New Nature Reserve for IWT

18th Feb, 2010.

The IWT is delighted to announce the latest addition to our collection of nature reserves around Ireland. Newcastle lake is situated in north county Meath and is an important site for the county's biodiversity. It is home to Kingfishers, Otters, Cormorants and Ravens. In winter Atlantic salmon pass through it to spawn in the river Dee while wildfowl, including Whooper swans, roost on its calm surface. In summer the air buzzes with dragonflies and swooping Daubenton's bats. This fantastic reserve brings to five the total under IWT management.

The IWT has a network of reserves around the county that it aspires to expand in the future in order to protect more and more of Ireland’s wildlife and their habitats. Our other reserves are wet grassland sites in Macroom Co. Cork, and in the Shannon Callows a unique area flooded annually by the river Shannon and important for many bird species such as Lapwing and Corncrake. The IWT also owns a bogland reserve at Boora Bog Co. Offaly and manages a reserve within Co. Dublin along the banks of the river Tolka at Ashtown.

The Newcastle Lake reserve is privately owned and is not accessible to the public. However there will be guided tours later in the year for those who would like to visit and these will be open to all IWT members. IWT membership subscriptions partly go towards managing these reserves for the benefit of wildlife so every new member counts! Go to www.iwt.ie to become a member today.
ENDS

Contact:

For further information please contact Kieran Flood IWT Reserves Officer

Ph: 01 860 2839 or E-mail

Whither Goff's Wood?

The remnants of the old house.



Clearance at the back of Snowcream











Sign trying to prevent access along right of way






Where the bridge used to (originally built when Queen Victoria was planning to visit)








Fence blocking right of way...except for hole!









The original ornamental garden pond.















The waterfall.







Some of the larger trees (TPO's?)










One of the 2 swathes cut through down to the river for the planned marina?






Warning sign on the right of way.






Some older trees left at the front of Snowcream...but where is the sound barrier gone?






Clearance at the front of Snowcream






Step 1: build a wall so nobody can see what you are doing...widening the road was the excuse.

Launch of International Year of Biodiversity

The National Biodiversity Data Centre have relaunched their website.

Some of the main features of the website include:

* Easy access to 1.07 million observations of Ireland’s wildlife,
* Provisional distribution maps of 8,545 Irish species, presented on a national GIS mapping system Biodiversity Maps
* An online submission form to enable observers submit sightings of Ireland’s wildlife to the National Biodiversity Database;
* An internet data portal linking the Data Centre with the other key national sighting schemes,
* A latest news feature to highlight any new developments in wildlife recording and surveying in Ireland,
* The Centre’s calendar of Events for 2010,
* An on-line library of digital images of some of Ireland’s species freely available to download for use in publications, presentations and other uses.

Lismore Callows walk

The next outing will be to the Lismore Callows on Sunday February 21st. Meet at Woodies carpark at 1245pm or go direct to The Towers on the road to Ballyduff, c5km from Lismore, at 2pm to view the waterbirds, followed by a walk to through the woods to see the towers. The walk leader will be Denis Cullen.

Blackwater Callows

Grid reference: X0199 west to W9299.

Ordnance Survey Discovery map: number 81

Habitat: Flooded pasture-fields (callows) along R. Blackwater; extensive woodlands.

Main interest: Wintering wildfowl and waders.

Climate Emissions

A colleague of mine in Oregon sent me this interesting map. If you want to see the full article, click here

Great news for Waterford Coastline

An Bord Pleanála finally released its decision on the hotel, golf and housing complex at Garrarus and Kilfarrasy proposed by Islandikane Developments Ltd. The decision is a complete refusal to grant planning permission and one which overturns Waterford County Council’s decision to grant permission in Feb 2009.

This refusal by An Bord Pleanála is the decision that the Garrarus group have worked so hard to create a case for and the Bord has recognised and reiterated the compelling reasons to preserve the site as one that is characterised by its open landscape, rural style settlement and special habitats. To read a copy of the Bord’s decision click here.

This is a landmark decision by the Bord which should provide a test case which can set a precedent to prevent similar style developments on other areas of special protection in Ireland. The positive response by the Bord to the appeals it received arguing against this development is one that substantiates the effort, expertise and dedication of all those involved in making these appeals.

This result is the culmination of each and every submission that was lodged with Waterford County Council Planning Authority as all of these were part of the file that was submitted to An Bord Pleanála and so there are many, many people who have contributed to this outcome. The GDCR would like to thank everyone for the support, advice and work that they have undertaken in order to contribute and participate in the campaign of opposition to the proposed development. Their website is here.

We have preserved, for now, the landscape, character and unspoilt beauty of the place in which we live and relax and this is no small victory.

Don't be a nanny, visit the goats!

Irish Wildlife Trust November Outing

The Waterford branch of the IWT invite you to join them on a walk and visit to the Bilberry goats. This will take place on Sunday, November 22nd. The walk will leave from outside the Brewery, just past Rice Bridge, starting at 2 pm. The route will take us out Bilberry and up Quarry Road to the goats and then back by Gracedieu and Summerhill to the start point. Points of interest in addition to the goats include urban wildlife and the natural history of the River Suir.
All are welcome.
Check out the Bilberry Goats Blog or the website for more information about the goats.

Walk leader Ray McGrath.
For more information, telephone 051 382629 and 085 746 8102.