Lichens of Ireland
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Online edition: ew 2009-0900 Print edition: ISSN 2009-8464 ISSUE 16 Autumn/Winter 2017 Lichens of Ireland From Local to Global Irish citizen scientists contributing to the global biodiversity database The Crayfish Plague Are we on the brink of Irish Crayfish extinction? Biodiversity Tales All the news from recording schemes for butterflies, bugs and birds Contents NEWS ......................................................................................................................................................3 Biodiversity Ireland Issue 16 Autumn/Winter 2017 Would you like to put your local wildlife on the map?.............................................6 Biodiversity Ireland is published by the National We.ask.some.of.Ireland’s.biodiversity.recorders.why.they.record Biodiversity Data Centre. Enquiries should be sent to the editor, Juanita Browne, [email protected] Annual Recorders Field Meeting 2017..................................................................................9 The National Biodiversity Data Centre, Beechfield House, WIT West Campus, Recorders.hit.windswept.Belmullet.in.search.of.the.Great.Yellow.Bumblebee Carriganore, Waterford. Tel: +353 (0)51 306240 GBIF: Global Biodiversity Information Facility ......................................................... .10 Email: [email protected] Web: www.biodiversityireland.ie Ireland.playing.its.part.in.recording.the.Earth’s.biodiversity Management Board Giving Irish wildlife a well-needed check-up ................................................................12 The National Biodiversity Data Centre is governed by Dr.Tomás.Murray.provides.an.update.on.Ireland’s.National.Biodiversity.Indicators a Management Board, established by the Heritage Council. The Management Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the work of the BIODIVERSITY BEGINNERS – Lichens .........................................................................14 National Biodiversity Data Centre and for ensuring proper corporate governance. Paul.Whelan.introduces.this.often.overlooked.group. The composition of the Management Board: BIODIVERSITY TALES .............................................................................................................17 Michael Starrett Chief Executive, Updates.on.Birds,.Whales,.Bryophytes.and.Bugs. The Heritage Council Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe Director, National Parks and Wildlife Service Staff of the National Biodiversity Data Centre Dr Matthew Jebb Director, National Botanic Gardens Dr Peter McLoughlin Head of School of Science Dr. Úna Fitzpatrick, Senior Barry O’Neill, Data and and Computing Ecologist, was responsible ICT Manager, is responsible Department, Waterford for the development of, and for the IT infrastructure and Institute of Technology oversees delivery of, the All- database management Nigel Monaghan Keeper, National Museum of Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015- activities of the Data Centre. Ireland – Natural History Division 2020, and is responsible for He developed the Citizen Jack Nolan Head of Nitrates, Biodiversity and the plant and vegetation work programmes of the Science Data Portal and other online data capture Engineering Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Data Centre. This includes management of the systems that are provided as shared services to National Vegetation Database and contributing to partner organisations. Rachel Kenny Director of Planning, An Bord Pleanála development of the Irish Vegetation Classification System. Declan Quigley Senior Port Office, Sea Fisheries Protection Authority Staff News – Dr Liam Lysaght, Centre Mark Wright Head of Evidence, Natural new appointments Environment Division, Northern Director, is responsible for Ireland Environment Agency setting the strategic direction Bernadette Guest Heritage Officer, Waterford City of the Data Centre and overall Juanita Browne, All-Ireland and County Council management of the operations Pollinator Plan Officer, is and work programme. He takes the lead on much of Dr. Micheál Lehane Director, responsible for engaging Print edition: ISSN 2009-8537 Environmental Protection Agency the Data Centre’s citizen science engagement and with partner organisations Online edition: ISSN 2009-8545 is responsible for building relations with partner The National Biodiversity Data Centre is an initiative of to assist implementation the Heritage Council and is operated under a service organisations. He also serves as Head of Delegation of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and to promote level agreement by Compass Informatics. The Centre for Ireland to the Global Biodiversity Information is funded by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the