Podcasts about national biodiversity data centre

Kate Moore, National Biodiversity Data Centre, joined Cathal Somers on the latest podcast version of the Signpost Series to discuss invasive species – an overview for farmers. A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Teagasc's Ivan Kelly. To register for future webinars visit:https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/                        For more podcasts from the Signpost Series go to: https://www.teagasc.ie/signpostpodcast/ 

Researchers at the University of Galway are inviting the public to participate in a new cross-border Citizen Science survey and record sightings of red foxes in cities. The survey is particularly focused on the largest cities, both north and south - Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Derry and Waterford. Researchers aim to source as much valuable data as possible for conservation planning for red foxes and to find solutions for potential human-wildlife conflicts. Dr Colin Lawton of the University of Galway's School of Natural Sciences said: "These Citizen Science projects are a brilliant opportunity for us to tap into the wealth of knowledge and information that Irish people have about wildlife in their area. We would love to hear about any sighting or encounter with a fox, whether it is a regular garden visitor or a chance meeting late at night!" In recent years, urban areas have become increasingly important to Ireland's wildlife as animals move into expanding cities in search of food and shelter. Red foxes in particular have proved very adaptable and can successfully live out their lives in an urban environment. They are opportunistic animals that are known to thrive in built-up areas due to the availability of food sources, such as discarded food, insects and fruit. They also hunt other urban animals such as rats, mice, and pigeons. Being nocturnal, they scavenge at night and seek daytime refuge in gardens, parks, and abandoned buildings. Project Officer Jodie O'Regan said: "The ecology of urban foxes can often be very different from their rural counterparts, as the proximity of people and relative abundance of food causes them to change their behaviour, but they are the same species. Every record that we get in a citizen science project of this nature will make a difference in understanding urban fox distribution and behaviour and can shed light on the needs of the animals and the potential of cities to provide for them." Members of the public can record their sightings using the Urban Fox Survey page, hosted by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. If a fox frequently visits your property, please email urbanfoxsurvey@gmail.com.

Dr. Liam Lysaght, CEO of the National Biodiversity Data Centre

Sika (cervus nippon) is a mid-sized deer that was introduced to Ireland in the 1860s to the Powerscourt Estate. Soon after that, it started spreading across Ireland. Today, the main concentrations of sika are in Kerry, Wicklow, Tyrone and Fermanagh. More recently, it has also been found in Waterford, Galway, Limerick, and Wexford. The National Biodiversity Data Centre in Ireland lists sika as an invasive species. Despite that, it's afforded protection under the Wildlife Act. It is prized by hunters as a game species and a source of excellent quality venison on the one hand, and hated by foresters and environmentalists for the damage to forestry and biodiversity on the other.Sika is present on the entire European continent and, although not as widespread as in Ireland, it is also causing similar problems. This is reflected in the recent move by the European Commission to launch consultations to put sika on the Invasive Alien Species (IAS) list across the Union. This poses the obvious question: what does it mean for the Irish population of sika if the EC makes such a decision? Will or should it be allowed continuous protection with open and closed hunting seasons? Or should it be reduced to the status of vermin and be eradicated across the country? To discuss the potential future of sika deer in Ireland and present a whole spectrum of views about this species, and invasive species more generally, I spoke with four expert guests presenting different views on the subject. By listening to this episode you will hear from Professor Jaimie T.A. Dick who specialises in Invasion Ecology, Eoghan Daltun an award-winning author who has spent last 15 years regenerating an Irish Atlantic rainforest, Damien Hannigan a Government Appointee to the Irish Deer Management Forum and Public Relations Officer at the Irish Deer Commission, and Professor of Wildlife Restoration Ecology, Adam T. Ford.Sika Deer in Ireland: Invasive Status and Its Impact - A Three-Episode ExclusiveAccess here: https://conservationlens.com/products/sika-deer-ias---Subscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Recommended Books: tommysoutdoors.com/booksMerch: tommysoutdoors.com/shopFollow Tommy's Outdoors on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook

