Big day First Iveragh Woodlands EIP operational group meeting. Farmer- hunter - forester - ecologist dream team!!

Imagine saying "the economy grew 11% this year" to someone under 35, with a straight face....

Thanks @rayofoghlu.bsky.social for the write up It was great to see everyone and discuss restoration of forested peatlands in Ireland. @colinguilfoyle.bsky.social www.farmersjournal.ie/more/climate... Wild Nephin: restoration, research and rewilding - Free

A great nature restoration story not really being told. Rewetting of raised bogs in the midlands is probably the largest scale nature restoration effort happening in Ireland today.

Another perspective on the same issue from @rayofoghlu.bsky.social but we agree that more nuance is needed in the debate over new forests on peatland www.farmersjournal.ie/amp/more/cli...

In the uplands, some protected areas, even on certain peat soils, there is an argument for woodland creation. It's definitely nuanced. There is a fine line to be walked here, and plenty who would try to exploit it, but I don't think it should be ignored. www.farmersjournal.ie/more/climate...

Scenes to horrify foresters... Growing trees and growing food have been endlessly siloed in Ireland - from the parcel of ground that's used, to its legal status, to education, advisory, & indeed culture. Addressing this will be key to unlocking woodland creation opportunities.

Turning food into (contaminated) soil.

A great study would be to estimate the value of unpaid work farmers do for people in the country who get themselves in bother.

Biggest hit at today's horsehair...

Make this make sense "Idiotic green decisions" have given farmers the best beef price ever. Also, in relation to his farm "we're going circular - not buying in fertiliser, and growing our own meal". Maybe the billionaires don't have our backs? www.agriland.ie/farming-news...

"Commercial forestry" shouldn't be a dirty word. I think ProSilva are one of the best organisations we have. Their conference is on this Friday.

It's on...

"Take a picture with the cow, dad"

Mining bee habitat creator

www.agriland.ie/farming-news... A good development. Who will teach on it?

Join us for a one-day symposium on the 12th June at the Marine Institute, Furnace, Co. Mayo where we will present new research focused on the biodiversity within @WildNephin & discuss the possibilities for the Nephin Forest + ecological restoration potential in the wider landscape 🌲

Usnea articulata lichen near Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare

Colm MCarthy can always be relied upon to provide a contrarion & fatalistic view on progressive policy. A few years back he said wind would be a stranded asset.

Sheep in Waterford 2014 - 140,000 2023 - 63,000

It’s not the prettiest section of the River Bride but it’s a focal point for Blackpool Village. It’s also surprising busy in terms of nature with dipper, mallard, grey wagtail, sand martins the occasional otter and even small fish (yes, we’ve seen them here). Oh, and this heron too of course.

Love a pint, but in the context of a ban on alcohol advertising in sport, being able to splash Guiness/Heineken logos across a pitch, because there's a "0.0" after them is a complete joke.

"If you shoot a raven, it's mate will have a new partner by teatime". Great talk on crows by @rickywhelan.bsky.social

Ireland's energy regulator has abdicated all responsibility for setting policy in line with the climate law. If the CRU doesn't take responsibility, then what public body will?

2017-2025

There's a spot around the back of an offshore Island in Doolin, County Clare. From time to time, groups of local men (and the occasional woman) meet up around the back of it. They go dressed from head to toe in black rubber suits. Together they play with their polyurethane sticks for hours upon end.

I'm a fan of our neutrality, but our abdication of responsibility to defend ourselves and share the burden of European defense is embarrassing. We spend 0.21% of our budget on defense. Lowest in Europe We're freeloaders. Changing that doesn't affect our neutrality.

Grey wagtail with a beak-full. From the twitter archives. #cork

Yesterday was the kind of day that, in bygone years, gave people the belief that they might just make it to summer.

Development of guidance and schemes for appropriate upland / commonage afforestation would be useful. A lot of the dark brown in the map is unsuitable for good reason (peat) but other areas more down to productivity rather than ecology (e.g. Glenveagh and Killarney NPs all dark brown)

Map indicating where forests should and should not be planted. Brown represents "do not plant". Dark green (in the context of this map) indicates "planted". Slieveaughties Slieveblooms Stacks/Mullaghareirks

Mary Harney once said "We are closer to Boston than we are to Berlin" I suppose we're going to find out soon.

RSPB celebrates Bearded Tit boom www.birdguides.com/news/rspb-ce...

Imagine growing up, becoming a barrister, becoming an MEP, only to use your position to claim the reduction in the speed limit on roads like this from 80km to 60km is somehow "anti rural"?!?

every day we see more and more evidence of society descending into utter lawlessness and chaos

This has to be paid-for editorial? www.irishtimes.com/property/com...

Beef Plan Movement calls for a repeal of Ireland's Climate Act based on disinformation on compliance costs and the role of methane as a greenhouse gas - and this article uncritically repeats the disinformation. The Irish farming press has a lot to answer for. www.agriland.ie/farming-news...

We're hiring! Could you help create a resilient future for the Botanical Society, working across our teams to support staff and volunteers? Apply to become our first ever Administration Officer: bsbi.org/vacancies/ad... Not applying yourself? Then please help us spread the word! Deadline: 2nd March

This is a very good appointment. If he is given the power and resources required, I think he'll do good things.

A surefooted performance. open.spotify.com/episode/2iGl...

When in Ireland, a first world country, you talk about ambitious nature restoration, you get back a litany of reasons why we are so uniquely different that it can't be done. www.bbc.com/news/article...

The one tree in the whole place...

Things you don't see enough of in our uplands - Scots pine & cattle.

No power, no water, no phone. Days are short and everything seems muddy. Inclination to congregate in warm places (with wifi) strong.

Tuesday....week.

This is deeply offensive and a cruel invalidation of the lived experiences of many Iranian people, especially women, who've been unfairly jailed or executed.

That high resolution AROME model out to 9am shows gusts I’ve never seen this model show before for Ireland and this model is one of the best there is for Ireland. Anyone saying this is just another storm is in for a rude awakening. This will be an historic storm. #StormÉowyn