Online edition: ew 2009-0900 Print edition: ISSN 2009-8464 ISSUE 19 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019 Explore Your Shore! Take part in our survey of coastal biodiversity Bivalves of Ireland Poster Get to know your Piddock from your Pod Razor Shell Biodiversity Tales News from recording schemes for butterflies, birds, and bryophytes Contents Biodiversity Ireland Issue 19 Autumn/Winter 2019’ Biodiversity Ireland is published by the National NEWS ......................................................................................................................................................3 Biodiversity Data Centre. Enquiries should be sent to the editor, Juanita Browne, [email protected] Alert System for Invasive Alien Species .............................................................................6 The National Biodiversity Data Centre, Colette O’Flynn introduces the Data Centre’s alert system Beechfield House, WIT West Campus, Carriganore, Waterford. GALLERY: Recorder Workshops 2019 .................................................................................8 Tel: +353 (0)51 306240 Email: [email protected] A selection of images from our workshop programme Web: www.biodiversityireland.ie Explore Your Shore! .................................................................................................................... 10 Management Board Dave Wall introduces this exciting citizen science project The National Biodiversity Data Centre is overseen by a Management Board, established by the Heritage BIODIVERSITY TALES ...........................................................................................................16 Council. The Management Board is responsible for Updates on birds, whales, plants and more setting the strategic direction of the work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre and for ensuring proper corporate governance. The composition of the Management Board: Rachel Kenny Chair of Board & Director of Planning, An Board Pleanála Staff of the National Biodiversity Data Centre Bernadette Guest Heritage Officer, Waterford City and County Council Dr Matthew Jebb Director, National Botanic Gardens Juanita Browne, other organisations. He is an active recorder and helps Pollinator Plan Community and with the delivery of the Data Centre’s work programme Rachel Kenny Director of Planning, An Bord Pleanála Engagement Officer (part-time), on butterflies, birds and mammals. He also serves as is responsible for engaging with Head of Delegation for Ireland to the Global Biodiversity Dr. Micheál Lehane Director, partner organisations to assist Information Facility (GBIF). Environmental Protection Agency implementation of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and Ben Malone, Dr Peter McLoughlin Head of School of Science to promote the conservation of Ireland’s pollinators. She and Computing Administrative & Engagement also contributes to communications activities of the Department, Waterford Officer, is responsible for day- Institute of Technology Data Centre. to-day office management at the Nigel Monaghan Keeper, National Museum of Ireland – Natural History Division Dr. Úna Fitzpatrick, Centre. He also has developed and Senior Ecologist, is responsible for is coordinating the Centre’s engagement and outreach Jack Nolan Head of Nitrates, Biodiversity and Engineering Division, Department the development of, and oversees programme, including organising the capacity-building of Agriculture, Food and the Marine delivery of, the All-Ireland Pollinator recorder workshops. Plan 2015-2020, and is responsible Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe Director, National Parks Colette O’Flynn, and Wildlife Service for the plant and vegetation work programmes of the Data Centre. This includes management of the National Invasive Species Officer, is Declan Quigley Senior Port Office, Sea Fisheries responsible for the Invasive Protection Authority Vegetation Database and contributing to development of the Irish Vegetation Classification System. Species work programmes of Virginia Teehan Chief Executive, the Data Centre. She manages The Heritage Council Gemma Hughes, the National Invasive Species Database, provides The National Biodiversity Data Centre is an initiative of Pollinator Plan Agri-business coordination of invasive species data and information, the Heritage Council and is operated under a service level agreement by Compass Informatics. The Centre Officer (part-time), is and contributes advice and policy support at the is funded by the Department of Culture, Heritage and responsible for engaging with national and European level. the Gaeltacht. the agri-business sector to assist Barry O’Neill, implementation of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and Data and ICT Manager, Cover: Hermit Crab and Anemones to promote the conservation of Ireland’s pollinators. ©Mark William Kirkland (Shutterstock) is responsible for the IT Dr Saorla Kavanagh, infrastructure and database Farmland Pollinator Officer is the management activities of the Project Manager of the Protecting Data Centre. He developed the Citizen Science Data Farmland Pollinators project Portal and other online data capture systems that are which seeks to test evidence- provided as shared services to partner organisations. based actions to make farmland more pollinator- Dave Wall friendly. This is a five-year project funded under the Citizen Science Officer is European Innovative Partnership programme. responsible for the Explore Your Dr Liam Lysaght, Shore! and Dragonfly Ireland Centre Director, is responsible 2019-2024 citizen science for setting the strategic direction projects. He also takes the lead on developing the of the Data Centre, overall Data Centre’s work programme on citizen science and management of the operations all marine biodiversity activities. and work programme, and building of partnerships with Director’s Comment This autumn 2019 issue the staff complement this year. Dave Wall joined the of Biodiversity Ireland staff at the start of the year as Citizen Science Officer, showcases some of the bringing valuable expertise on marine biodiversity. exciting recording activity The strong marine theme of this issue of the newsletter and survey work that demonstrates the increased capacity in this area. Colette is currently ongoing in O’Flynn, Invasive Species Officer, has been assigned Ireland, both by the Data additional responsibilities supporting the work of NPWS Centre and many of its to report under the EU Invasive Species Regulations partner organisations. The and to provide national coordination of species alerts. ‘Biodiversity Tales’ section provides a good overview And Saorla Kavanagh has joined the team to spearhead of some of the main findings and expansion in knowledge the Protecting Farmland Pollinators EIP project, which on different taxonomic groups since the start of the will test practical, evidence-based solutions for making year, reported by national experts and conservation farmland more pollinator friendly. NGOs. Most of this has resulted from targeted surveys or fieldwork undertaken by highly skilled and highly ‘We feel it is important to showcase this work as motivated volunteers and professionals. We feel it these are the building blocks of evidence used to is important to showcase this work as these are the better understand Ireland’s biodiversity and how building blocks of evidence used to better understand it is changing.’ Ireland’s biodiversity and how it is changing. This need for evidence has taken on a new emphasis On the flip side, after six years, we are losing Dr. in 2019. In May, Dáil Éireann declared a Climate and Tomás Murray. Everyone will know the tremendous Biodiversity Emergency, making Ireland only the second work that Tomás did in building the insect monitoring country in the world to make such a declaration. This programmes and developing the analytical capacity of was a significant development, not because it will the Data Centre over that time. His skill set will be sorely necessarily lead to the transformative changes that the missed at the Data Centre; I wish him the very best in Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem his new career path. Services (IPBES) said needed to happen if biodiversity For the core contract staff of the Data Centre, 2019 loss is to be tackled, but because it is proof that the has presented personal and professional challenges evidence around biodiversity decline is finally being because of the uncertainty around the future of the heard. This attention was probably due to international National Biodiversity Data Centre. The Heritage Council media coverage of the first global synthesis of insect is currently undertaking a review of the governance, declines published in April and the IPBES global operational and funding structure most appropriate for biodiversity assessment published in May. Both these the running of the Data Centre. Everyone associated reports presented alarming evidence of biodiversity loss with the Data Centre hopes that this will result in right across the world. And because of the increasing decisive action to place the Data Centre on a more secure amount of surveying and monitoring happening in footing to better enable it to support the efforts by the Ireland, we now have the evidence that we are also Government of Ireland to address the Biodiversity Crisis experiencing a biodiversity crisis in Ireland. we currently face. It has been a year of mixed fortunes for the Data Centre. Thanks to external funding, we have grown records 00 ,0 0 Recording goes from