Positive signs for Irish wildlife in 2008

I WONDER what the prospects are for Irish wildlife in 2008? I remember in 2007 a news story saying 171 Irish plant species were threatened with extinction because of climate change.

And I remember it was the year when the Irish government was given a rap over the knuckles by the EU for failing to give adequate protection to breeding corncrakes and sandwich terns.

On the other hand in 2007 there was evidence that measures to protect our breeding salmon were proving to be a rapid and dramatic success. And of course it was the year the Greens got into government and John Gormley became Minister for the Environment with responsibility for the National Parks and Wildlife Service.