Uncategorized @ga Archives - Coiste Bogaigh Ramsar na hÉireann

Rewetting project in West Clare with Clare Biodiversity Officer, a local farmer and community group

A project involving rewetting sections of a blanket bog near Mullagh in west Clare is aiming to boost biodiversity in the area. The blanket bog is being rewetted to provide a wildlife sanctuary for rare habitats and numerous species of conservation concern, including Merlin and Hen harrier. The project is a collaborative effort between local farmer Seán Tubridy, the Knocknahila Community Group, and Clare County Council. It is the second community-led peatland rewetting project to be undertaken in the county and the first of its kind in west Clare. The project, which aims to rewet sections of 27ac of peatlands, is funded by Clare County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

https://www.independent.ie/farming/forestry-enviro/clare-farmer-rewets-27-acres-of-bog-in-new-biodiversity-project-we-hope-this-can-be-an-example-to-others/a1624588728.html

Tara Challoner2025-04-18T12:26:57+00:00April 18th, 2025|

Irish Ramsar Meeting in Meath

Members of the Irish Ramsar Wetlands Committee met recently to receive updates from Ramsar Europe and to discuss our objectives for the coming year. We were facilitated by NPWS at Ireland’s newest National Park, Brú na Bóinne which forms part of the World Heritage Property here set within an extensive demesne along the River Boyne and valley in County Meath.

We listened to a very interesting talk from Shirley Clerkin project manager of the innovative Tóchar, an exciting wetlands restoration project in the Midlands. for more about what is happening under this project, see here Home – Tóchar Wetlands

Our visit coincided with the arrival of some special visitors. These Old Irish Goats are being introduced for conservation grazing to help restore part of the estate. The Old Irish Goat is Ireland’s indigenous landrace breed, now critically endangered and only found in remote mountain ranges roaming in feral herds. Using these goats to help restore habitats by their grazing helps to conserve the breed.

Tara Challoner2025-04-18T11:57:27+00:00April 18th, 2025|

River clean up Event walk and talk on the Inagh/Ballymacraven rivers

Date: Saturday March 1st

Time 11.00 am

Location: Meet at river path below front of Falls Hotel, Ennistymon (V95 D2PC)

All welcome. Please bring pickers, gloves and used heavy duty bags.

Tara Challoner2025-02-28T14:10:11+00:00February 28th, 2025|

Community Action: A Beginner’s Guide to Wetlands

The Community Wetlands Forum in association with Monaghan and Clare County Council Biodiversity officers have published a lovely and comprehensive guide to wetlands, especially designed for communities. Follow this link: Irish Wetlands

This guide contains information on different wetland habitat types and provides step- by -step guide for communities wishing to protect or manage a wetland.

Tara Challoner2025-02-28T13:57:30+00:00February 28th, 2025|

WWD – World Wetlands Day fast approaching. Lots of national event details to be posted very shortly

With World Wetland’s Day fast-approaching, keep an eye on this page and our Twitter feed for a large number of events on dates in and around 2nd February in celebration of wetlands in Ireland. In addition to events by IRWC committee members and their respective organisations, a number of NGOs, community groups and others are organising events – details of these will be posted here in the next few days. Watch out for an event near you!

Tara Challoner2025-01-22T13:58:22+00:00January 22nd, 2025|

World Wetlands Day 2024 – 20 counties hosting around 40 events

Our events page has the most up-to-date listing of the many and varied events happening around the island next month.

Many organisations have gone the extra mile this year to help celebrate wetlands and create opportunities for the public to gain a deeper enjoyment and appreciation.

NOTE THAT ON THE EVENTS https://www.irishwetlands.ie/events/PAGES CLICK NEXT AT THE BOTTOM, AS THE NUMBER OF EVENTS RUNS OVER SEVERAL PAGES. Few counties have no events (yet) and a number have multiple events happening.

A truly island-wide suite of activities in celebration of World Wetland’s Day with us punching well above our weight globally with respect to participation.

All sorts of events – outdoor walks, seminars, book launches, music, story-telling – you name it. Most are free and some you can join online from home.

Community groups, the Community Wetlands Forum, Local Authorities, LAWPRO, The Heritage Council, RSPB, Ulster Wildlife, Local Councils in NI, BTO, BirdWatch Ireland, NPWS.. the list goes on! An astounding effort which will undoubtedly do a great deal of awareness-raising for wetlands and their importance.

Undoubtedly some additional events will be posted here (details are awaited) so keep an eye on these pages and do enjoy your events and thank you all, organiser’s and participants.

