More Trees Now at Síolta Chroí, Carrickmacross on the 29th and 30th of November
On the 29th and 30th of November the Ecosystem Restoration Community, Síolta Chroí invites all to an introductory event of More Trees Now: an initiative to plant more indigenous trees through circular forestry.
Continue readingNow that hedge cutting season is here again, it’s a chance to see what Teagasc are recommending for the management of hedges. Their key message is that there are two types of hedges based on structure, each with different biodiversity values and management requirements. Failure to distinguish between the two types can lead to confusion and inappropriate management. The Teagasc recommendation is that every farm should have some Escaped hedges and some Topped hedges. But first a reminder of what hedges bring to farms.
Continue readingWhy do hedges matter?
Environmental Benefits: Approximately 3000 km of hedgerows are removed every year in Ireland for a variety of reasons but campaigners are trying to minimise this area. That’s because hedges have enormous ecosystem benefits such as carbon sinks, mitigation of heavy rainfalls, homes for the wildlife who use the hedges as navigational corridors to spread throughout the landscape. Last week I had to stop the car as a red squirrel scurried across the road – he had come from the hedge, not a forest! Hedgerows also contain many of our oldest trees and are great seed source for native trees. The next picture explains some of the benefits.
Continue readingMonaghan Tidy Towns host Moth Event
Tidy Towns is about a lot more than just picking litter. Monaghan Tidy Towns has
made the enhancement of biodiversity one of it’s main focus areas in recent years.
With this in mind they organised a recent event on Moths in Monaghan. Moth traps
were set overnight in two local gardens as well as in Tom Youngs Wood (out the
Clones Rd) and at Peters Lake. These traps don’t harm the bugs, merely attract and
hold them until they can be recorded and released. If you are like myself, you
probably can’t name a single moth variety but Monaghan Tidy Town (led by the
capable Heather Bothwell) captured and identified over 20 different species!
Hedgerows Ireland Petition TD’s to Act
Have you ever rambled along a country road smelling the blossoms from overhanging trees and then reached in to the hedge to pick a few juicy blackberries? Or perhaps stooped down to the tar and gathered acorns where their little caps have popped off revealing a perfect oval nut? If so, then perhaps you’ll be interested in efforts being taken to protect Irish hedges. This week we look at a recent protest spearheaded by Hedgerows Ireland to highlight frustration with the inadequate protections and incentives for Irish hedges. During the protest the group handed over a signed letter and petition calling on the Minister to make immediate changes but first…
Who are Hedgerows Ireland?
Hedgerows Ireland are a broad alliance of interested parties that work towards the enhancement and protection of hedgerows in Ireland. The group is made up of landowners, farmers, nature lovers and more. Their website can be found at https://hedgerowsireland.org/ The group believe that hedgerows are key to solving or improving many of the challenges facing our countryside. These include:
One of our contributors wrote this article which was published in our weekly column in the Northern Standard. Find the full article here.
http://dermymcnally.com/2022/06/10/glaslough-going-for-gold-again/
I recently visited Seán Ó Conláin’s forest to learn about his efforts to work with nature while still making the forest economically viable.
Edergole Forest
Critics often complain that single species plantation forestry, especially conifers, are staid and lifeless areas. However this forest, located in the rolling hills of County Leitrim is wonderful. A towering ancient oak greets you on your approach up the driveway to the house. And behind the house, when you walk through Edergole forest you get a wonderful feeling of being immersed deep in nature. A wide range of plants grow under the canopy of high trees and the birds sing noisily in the background. The original hedgerows and ditches that once separated the original fields are still in situ and are rich with a mosaic of common countryside flora. So how did it get like this?
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL AND WHY MUST WE STOP CUTTING IT?
The recent move by Eamon Ryan to ban the harvesting of peat in Ireland caused an uproar. Peat has been used for heating and cooking in Ireland for centuries. Turbary rights, which are part of Ireland’s intangible cultural heritage, have meant that people living in homesteads in rural areas have inherited a right to cut and remove turf from specific plots of peatland linked to these dwelling houses. In more recent times, peat has been used commercially in horticulture and former peatlands have been used for afforestation and in agriculture. But, when we look at peat extraction, and the damage it is doing to what is left of our wetlands, against the backdrop of climate change, biodiversity loss and carbon sequestration, it is inescapably evident that extraction practices cannot continue. The growing impact of smoky fuels on human health also cannot be ignored.
SPARE A THOUGHT FOR THE CURLEW TODAY
The Curlew is a shorebird and is easily recognised by its long curving bill. As Ireland’s largest wader that is famous for its evocative call, the species is also distinguished by long legs, a bulky grey-brown body with dark streaks, and a long neck.
The long, curved beak is perfectly adapted for probing the wetlands, bogs, salt marshes and other watery terrain for food. The curlew feeds mostly on invertebrates and on insects, earthworms and larvae when wintering inland. According to the http://www.birdwatch.ie, numbers and range of the Curlew have declined substantially in recent decades and it is currently on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is likely that increased afforestation and agricultural intensification are two factors which have contributed to its decline. World Curlew Day raises awareness of curlews everywhere.
There are eight species of curlew worldwide and two are assumed extinct. The Eskimo and the Slender-Billed have not been seen for decades. Out of the remaining six species, there are three that are at risk of extinction – the Eurasian, the Bristle-thighed and the Far Eastern.
Photo: Fearghal Duffy
A SEVERE THREAT TO BIODIVERSITY AT A CRITICAL TIME
In recent weeks in County Monaghan, there have been reports of a number of wildlife crimes being committed – examples include the dredging of stretches of river where there are nesting birds, spawning fish and otters have been seen, and the cutting/removal of non-obscuring hedgerows with mature trees. The public is advised to report wildlife crimes to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) but the organisation is in disarray and County Monaghan has not been allocated a Wildlife Ranger. With no straightforward and immediate way to bring perpetrators to justice, they are currently having the last laugh at the expense of our wildlife. The biodiversity crisis is at a critical point and this cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.
Transition Monaghan 