Local communities can qualify for funding through Community Foundation Ireland and the National Parks & Wildlife Service to either develop a new Community Biodiversity Action Plan or support to implement measures from an existing plan. Over the coming years, Local Authorities will also be developing Local Biodiversity Action Plans. Active, informed and engaged communities will help us ensure that policy-making for biodiversity is a two way street: top down and bottom up. The grants connect community groups with scientific expertise, helping them to better understand their local biodiversity. Successful grantees work with ecologists to create a Community Biodiversity Action Plan and can then seek funding to implement it. All of the data they collect is shared with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, making a valuable contribution to citizen science in Ireland. Useful Links https://actionforbiodiversity.ie/ https://www.communityfoundation.ie/ https://www.npws.ie/

Today Mary is talking to Victoria Beeler. Victoria is a butterfly enthusiast and enjoys gardening, wildlife, nature, and learning. She and her family have helped with the Smith-Gilbert Gardens butterfly exhibit in Kennesaw, Georgia, U.S.A., and with releasing butterflies there. They have raised Monarchs—from eggs, to caterpillars, to chrysalis, and to emerging butterflies—in an outdoor butterfly garden habitat at home near Atlanta for the first time last fall and then released them into the wild to migrate! It was truly an incredible, inspiring, and transformative experience! Victoria has written a documentary book about her Monarch experience with raising and releasing them. In Journey with Monarchs: A Personal Experience of Raising and Releasing Monarchs in the Home Garden, she combines photos of the Monarchs' life stages and personal knowledge about Monarchs with the science. Monarchs are so special, and their legacy can be continued by planting native milkweed. Monarchs have also inspired Victoria to give native milkweed seeds as gifts (seeds of hope) to family and friends and Monarch books to children in her community to save and protect Monarchs and continue their legacy. Monarchs bring joy, hope, and continuity. Nature is a blessing. Planting native milkweed and creating a wildlife habitat are important to helping Monarchs, as well as birds, pollinators, and the ecosystem. It also connects people. All of creation is interconnected and weaves together a unique, dynamic tapestry of life. Victoria hopes that, together, we can spread joy to all and save the Monarchs and wildlife!Victoria's suggestions How We Can Support Nature: ·Create natural habitat in our yards and communities to support the full life cycles and food webs of local biodiversity and restore species populations. -Garden, pocket prairie/meadow (mini-prairie/meadow). -Try to let it grow naturally. Limit mowing to pathways (reduce mowing). ·Provide host and nectar plants (host-plant specialists / plant-insect interactions; no milkweed, no monarchs; no flowers, no pollinators; no insects, no balance). -“Insects are the animals that are best at transferring energy from plants to other animals…” (Doug Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope, 2019). -Also include a “puddling station,” a place in the habitat area where butterflies and moths can absorb minerals from muddy soil and pebbles (place pebbles in a tray with water and mud).·Plant native plants and keystone plants (most beneficial to local ecosystems and increase biodiversity, ecological connectivity, and ecosystem function). -Top 20 native trees, like the oak, cherry, and willow, support over 5,000 butterfly and moth species (Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope, 2019). -Oaks support about 557 caterpillar species- more than any one plant; oaks make the most food; excellent for supporting local food webs; oak = top keystone plant species. -Five percent of the local keystone plant species can host up to 75 percent of local Lepidoptera species (including some local keystone plant species benefits greatly) (Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope, 2019). -U.S. resource: National Wildlife Federation's Native Plants Finder, which shows the native plants by zip code that support local species and food webs. -Try to remove and replace non-native, invasive species with native plants. -Balance: Plant mostly native plants, with some exceptions (a habitat space with primarily native and keystone plants benefits greatly; helps local ecosystem; having some native plants is better than none). -Replace with native plants gradually (manageable segments/tasks/goals); a process.