“A RIVER ECOSYSTEM is incredibly complex and there are oodles of species that rely on it from microorganisms… all the way up to mammals.”

Elaine McGoff, Natural Environment Officer with An Taisce, speaking on this week’s episode about the vast amount of wildlife that are impacted by vegetation clearance processes along the banks and in the channels of rivers in Ireland.

That was the subject of Noteworthy’s recent BREAKING THE BANKS investigation which found these habitats are being destroyed in Ireland, according to experts, with many expressing serious concerns over the environmental impact of arterial drainage maintenance activities. 

These experts are are calling for the Arterial Drainage Act – which mandates the maintenance of vegetation on the channels, both on the banks and inside the channel – to be revisited and updated.

This week, as a bonus episode of The Explainer brought to you by our investigative platform Noteworthy, Susan Daly chats with reporter Anthea Lacchia about the findings of her investigation alongside An Taisce’s Elaine McGoff.

https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/by-noteworthy-are-public-works-on-our-rivers-damaging-biodiversity

RELATED READ

• Breaking the Banks: ‘Vicious circle’ of public works ‘degrading’ Ireland’s rivers

This episode was put together by presenter Susan Daly and producers Nicky Ryan and Laura Byrne, with thanks to Noteworthy’s Maria Delaney.