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Wednesday 29 November 2023 Dublin: -1°C

# Nature

Last month
October 2023
Quiz: Can you recognise these native Irish trees from their leaves?
Ireland has 28 species of native tree, can you tell them apart?
43.3k
25
Oct 28th 2023, 10:00 PM
Algal blooms raise 'alarm bell' at Blessington Lake in wake of Lough Neagh disaster
The blooms can be harmful for human and animal health and for the environment.
14.7k
8
Oct 4th 2023, 4:30 PM
This year
2023
Citizens' assembly on biodiversity loss had 'no urban-rural divide' in forming recommendations
The Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action met this morning to hear from members of last year’s Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss.
6.2k
10
Sep 19th 2023, 1:04 PM
Analysis: From the Curlew to the Natterjack Toad - how are Ireland's native species doing?
Conservationist Mary McGrath looks at Ireland’s indigenous species and the ways we can all help them survive.
11.0k
10
Sep 17th 2023, 8:30 AM
Puffins leaving Skellig Michael a few days early 'not a cause for concern'
The National Parks and Wildlife Service said it does not yet know the reason for the earlier departure.
17.1k
20
Aug 3rd 2023, 10:49 AM
What would the collapse of an important Atlantic Ocean current mean for Ireland?
A Maynooth oceanographer said the collapse of this important ocean current would transform the climate of Ireland into one more akin to that of Iceland.
41.3k
80
Jul 29th 2023, 9:00 PM
Nature Restoration Law gets green light from EU Parliament, including all Irish MEPs
Despite previous divisions over the highly debated law, all of Ireland’s 13 MEPs ultimately backed it in this morning’s vote.
32.9k
59
Updated
Jul 12th 2023, 12:35 PM
Finalists for RTE’s wildlife photography competition Eye on Nature announced
Which is your favourite?
12.0k
9
Jun 20th 2023, 4:30 PM
'Extremely disappointing': Water quality in rivers and lakes fails to make upward strides
Improvements in water quality in some areas last year were matched by a similar rate of decline in others, the EPA has found.
13.8k
35
Updated
Jun 14th 2023, 2:35 PM
Tracking project aims to solve mystery of where Irish cuckoos migrate to in winter months
The project will satellite track the migration routes of four Irish cuckoos in an attempt to understand habitat pressures.
10.0k
10
Jun 8th 2023, 1:46 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.
16.4k
8
May 22nd 2023, 7:38 PM
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.
19.5k
19
May 20th 2023, 12:05 AM
PSNI investigating after two native eagles found dead in Co Antrim
The bird is the UK’s largest native bird of prey.
9.2k
14
May 17th 2023, 6:52 PM
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.
11.4k
6
May 8th 2023, 7:00 PM
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.
6.2k
5
Apr 22nd 2023, 6:00 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.
9.6k
5
Mar 13th 2023, 9:30 PM
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.
17.7k
8
Mar 1st 2023, 7:46 AM
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
12.1k
20
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.
16.5k
14
Updated
Jan 22nd 2023, 12:39 PM
Study finds Greenland ice sheet is at its warmest level in past 1,000 years
Findings suggest between 2001 and 2011 the ice sheet was on average 1.5C warmer than during the 20th century.
6.2k
15
Jan 18th 2023, 4:33 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.
7.5k
8
Updated
Dec 20th 2022, 8:56 PM
Fossil ‘overturns more than a century of knowledge about origin of modern birds’
Each of the roughly 11,000 species of birds on Earth today is classified into one of two groups, based on the arrangement of their palate bones.
20.4k
7
Nov 30th 2022, 9:43 PM
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
6
Nov 26th 2022, 6:45 AM
Commission warns Ireland over ‘stalled’ action to halt extraction in protected peatlands
The State has two months to act or potentially face legal action before the European Court of Justice.
9.6k
14
Sep 30th 2022, 11:53 AM
Leaves fall early in UK after heatwave as experts warn of Ireland's vulnerability
The Devon Wildlife Trust said it has observed signs of ‘false autumn’ at 60 nature reserves.
