# Biodiversity

Eoghan Daltun: 'Yes, state budget surpluses should be used to pay farmers to rewild their land'

The author and campaigner says if we are at all serious about reversing the death of Irish nature, we need to be rewilding on as big a scale as possible.

10.3k

Fri 6:00 AM

Rewilding row: Green minister warns of ‘horrible conservative scaremongering’ on EU nature law

Ossian Smyth said he was ‘not happy’ that Fine Gael’s EU party, the EPP had walked out of talks on the issue.

12.4k

Thu 5:16 PM

Last month

May 2023

# rewetting bogs

Some aspects of proposed Nature Restoration Law 'go too far' says Taoiseach

Leo Varadkar says some proposals in the new law do not fully recognise land use in Ireland.

20.6k

May 23rd 2023, 8:18 PM

Degraded land in Dublin mountains to be restored under new biodiversity project

The project is seeking to restore land and improve biodiversity across 2,000 hectares around the Glenasmole Valley.

16.3k

May 22nd 2023, 7:38 PM

Biodiversity: The Bee Guy shares some home truths about saving the bees

Paul Handrick of the Bee Sanctuary is taking issue with the direction of the ‘save the bees’ narrative.

16.9k

May 20th 2023, 7:00 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

Green MEPs 'very' concerned by opposition to plan for restoring nature and rewetting Irish bogs

A report by

Lauren Boland

Two Green MEPs from Ireland and Germany gave an in-depth interview to The Journal on the proposed Nature Restoration Law.

19.2k

May 20th 2023, 12:05 AM

Extract: 'There is a legend that all the Irish rivers were created by a single hailstorm'

Ecologist and author, Richard Nairn shares an excerpt from his new book Wild Waters.

11.2k

May 8th 2023, 7:00 PM

# deer forum

Over 80% believe national deer herd is damaging biodiversity as call for cull grows

Over 1,500 people took part in a public consultation on the issue.

17.2k

May 8th 2023, 11:04 AM

This year

2023

Children's assembly on biodiversity calls on Ireland to 'treat the Earth like family'

Young people aged seven to 17 have created nearly 60 recommendations on protecting and restoring Ireland’s biodiversity.

6.1k

Apr 22nd 2023, 6:00 AM

Opinion: We have many lost Irish woodlands - let's document, cherish and protect them

The best place to rebuild our native woodlands is from the remnants of ancient ones which still exist, writes Ray Ó Foghlú.

11.3k

Mar 18th 2023, 7:00 AM

The Bee Guy: It's Mother's Day soon, so let's pause and thank the original mother - this planet

Paul Handrick of The Bee Sanctuary pays tribute to his late mother and the way she inspired him to champion biodiversity.

9.5k

Mar 13th 2023, 9:30 PM

Over half of Ireland’s native plants have declined since the 1950s

A 20-year research project blamed agriculture, climate change and non-native invasive species for the decline.

7.7k

Mar 8th 2023, 9:08 AM

United Nations reach landmark agreement to protect ocean life

An agreement to protect marine life in the regions outside national boundary waters, known as the high seas, had been discussed for more than 20 years.

6.7k

Mar 5th 2023, 4:56 PM

# Drop the shears

Public reminded not to cut hedges from today to protect nesting birds

The annual summer ban comes into force comes into force today until the end of August.

17.6k

Mar 1st 2023, 7:46 AM

THE MORNING LEAD

Ireland fares worst at managing protected nature sites in new EU report

A report by

Niall Sargent

Out of 10 countries, Ireland underperformed in every measure aimed at protecting at-risk species such as the curlew and corncrake.

Report examined the effectiveness of measures to protect vulnerable species in Special Protection Areas (SPAs)

No Irish case had targeted, measurable and time-bound conservation measures to deliver the favourable status of species

"Incomplete and/or irregular” monitoring of many species also found

11.9k

Feb 2nd 2023, 12:05 AM

Assembly on biodiversity calls on Government to reassess aims of Coillte at final meeting

The assembly’s conclusions so far include that the State has “comprehensively failed” on biodiversity.

16.4k

Updated

Jan 22nd 2023, 12:39 PM

Two thirds of reef sharks and rays risk extinction due to climate change and overfishing

Sharks are under most threat in the Western Atlantic and parts of the Indian Ocean.

6.2k

Jan 17th 2023, 7:08 PM

Last year

2022

Malcolm Noonan: It's not enough to watch threatened species struggle to survive

The Green Party TD looks at the agreement at Cop 15 Biodiversity conference in Canada and says time is running out for nature.

7.4k

Updated

Dec 20th 2022, 8:56 PM

Opinion: Our fields may be green, but we are failing to protect biodiversity

Professor Jane Stout looks at the COP15 UN biodiversity conference underway in Canada and reminds us why it is so important.

9.8k

Updated

Dec 13th 2022, 10:20 AM

Pesticide lobbyists pushing against environmental protections, research finds

A UN conference in Montreal is trying to finalise a new framework for living in harmony with nature.