·Provide shelter for non-migratory, overwintering butterflies and moths (safe caterpillar pupation sites) -Leaf litter for moth caterpillars to drop from their host trees, burrow into the leaves and/or soil, and spin their cocoons. -Leaf litter is also a food source for some caterpillars. -Leave plant stems, which provide nesting cavities for native bee species & pupation sites for caterpillars. -Fallen logs & branches, which provide nesting sites for native bee species. -Leave a bundle of sticks or brush pile for birds, other animals, & native bees to nest. -Thick or uncut vegetation. -Leave some weeds, which are host plants to some butterflies and moths. -“Leave an area of uncut grass all year round to provide shelter for pupating caterpillars (especially caterpillars that feed on grass) and for butterflies in reproductive diapause” (Biodiversity Ireland, “Gardening for Butterflies,” 2023). -Native trees to shelter roosting butterflies. -Include hedgerows (hawthorn and holly) -Have a layered landscape (horizontal layer—understory, with woodland/shade plants; middle layer—shrubs; and vertical layer—overstory/canopy, with trees). -Have a “continuous sequence of flowering plants (plants that flower continuously; perennials; benefits butterflies, moths, bees, and other pollinators)” (Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope, 2019).·Feed the insects to feed the birds (create a garden/habitat space that welcomes all of nature). -A plant is a bird feeder, a pollinator feeder, and much more.·Pesticide-free/chemical-free.·Can include container plants.·If outdoor lighting (artificial light, which interferes with nocturnal insects and birds) is used, consider motion sensor lights instead (not continuous light) -Nocturnal insects (moths) usually get nectar from nocturnal flowers and need natural light from the moon (not artificial light) to find host and nectar plants and to mate; become easy targets for predators (visible) (Tallamy, Nature's Best Hope, 2019).·Shade-grown coffee grown under native trees (shelter for birds).·Participate in citizen/community science (butterfly tagging and butterfly counts). -U.S.: -Monarch Watch tagging and the North American Butterfly Association's butterfly counts; Monarch Joint Venture and Save Our Monarchs (monarch organizations). -Other resources—Stokes Butterfly Book: The Complete Guide to Butterfly Gardening, Identification, and Behavior (1993) by Donald and Lillian Stokes and Ernest Williams -“MrLundScience” YouTube channel -Wings in the Meadow (1967) by Jo Brewer -Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants (2019) by Doug Tallamy -Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard (2019) by Doug Tallamy -The Living Landscape (2012) by Rick Dark and Doug Tallamy -Ireland: -Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (apart of the National Biodiversity Data Centre of Ireland)—note butterfly populations, flight patterns, and habitat availability from April-September. -Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count (Northern Ireland)—count the butterflies seen in a 15-minute period and upload results online. -Ireland threatened butterflies and moths (large white, small white, green-veined white, ringlet, small tortoiseshell, small copper, speckled wood, meadow brown, red admiral, peacock, painted lady, holly blue, common blue, six-spot burnet, and silver-Y). -Butterfly Conservation Ireland's National Garden Butterfly Survey—record butterflies seen in your garden over a 3-month period (https://butterflyconservation.ie).·Ireland butterfly resources -National Biodiversity Data Centre (Ireland)—“Ireland's Butterfly Series—Gardening for Butterflies: Helping Butterflies with Native Plants” PDF resource (https://biodiversityireland.ie). -Butterfly Conservation (Northern Ireland Branch)—“Do It Yourself” resources on butterfly and moth events, volunteering, counts and activities, and gardening (https://butterfly-conservation.org).·Ireland native larval host plants: -Buckthorn (brimstone butterfly) -Clovers (clouded yellow butterfly) -Nettle (comma, peacock, red admiral, and small tortoiseshell butterflies) -Trefoil and vetch (common blue and wood white butterflies) -Garlic mustard and watercress (green-veined white and orange-tip butterflies) -Holly and ivy (holly blue butterfly) -Brassicaceae family of plants and nasturtiums (large white and small white butterflies) -Fescues and meadow grasses (meadow brown and small heath butterflies) -Thistles (painted lady butterfly) -Violets (fritillary butterfly) -Sorrel (small copper butterfly)·Ireland native nectar plants: -Sedum -Verbena -Sage https://biodiversityireland.ie/app/uploads/2023/06/Rewilding-Yo

In this episode we take a closer look at hedgerows, an iconic part of the Irish landscape, and discover how important they are for pollinators and the farming community.Ricky speaks to Ruth Wilson who is the Farmland Pollinator Officer (All-Ireland Pollinator Plan) at the National Biodiversity Data Centre, a post funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). Bird of the Week is the Long-tailed Tit, an adorable and gregarious species.In Your Nature features Ricky Whelan, Biodiversity Officer with Offaly County Council and Niall Hatch of BirdWatch Ireland and is edited by Ann-Marie Kelly. The series is supported by Laois, Offaly, and Westmeath County Councils and the Heritage Council. 

