Sustainability – Biodiversity

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BIODIVERSITY IN ACTION

Sustainability collection highlighting content that relates to protection of our natural world and human life.

BIODIVERSITY IN ACTION

Sustainability collection highlighting content that relates to protection of our natural world and human life.

<p>(Left to right) Grace Allen and Emer Dawson at Brussels as part of the Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition.</p>

farming

No farm, no ag science, no problem: Balbriggan duo reach Irish Angus final

In our final instalment for this years Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition profiles we meet a Dublin duo who despite non-traditional introductions to the sector have shot to the final of the competition.

<p>Despite some progress, most protected habitats and species have either poor or bad conservation status, according to the European Environment Agency.</p>

comment-analysis

Ciaran Brennan: European Union is gaslighting us all with its simplification agenda on climate action

<p>Cavendish bananas dominate international supermarket trade and are propagated as clones. Their consistency suits growers, shipping companies and shoppers. Unfortunately, it also suits pathogens. Picture: iStock</p>

outdoors

Growing problem: Why our food needs a bigger gene pool

Honeybee on a purple cornflower bloom

politics

Taoiseach signals alarm over imported bees crossing the border from Northern Ireland

Winter is coming: Burren cattle head for the hills

farming

Winter is coming: Burren cattle head for the hills

CANADA-UN-DIPLOMACY-ENVIRONMENT-CLIMATE-NATURE-CONSERVATION

news

Cop17 at a glance: Everything you need to know about the UN’s nature summit

coconut crab

Enduring mystery: Giant crabs the latest lead in hunt for Amelia Earhart

Could the enormous coconut crabs on a tiny, uninhabited Pacific island provide some answers in one of aviation's greatest mysteries?

Thu, 15 Oct, 2026

Inquisitive young Sika Deer looking straight at the camera.

Deer management units set up in 15 hotspots

It follows the establishment of the Irish Deer Management Strategy Group in 2022 under the chairmanship of Teddy Cashman and a subsequent public consultation

Tue, 13 Oct, 2026

Asian hornets tracked to nest near Ringaskiddy using miniature transmitters

Asian hornets tracked to nest near Ringaskiddy using miniature transmitters

The NPWS will remove the nest and continue monitoring the Cork area to establish whether any others are present

Fri, 02 Oct, 2026

Hedgehog, Scientific name: Erinaceus Europaeus. Wild, native, European hedgehog at dusk, foraging on a fallen log in wet, Autu

The usual suspects: Small, spiky and surprisingly mysterious

Over the next few weeks, if something starts crashing around beneath the hedge after dark, it may be a local hedgehog, spending its nights eating as much as possible before disappearing into its winter nest

Fri, 02 Oct, 2026

Asian hornet from Catalonia - portrait

Urgent search for Asian hornet nest in Cork after second insect found

Experts are racing to locate a possible nest before a mated queen can escape and overwinter elsewhere in Ireland

Thu, 01 Oct, 2026

FRANCE-MOUNTAIN-SANCY-AUGUST-2025

Groundhog day: Call for end to hunting of French marmots

Shooting marmots is permitted from September 1 each year in France, however, animal rights activists do not approve and are calling on the French government to prohibit such hunting on humane grounds

Fri, 04 Sep, 2026

SCOTLAND Hedgehogs 1

Urban crawl: Number of hedgehogs in cities spikes

Urban populations appear relatively stable, highlighting the critical role that suburban gardens, parks, and other managed green spaces play in hedgehog survival

Thu, 03 Sep, 2026

Herd Of Holstein Friesian Cattle

Farming bailouts a barrier to climate-resilient food system

Farmers need and deserve wide public support however that support is under increasing strain and will not last while the focus of the industry is on maintaining business as usual

Sat, 22 Aug, 2026

hummingbird hawk-moth foraging close-up

Hummingbird hawk moth spotted in Cork as climate change brings more southern species to Ireland

Warmer weather is bringing southern insects, birds and marine species to Ireland, while some native wildlife is disappearing or moving north

Fri, 21 Aug, 2026

A real buzzkill: Ecological change and the potential threat from mosquitoes

A real buzzkill: Ecological change and the potential threat from mosquitoes

Mosquito-borne disease is not a major public-health problem here. But a new Irish review suggests we should not assume that will always remain the case