8.8k

Dec 8th 2022, 8:02 PM

# COP15

Call to deliver global deal for nature at UN biodiversity conference

Cop15 talks kick off in Montreal this week, with pressure on to strike an historic deal to reverse nature declines.

3.6k

Dec 4th 2022, 12:24 PM

# Australia

Australia to lobby against ‘endangered’ status for Great Barrier Reef

A UN report released yesterday warned that without ‘ambitious, rapid and sustained’ climate action, the world’s largest coral reef is in peril.

14.7k

Nov 29th 2022, 9:18 AM

Citizens' Assembly on biodiversity to hear from Dr Jane Goodall at final meeting

The assembly will send recommendations to the government on how to solve the biodiversity emergency.

8.5k

Nov 26th 2022, 6:45 AM

Opinion: The war in Ukraine is also a war on nature

Ukrainian writer and journalist Polina Bashkina is living in Ireland while war rages at home – she looks at the impact the war is having on the environment.

12.0k

Oct 16th 2022, 7:30 AM

Opinion: This planet is not one we 'own' - it's a resource we share

Environmental campaigner Jamie Rohu says we must rethink our relationship with the natural world.

8.5k

Updated

Oct 1st 2022, 1:00 PM

# marine biodiversity

UN session on high seas biodiversity ends without agreement

After 15 years, negotiators have yet to reach a legally binding text to address the multitude of issues facing international waters.

6.6k

Aug 27th 2022, 10:20 AM

# Kerry

Taoiseach releases eagle chicks in biodiversity initiative to restore native bird to Irish skies

This year a total of sixteen young eagles will be released at three sites across Munster.

11.7k

Aug 5th 2022, 2:37 PM

Opinion: In order to tackle the climate crisis, we must look to collective action

Dr Patrick Bresnihan and Dr Fiadh Tubridy write that action on social problems should be considered a core part of the climate movement.

9.8k

Updated

Jul 21st 2022, 10:40 AM

# Bye Son

Two bison from Ireland are now roaming a UK forest for biodiversity

A Scottish matriarch and two Irish youngsters have been released, with a German bull set to complete the herd.

25.1k

Jul 18th 2022, 12:30 PM

# factory farm

The Explainer x Noteworthy: Is Ireland a dumping ground for poultry manure?

Noteworthy’s Niall Sargent and journalist Ella McSweeney tell Susan Daly about concerns over the cross-border poultry manure trade.

3.9k

Jul 9th 2022, 9:30 AM

'The ocean is not a rubbish dump': UN tells leaders to take action on protecting seas

At the heart of a draft biodiversity treaty is a plan to designate 30% of land and oceans as protected zones by 2030.

11.9k

Jul 1st 2022, 10:32 PM

# Investigation

Peat’s Sake: Leading company under EPA spotlight for potential unlicensed extraction

Noteworthy investigation reveals Klasmann-Deilmann Ireland is one of a dozen large-scale peat extractors currently being investigated by the environmental watchdog.

The Irish branch of peat giant Klasmann-Deilmann is being investigated by the EPA in relation to peat extraction in the Midlands, writes Noteworthy’s Niall Sargent

In June 2021, the EPA warned Klasmann it was of the view that the company was committing a serious and ongoing breach of EU environmental law

Almost a dozen other large-scale peat extractors are also under investigation by the environmental watchdog

29.5k

Jun 20th 2022, 12:05 AM

# citizens assembly

Citizens' Assembly on biodiversity loss to visit three examples of biodiversity management

The assembly is tasked with making recommendations to the Oireachtas on how the State should tackle biodiversity loss.

8.4k

Jun 11th 2022, 7:00 AM

# Investigation

Over the Hill: Persistent overgrazing causing 'devastation' in vulnerable habitats

Many upland areas are experiencing ongoing grazing pressure and degradation, with rare plants disappearing.

Many upland areas are experiencing grazing pressure and degradation, with rare plants disappearing

Anthea Lacchia of investigative platform Noteworthy reports that overgrazing remains an issue despite being recognised as a problem for at least two decades

Protected areas will be lost if farmers are not given more support, according to experts

21.0k

Jun 5th 2022, 12:04 AM

€17 million needed to save Ireland’s most threatened birds says BirdWatch Ireland

The organisation says that several ground nesting birds are at risk of extinction without funding for conservation schemes.

17.7k

May 23rd 2022, 7:00 PM

The Bee Guy: On World Bee Day, let's not just focus on the honey bees

Paul Handrick says time is running out for wild bees but there’s lots we can do to help.

15.9k

Updated

May 20th 2022, 10:09 AM

# planting a seed

New Citizens' Assembly on biodiversity loss officially launched at first meeting today

Over the next six months, a citizens’ assembly will hear evidence and made recommendations for the good of Ireland’s biodiversity.

13.9k

Updated

May 14th 2022, 7:25 PM

# Decline

At least one in five reptile species threatened by extinction in biodiversity crisis

Before now, researchers did not have a comprehensive picture of the risk to reptiles.

10.2k

Apr 27th 2022, 9:59 PM