Online edition: ew 2009-0900 Print edition: ISSN 2009-8464 I S S U E 2 1 | Spring/Summer 2021 Chasing Dragons How to become a Dragonfly Recorder Sightings News The latest updates on Bats, Birds and Bugs The National Biodiversity Data Centre Ireland’s biodiversity is under threat. track how it is changing over time, Like elsewhere in the world, biodiversity and communicate the importance of loss is depriving future generations conserving biodiversity. of its intrinsic and monetary value. Addressing these knowledge gaps and International conventions, nature building the scientific evidence base to protection legislation and national help its conservation is central to the initiatives have been supported by the work of the National Biodiversity Data Biodiversity Ireland Issue 21 Spring/Summer 2021 Irish government to address biodiversity Centre. Biodiversity Ireland is published by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. Enquiries should be sent to loss and improve the quality of life of its Find out more about what we do from the editor, Juanita Browne, [email protected] citizens. The National Biodiversity Data the publication: Introducing the National The National Biodiversity Data Centre, Centre is one such initiative. Biodiversity Data Centre Beechfield House, WIT West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford. In order to conserve Ireland’s Tel: +353 (0)51 306240 biodiversity, we need to document https://www.biodiversityireland.ie/ Email: [email protected] Web: www.biodiversityireland.ie what biodiversity we have, understand wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Intro_ Advisory Board how it is distributed across the island to_Data_Centre.pdf The Heritage Council has established a high-level of Ireland and its marine waters, Advisory Board to provide strategic input to the delivery of the Data Centre's work programme: Rachel Kenny Chair of Board & Director of Staff of the National Biodiversity Data Centre Planning, An Bord Pleanála Juanita Browne, Dr. Michelle Larkin Bernadette Guest Heritage Officer, Waterford City Pollinator Plan Community is providing Maternity Cover to and County Council and Engagement Officer, is oversee delivery of the Protecting Dr Matthew Jebb Director, National Botanic Gardens responsible for engaging with Farmland Pollinators EIP project. partner organisations to assist This project is funded by the Dr. Micheál Lehane Director, implementation of the All-Ireland European Innovative Partnership Environmental Protection Agency Pollinator Plan and to promote the conservation programme and aims to test evidence-based actions of Ireland’s pollinators. This post is supported by to provide food, safety, and shelter for pollinators on Dr Peter McLoughlin Head of School of Science the National Parks and Wildlife Service. She also farmland. and Computing contributes to communications activities of the Data Department, Waterford Centre. Dr Liam Lysaght, Institute of Technology Centre Director, is responsible for Oisín Duffy, setting the strategic direction Nigel Monaghan Keeper, National Museum of Surveys and Records Officer, has of the Data Centre, overall Ireland – Natural History Division responsibility for the management management of the operations of Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal and work programme, and building Jack Nolan Head of Nitrates, Biodiversity and and the data validation processes of partnerships with other organisations. He is an Engineering Division, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with partners. He provides active active recorder and helps with the delivery of the Data support to the recording network to improve the Centre’s work programme on butterflies, birds and Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe Director, National Parks quality and quantity of data submitted. mammals. He also serves as Head of Delegation for and Wildlife Service Ireland to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility Dr. Úna Fitzpatrick, (GBIF). Declan Quigley Senior Port Office, Sea Fisheries Senior Ecologist, is responsible for Protection Authority the development of, and oversees Colette O’Flynn, delivery of, the All-Ireland Invasive Species Officer, is Virginia Teehan Chief Executive, Pollinator Plan, and is responsible responsible for the Invasive Species The Heritage Council for the plant and vegetation work programmes of the Data work programmes of the Data Centre. This includes Centre. She manages the National The National Biodiversity Data Centre is a programme management of the National Vegetation Database and Invasive Species Database, of the Heritage Council and is operated under a contributing to development of the Irish Vegetation provides coordination of invasive species data and service level agreement by Compass Informatics. The Classification System. information, and contributes advice and policy support Biodiversity Data Centre is funded by the Department at the national and European level. of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Dr. Michelle Judge, Data Manager and GBIF Node Niamh Phelan, Manager, has responsibility Administrative and Engagement for maintaining the National Officer, is responsible for day-to- Biodiversity Database and day office management at the publishing biodiversity data Centre and spearheading the through Biodiversity Maps. In addition, she looks Centre’s engagement and outreach after the National Biodiversity Indicators and the data programme. analysis for the Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Dave Wall, Dr Saorla Kavanagh, Citizen Science Officer, is responsible Farmland Pollinator Officer, is the for the Explore Your Shore! and Project Manager of the Protecting Dragonfly Ireland 2019-2024 Farmland Pollinators project citizen science projects. He also which seeks to test evidence- takes the lead on developing the based actions to make farmland Data Centre’s work programme on citizen science and more pollinator-friendly. This is a five-year project all marine biodiversity activities. funded under the European Innovative Partnership programme. Ruth Wilson Farmland Pollinator Officer, is Sarah Kelly, responsible for implementing Agri-business Officer, is working actions in the All-Ireland Pollinator on supporting Origin Green Plan that relate to making farmland Companies to delivery more pollinator friendly. The post biodiversity measures to support is supported by the Department of Agriculture, Food implementation of the All-Ireland and the Marine. Pollinator Plan. This post is supported by Bord Bia. Cover: Hairy Hawker, mid-May 2018 © Kevin Collins Director’s Comment OVID-19 travel restrictions change. There are many organisations who focus on a particular meant people had little aspect of biodiversity recording and conservation, and there are Coption but to explore their ample opportunities to get involved and benefit from the support immediate locality. Clearly, for many and expertise they provide. people, engagement with biodiversity One of the more important and rewarding aspects of recording was an important aspect of their lives is participation in some of the monitoring activities, where during lockdown. More than 170,000 repeated visits to a standard methodology provide invaluable records were submitted through data to enable us to track changes. There are many schemes, Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal, depending on your time and interest. For example, doing regular which was up by more than 30% on the 2019 figure. 15-minute counts of the butterflies in your garden or a 10-minute Anyone can engage with biodiversity; just going for a walk and Flower-Insect-Timed Count provide valuable data on insect enjoying the sights and sounds of the natural world around us populations. Doing a monthly bumblebee or weekly butterfly does wonders for our mental health. We do not need to be able to transect walk provides data to enable us to generate national name and label everything we see to appreciate a healthy, diverse trends in populations. Organisations like BirdWatch Ireland, Bat environment. But gaining a better knowledge of biodiversity does Conservation Ireland, Moths Ireland and the Irish Whale and open a window to a wonderful, rich, life-long learning experience Dolphin Group also provide many opportunities for volunteers that more and more people are enjoying. to make a meaningful contribution to better understanding Gaining a better understanding of biodiversity can be a biodiversity. daunting task, particularly for those coming to it for The National Biodiversity Data Centre provides the the first time. People need support and encouragement infrastructure to support biodiversity engagement and to help them get involved with biodiversity and begin recording, and supports a network of recorders to provide a this learning process. The National Biodiversity Data Centre provides the infrastructure to support sense of community for anyone who gets involved. biodiversity engagement and recording, and supports a network As the weather seems to be finally warming up make sure of recorders to provide a sense of community for anyone who to get outdoors this summer to explore and learn more about gets involved. Ireland’s biodiversity. If you can, please get involved with the Throughout this issue of Biodiversity Ireland, there is evidence recording and monitoring activities organised by the National of the important work that other organisations and individuals Biodiversity Data Centre or the other organisations in Ireland are doing to help document Ireland’s biodiversity and track who are working to conserve biodiversity. COVID-19 restrictions result in greatly increased