Kendrew Colhoun2024-01-29T13:12:26+00:00January 28th, 2024|

Get ready for World Wetland’s Day 2024!!

World Wetland’s Day (WWD) is an annual global event celebrated annually on 02 February. The day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 02 February 1971 in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the mightly Caspian Sea.

The Standing Committee of the Convention has approved the theme of WWD in 2024 as “Wetlands and human wellbeing”.

The education team have produced very valuable accessible resources for universal access here: http://www.worldwetlandsday.org in multiple languages – these include posters, a campaign toolkit, powerpoint presentation, infographics and a video.. and more.

Wetlands need our help and to raise awareness about their importance for the proper functioning of the planet, as well as for our physical and human wellbeing across Ireland in and around February 2nd we will be signposting many events. These will be signposted here over coming weeks. If you wish to run an event in your local wetland sites please get in touch – we will try to support you.

Kendrew Colhoun2023-12-05T12:37:06+00:00December 5th, 2023|

Launch of the new Community Wetlands Forum CLG

Congratulations to the CWF team who announced their establishment as a newly independent company limited by guarantee, and in doing so, marking a significant milestone in their journey towards community-led wetland management.

The launch event, held on Monday 4 December 2023 at the Hudson Bay Hotel, Athlone on the edge of Lough Ree was attended by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD.

In existence for over 10 years, the CWF has a membership of over 40 community groups across Ireland. Members are undertaking projects across 23 protected or designated sites across Ireland, covering over 2270ha of wetlands.

The CWF invites everyone with an interest in wetland conservation and rural community development to get in touch. Find out more here: CWF website

Kendrew Colhoun2023-12-05T12:24:54+00:00December 5th, 2023|

World Wetland’s Day 2023 events

A number of national events are happening on or around the 2nd February nationally to celebrate World Wetland’s Day in Ireland. From bog restoration projects in the midlands to coastal waterbirds on the south coast, experts from the IRWC and partners (incl NPWS, Trinity College, local Heritage Officers, partner projects (incl Wild Atlantic Nature, LIFE on Machair, Coastwatch, Bord na Mona, LAWPRO and BirdWatch Ireland) are running online and outdoor events to walk and talk all things wetlands. Further details on all the events are being posted on the EVENTS page (https://www.irishwetlands.ie/events/) and check back as a few more events will be added shortly.

Note that useful resources for free download to support events or otherwise use for raising awareness about wetlands are available on the WWD website at https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/resources

Kendrew Colhoun2023-01-20T14:41:08+00:00January 20th, 2023|

Winners of the World Wetlands Day photo competition announced!

The River Lee, Ballincollig. ‘Lovely sense of place and time of year’. Overall winner (under 18) of the World Wetlands Day Photo Competition. Photo taken by Lucy Gallagher.

Whooper Swans rising from Kilcolman Fen. ’Very well captured. Evocative. I can hear them calling’. The overall winner (over 18) of the World Wetlands Day photo competition. Photo taken by James McGrath.

Award-winning wildlife camera man Colin Stafford-Johnson kindly agreed to select the overall winners of the World Wetlands Day Photo Competition. The WWD photo competition was organised by the IRWC and Wetlands Surveys Ireland to mark 50 years since the signing of the Ramsar Convention. The competition which ran over four months in 2021 had a great response and monthly winners were posted on the IRWC website. The winners will each receive a framed copy of their photo and an OPW Family Heritage Card.

The overall winner of the under 18 category was Lucy Gallagher from Cork. Colin Stafford -Johnson commented that this photo gave a ‘Lovely sense of place and time of year’

The overall winner of the over 18 category was James McGrath, also from Cork . Colin Stafford -Johnson commented that the Whooper Swans were, ’Very well captured. Evocative. I can hear them calling’.

Fine praise indeed for two photos which represent Ireland’s wonderful, varied, and vital wetlands.

Thanks to Colin Stafford-Johnson for judging the overall competition winners, to members of the IRWC (Niamh Fitzgerald of BirdWatch Ireland, Tadgh O’Mahony of the EPA, Mary Roache of Teagasc) and to Patrick Crushell of Wetland Surveys Ireland for judging the monthly competition winners. Thanks to the National Biodiversity Data Centre for their monthly prizes of Identification Swatch Packs and to the OPW for the overall winner prize of a Family Heritage Card.

IRWC2022-11-25T15:49:06+00:00March 2nd, 2022|