Restoration of wetland habitats will provide the greatest benefit to Ireland’s threatened birds, BirdWatch Ireland says in a newly published plan. The plan identifies 71,450 hectares of protected wetland habitat around Ireland with restoration potential to help 52 key bird species.
Four broad wetland habitat groupings were identified: moorland habitat, lakes and turlough habitats, estuaries and intertidal habitats and wet grassland and fen habitats. An additional 38 areas were identified for habitat restoration for ten threatened seabird species.
Farmland habitat has also been identified for restoration for a range of widespread and scarce species.
The plan, which is based on a scientific approach, presents the process for identifying species and habitats, mapping potential restoration areas, and outlining restoration measures for each identified habitat. If funded appropriately, the restoration of these habitats would be a significant step in the right direction towards addressing alarming and relentless declines in bird populations in Ireland, Birdwatch Ireland says.
Urban Flyer: The swift is among the bird species expected to benefit from restoration measures and habitat improvements proposed under Ireland's nature recovery plans. Photo: Artur Tabor
Dr Andrew Kelly, CEO of BirdWatch Ireland, said: “For far too long, BirdWatch Ireland has been calling out the dire situation of most of Ireland’s birds. 63% of Ireland’s bird species are in serious trouble. Birds are indicators of the health of our environment, and it’s obvious that it is in very bad shape.”
“There is a golden opportunity now for the government to develop an ambitious restoration plan for nature in Ireland. I call on Minister for Nature Christopher O’Sullivan to integrate the findings of our Plan for birds into the National Nature Restoration Plan and to fully fund restoration so that we can offer hope for the future of Ireland’s birds.”
Oonagh Duggan, head of policy and advocacy at BirdWatch Ireland, explained that the plan's authors identified key threatened bird species and linked them to protected and farmland habitats where they occur.
“This allowed us to map areas of opportunity for habitat restoration – an approach which is central to the first phase of national restoration out to 2030. We have also proposed a suite of restoration measures. If these measures are funded, incentivised and action is taken, this will be a significant step forward for Ireland’s birds,” Duggan said.
The Government has indicated that it wants public bodies to lead the way in restoration activities. The BirdWatch Ireland Restoration Plan for birds identifies 9,000 hectares of habitat in public ownership that could be restored quickly if state agencies comply.
Call of the Wild: The curlew, one of Ireland's most threatened breeding birds, has been identified as a priority species in BirdWatch Ireland's habitat restoration plan. Photo: Mike Brown
“In addition to restoring habitats, many of the restoration measures we suggest would also help to improve water quality, mitigate flood risk, help meet climate targets and benefit people,” Duggan continued.
“ This is a plan which gives hope, as well as a practical way forward for government to make progress on restoration, with multiple benefits, especially for the most threatened of our wild bird species. Our countryside and skies have gone far too quiet due to the loss of birds. It’s time to bring the birds back to our hills, lakes, farmland, towns and cities,” she said.
The Nature Restoration Regulation is in force across the European Union and requires that Ireland develop a national Nature Restoration Plan for submission to the European Commission by September 2026.
The regulation requires the restoration of sufficient quantity and quality of habitats for birds in terrestrial, coastal, freshwater and marine habitats. It also requires the greening of urban centres.