64.0k
29
Aug 27th 2022, 7:00 AM
Opinion: Rivers are our last true wilderness in Ireland
Author John Connell writes about how a canoe trip in lockdown showed him the importance of the country’s waterways.
14.7k
9
Jun 18th 2022, 7:00 AM
The Bee Guy: Diary of a mother bumble bee stuck at the window
Paul Handrick charts the story of that one bee you hear tapping at the window to get out, and he asks us to help her escape.
21.6k
11
Apr 18th 2022, 9:00 PM
The Bee Guy: The girls are back in town - tips for helping the bumblebee queens
Paul Handrick has some helpful advice for keeping queen bumblebees alive if you see them in trouble.
30.0k
9
Mar 26th 2022, 8:00 AM
BirdWatch Ireland calls for reports of invasive parrot species after sightings in Dublin park
The birds have been spotted in Griffith Park in Drumcondra.
67.3k
42
Feb 19th 2022, 8:00 PM
Taoiseach to bring proposal to Cabinet to form citizens' assembly on biodiversity
Campaigners have been waiting for the assembly to be called since a biodiversity emergency was declared in 2019.
5.4k
8
Feb 2nd 2022, 3:47 PM
Egyptian vulture spotted in Co Roscommon
The male bird was first observed yesterday morning by the National Parks and Wildlife Services warden.
55.8k
38
Jan 1st 2022, 5:10 PM
All time
Crackdown sees 50 cases launched against illegal hedge cutting this year
A report by
Niall Sargent
Action by National Parks and Wildlife Service this year represents huge increase; only 70 cases were taken across the whole previous decade.
Huge crackdown on illegal cutting during bird nesting season over the past two years, writes Niall Sargent of Noteworthy
Since 2020, the wildlife service has taken as many cases to court as it did between 2010 and 2019
Over €45,000 was paid by guilty parties in fines, costs and donations to charities this year alone
44.6k
18
Dec 20th 2021, 12:05 AM
'It is urgent': 'Frustration' that still no date set for Citizens' Assembly on biodiversity
The 2020 Programme for Government committed to progressing an assembly on this topic.
This planned Citizens' Assembly is currently "under discussion at a senior level" between two government departments.
Environmentalists have said it's "frustrating" to still be awaiting a timeline for the assembly.
Ireland declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019.
The Explainer x Noteworthy: What can be done to halt the decline of our precious biodiversity?
Loss of Ireland's biodiversity is accelerating - and we're missing the chance to halt it
5.2k
3
Oct 12th 2021, 12:05 AM
A win for farming, a win for nature: scheming for sustainability
Farm subsidies to protect biodiversity need to be channelled into results-led projects.
16.7k
7
Oct 8th 2021, 7:00 AM
Komodo dragon and two in five shark species in danger of becoming extinct
About 28% of the 138,000 species assessed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature are now at risk of vanishing.
16.9k
15
Sep 4th 2021, 3:45 PM
Funding failure: Most of Ireland's biodiversity spend goes on schemes that have little impact
Ireland’s overall spending on biodiversity protection is also under internationally-accepted levels.
14.2k
10
Aug 28th 2021, 9:15 AM
Loss of Ireland's biodiversity is accelerating - and we're missing the chance to halt it
A report by
Niall Sargent
Noteworthy reveals virtually no protected sites have management plans and Ireland is moving further away from a target for effective nature conservation.
A host of iconic Irish species and habitats are under threat, writes Niall Sargent in first part of Noteworthy's investigation into biodiversity loss
Virtually none of our protected nature areas have management plans
An expert forum has labelled the State as the “biggest transgressor of environmental law in Ireland”
26.4k
42
Aug 27th 2021, 12:05 AM
Quiz: How much do you know about flowers?
Test your knowledge.
55.2k
15
Apr 24th 2021, 10:00 PM
Merlin Sheldrake: 'Fungi are metabolic wizards - they can explore, scavenge and salvage ingeniously'
The biologist and writer shares an extract from his book Entangled Life.
9.7k
9
Apr 17th 2021, 8:30 AM
Almost 50% increase in Irish birds on endangered list following 'alarming' population declines
One in four birds is now on the so-called red list.
17.1k
21
Apr 15th 2021, 8:13 AM
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