conservation of Ireland’s pollinators. She also Facility. The National Biodiversity Data Centre the Gaeltacht. contributes to communications activities of the Data ANNUAL Centre. view Dr Tomás Murray, Senior . Re Ecologist, deals with much Ben Malone, Administrative of the analysis, ecological and Engagement Officer, 2016 modelling and national is responsible for day-to- reporting work of the Data day office management Centre. His responsibilities include management of at the Centre. He also the Butterfly and Bumblebee Monitoring Schemes, has developed and is coordinating the Centre’s and delivery of the National Biodiversity Indicators, engagement and outreach programme, including and providing advice on biodiversity survey design. organising the capacity-building recorder workshops. Colette O’Flynn, Invasive Enya Cody, Intern, is the Species Officer, is responsible latest recruit to the Data for the Invasive Species work Centre. Enya is on a short- programmes of the Data Centre. term Internship, working She manages the National on the National Vegetation Invasive Species Database, Database and assisting with the invasive species provides coordination of invasive species data and work programme. information, and contributes advice and policy Cover: Teloschistes chrysophthalmus support at the national and European level. Courtesy of Paul Whelan, www.lichens.ie Director’s Comment . The National Biodiversity Plan 2017 –2021 . n. October. 5th,. the. the.All-Ireland.Pollinator.Plan.and.supporting.long-term. Minister.for.Culture,. monitoring..And.we.are.particularly.excited.by.our.plans. Heritage. and. the. to.begin.work.on.mapping.Key.Biodiversity.Areas.and. Gaeltacht. published. Biologically.Significant.Marine.Areas,.with.our.partners.. OIreland’s. third. National. This.is.the.kind.of.added.value.analysis.that.is.now.possible. Biodiversity.Plan..This.is.a.very. thanks.to.the.huge.amount.of.data.that.is.available.to.the. significant.milestone.for.Ireland’s. Data.Centre..Think.of.the.value.of.having.detailed.maps. biodiversity. as. it. sets. out. the. of.Ireland.and.its.marine.waters.that.identify.the.most. Government’s. plans. for. the. conservation. of. biological. important.areas.for.biodiversity,.using.scientific.criteria.based. diversity.up.to.2021..The.Plan.identifies.seven.key.objectives. on.empirical.data?.This.will.surely.provide.an.important. over.the.lifetime.of.the.plan:.to.mainstream.biodiversity,.to. additional.policy.tool.to.target.conservation.measures.. strengthen.the.knowledge.base,.to. increase.awareness.and.appreciation,. to.conserve.and.restore.biodiversity. …the Plan is not accompanied by any budget in.the.wider.countryside,.to.conserve. or real commitment to increase the amount and. restore. biodiversity. in. the. marine.environment,.to.improve.and. of spending to help biodiversity. expand.management.of.protected. areas.and.species,.and.to.strengthen.international.governance. A. clear. policy. statement. by. the. Government. on. the. for.biodiversity..Under.each.of.these.objectives.there.are. conservation.of.biological.diversity.is.very.welcomed,.and.it. a.series.of.actions.identified,.119.in.all,.and.an.associated. should.serve.as.the.rallying.call.around.which.the.biodiversity. performance.indicator,.against.which.progress.with.delivery. sector.galvanises. Yet.what.was.notable.about.the.publication. can.be.measured.. of.the.National.Biodiversity.Plan.was.how.it.was.met.with.a. A.glance.down.the.long.list.of.actions.sees.that.all.the.boxes. general.lack.of.enthusiasm.amongst.the.wider.biodiversity. are.ticked..New.legislation,.a.‘no.net.loss’.of.biodiversity. sector..One.reason.for.this,.perhaps,.is.that.the.publication.of. commitment,.increased.capacity.within.local.authorities. a.national.plan.alone.is.not.sufficient.to.engender.enthusiasm,. to.deal.with.biodiversity,.developing.a.Natural.Capital. but.must.be.accompanied.by.a.general.sense.of.drive.and. Asset.Register,.implementing.the.Climate.Change.Sectoral. energy.to.make.individuals.and.organisations.feel.that.this. Adaptation.Plan,.greening.Origin.Green,.implementing. is.a.new.beginning..Sadly,.there.is.little.evidence.that.its. a. mechanism. for. payment. of. ecosystem. services,. and. publication.will.radically.alter.the.current.trajectory.of.the. development.of.a.National.Biodiversity.Finance.Plan,.and. conservation.of.biological.diversity.efforts.in.Ireland..And.to. this.is.just.a.selection.of.the.actions.under.the.first.objective!. use.a.nature.metaphor,.the.elephant.in.the.room.is.that.the. It.is.hard.to.disagree.that.this.long.list.of.actions.is.needed;. Plan.is.not.accompanied.by.any.budget.or.real.commitment. if.they.were.implemented.then.the.conservation.of.biological. to.increase.the.amount.of.spending.to.help.biodiversity..This. diversity.should.be.in.a.much.better.state.than.it.is.at.the.end.of.