too,” says Flynn. “What we must all realise is that come good times or bad, we have a wonderful natural heritage. Let’s make the most of it.”