Conserving Biodiversity

Ireland’s breeding wader populations have suffered dramatic declines in population size and national breeding range. Remaining breeding populations are teetering on the brink of extirpation, functional extinction, or both. The primary objective of this EIP-Agri project is to tackle the multifaceted causes behind the significant declines in breeding wader populations, including changes in land use practices and policy. Central to achieving the project’s goals is the enhancement of productivity within these populations. The project will establish connections with landowners, stakeholders and communities to foster a comprehensive understanding of the breeding waders’ requirements within the landscape. By recognising, valuing, and protecting these species, the EIP-Agri project is promoting a range of ecosystem services that are of benefit to the whole of society.

This project, along with its multi-disciplinary team, is looking at assessing the use of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to monitor MPAs and provide best-practice advice on their use. This includes the investigation of UAV flyover methods to monitor fishing activities, evaluating the abundance and distribution of biological features of interest, and quantifying the nature and extend of anthropogenic activities within selected case studies. This work aspires to generate novel approaches to monitoring, complementing the objectives of the National Marine Planning Framework by outlining how human activities interact with each other in MPAs.

Oisre aims to chart the extent and biodiversity of remnant native oyster beds in Kilkieran and Bertraghboy Bay, in Connemara, Galway coupled with restoration and rejuvenation trials. These beds will be used as reference habitats for ecological restoration in Ireland and elsewhere and protected as sanctuary areas. In turn that would allow the sustainable management of these important biogenic habitats.

This research will determine a baseline list of biological communities, comprising aquatic and semi-aquatic plants, invertebrates and vertebrates of dystrophic lakes and pools within Nephin Forest using eDNA.