Fri, 21 Aug, 2026

ragwort in a hay field

One law for farmers? Ragwort row reaches Leinster House

Ragwort, or buachalán buí, as it is traditionally known, contains alkaloid poisons which could cause liver damage in cattle and horses and can be fatal

Mon, 17 Aug, 2026

Buff-tip moth

Wild Matters: Farmer-led initiative helping reveal the magic of moths

The Farmer Moth Monitoring Project is opening our eyes to the world of moths, helping us to appreciate and value these secret inhabitants of our ecosystems

Fri, 14 Aug, 2026

Conservation programme underway for endangered Kerry freshwater pearl mussels

Conservation programme underway for endangered Kerry freshwater pearl mussels

Classified as one of the worlds most endangered species, 20 Kerry Freshwater pearl mussels were transported to Mayo via helicopter as part of a captive breeding programme.

Thu, 13 Aug, 2026

Limerick mayor calls for removal of bird deterrents from city streets

Limerick mayor calls for removal of bird deterrents from city streets

Mayor John Moran says he wants a better understanding of the impact of reflectors trialled to deter starlings from trees

Wed, 12 Aug, 2026

Fish boat vessel fishing in a rough sea

Uneasy sea-bedfellows: Oceans of conflict around fishing and conservation

A major impediment to fishermen effectively becoming guardians of the seas and leading on restoration efforts is the complex manner in which the sea is managed

Sat, 25 Jul, 2026

Buzzing for biodiversity: How bees changed farming for a West Cork dairy farmer

Buzzing for biodiversity: How bees changed farming for a West Cork dairy farmer

West Cork farmer John Hurley discusses how his passion for biodiversity and establishing nine beehives on his farm has influenced the way he views and works the land around him

Wed, 22 Jul, 2026

Bright metallic blue fly on straw

On the fly: Insects play key role in environmental and human life

The next time you hear someone grumbling about insects causing a nuisance ask them to think again. We rely on insects for many things that go unseen

Wed, 22 Jul, 2026

Irish pollinator plan aims to create nature pockets every 200 metres

Irish pollinator plan aims to create nature pockets every 200 metres

The ambitious five-year plan hopes to create biodiversity spaces to shelter and feed pollinators every 200m across Ireland

Tue, 21 Jul, 2026

ATLANTIC SALMON, leaping, Scotland, UK.

S Jack Power: Irish salmon are in big trouble

Atlantic salmon populations are in collapse all around their range. Jack Power wonders why we are so indifferent to their imminent extinction

Tue, 21 Jul, 2026

Feeling the heat: Challenge to provide cooler spaces in urban settings

Feeling the heat: Challenge to provide cooler spaces in urban settings

Experts suggest we need nature-based solutions to mitigate against the Urban Heat Island effect in cities whereby hard surfaces such as tarred roads, footpaths and buildings trap more heat than rural areas and natural landscapes

Thu, 02 Jul, 2026

Rippling Waters Over Submerged Stones

Pádraic Fogarty: Taking a very long time to ‘bring everyone with us’

Government seems to be taking a very long time as it ‘brings everyone along’ in addressing the challenges of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss

Tue, 23 Jun, 2026

Public invited to track three Irish cuckoos on migration to Africa

Public invited to track three Irish cuckoos on migration to Africa

Satellite-tagged birds from Wicklow, Clare and Kerry are helping researchers better understand species decline

Fri, 19 Jun, 2026

Decline in Ireland's highest quality water bodies 'a serious warning sign', EPA says

Decline in Ireland's highest quality water bodies 'a serious warning sign', EPA says

The EPA report said a large proportion of river sites (43%) have elevated nitrogen levels, many in the south and east of the country

Wed, 17 Jun, 2026

Machair wild flower meadow, The Outer Hebrides Western Isles

Wild Matters: The symbiotic nature of midsummer meadows

Species rich grasslands are now one of the most threatened habits in Ireland and if once common orchids, bees, butterflies, wildflowers and farmland birds are to be part of our future, we must act now for effective restoration

Tue, 16 Jun, 2026

AI has transformed weather prediction — don't let the negativity win

AI has transformed weather prediction — don't let the negativity win

AI has plenty of risks that we must guard against, but data-driven AI is a tool we should embrace to protect our infrastructure, our climate, and our society, writes Andrew Parnell

Tue, 16 Jun, 2026