It's the time of year that gardeners love – trees are starting to come into full leaf, spring flowers are being replaced with summer blooms, and the grass is growing. But would you consider letting the grass grow for the month of May? No Mow May is a campaign run by the National Biodiversity Centre to encourage people to lock away the lawnmower and give wildflowers the chance to grow – all in the name of pollination. Sean was joined by Kate Chandler, Communities and Engagement Pollinator Officer with the National Biodiversity Data Centre...

It's the time of year that gardeners love – trees are starting to come into full leaf, spring flowers are being replaced with summer blooms, and the grass is growing. But would you consider letting the grass grow for the month of May? No Mow May is a campaign run by the National Biodiversity Centre to encourage people to lock away the lawnmower and give wildflowers the chance to grow – all in the name of pollination. Sean was joined by Kate Chandler, Communities and Engagement Pollinator Officer with the National Biodiversity Data Centre...

Ruth Wilson from the National Biodiversity Data Centre joined Mark Gibson, Head of Teagasc Outreach & Innovation Department, on this week's podcast version of the Signpost Series to discuss ‘Actions for pollinators on farmland'. A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Teagasc's Catherine Keena.  To register for future webinars visit:https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/  For more podcasts from the Signpost Series go to:https://www.teagasc.ie/signpostpodcast/ 

Dr Liam Lysaght is the Director of the National Biodiversity Data Centre and he will be addressing the Aseembly later this morning and he has popped in on his way there.

Biologist and roving reporter Terry Flanagan speaks to John Lusby, Raptor Conservation Officer with BirdWatch Ireland. Terry also meets up with Dr. Una Fitzpatrick, a senior ecologist with the National Biodiversity Data Centre in Waterford to talk about wildflower meadow.

Pollinators provide a vital ecosystem service to the agricultural industry but are we doing enough to help our pollinators and the wider biodiversity on farms across the country?   Ruth Wilson, Farmland Pollinator Officer with the National Biodiversity Data Centre working on the All Ireland Pollinator Plan, joins Deirdre and Cathal on the latest Environment Edge podcast to discuss what we can do on the farm and other initiatives going on to help our pollinators.Podcast SurveyIn order to understand the aspects of podcasts which are most appealing and beneficial to you the listener, it would be appreciated if you could take 3-4 minutes to complete the following survey to give your feedback:  https://forms.office.com/r/mDZTE9zPy4 For more episodes and information from the Environment Edge, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/environmentedge/

Business for Biodiversity, a new platform to guide businesses in taking action to tackle the biodiversity crisis has been recommended to be signed up by Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD and Minister of State for Land-Use & Biodiversity, Senator Pippa Hackett. Backed by the National Parks & Wildlife Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage and the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine the platform was launched at the National Biodiversity Conference in Dublin Castle. The new platform will help businesses to measure, design and demonstrate their biodiversity impact, drawing on a network of expertise led by Natural Capital Ireland, the National Biodiversity Data Centre and Business in the Community Ireland. Business for Biodiversity Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Malcolm Noonan said: “I'm looking forward to seeing the Irish business community drive action on the biodiversity agenda. This platform aims to bring businesses together across sectors to assess biodiversity impact, take strategic action across a range of organisational levels, and learn from international best practices in corporate biodiversity governance. Corporate action is an important element of the all-of-society approach required to address biodiversity loss and I encourage all businesses to sign up to the platform, and get involved to help protect, conserve and restore nature.” Minister Hackett said: “The business community has a vital role to play in our response to the biodiversity crisis, so I am delighted to support this platform. Employees and consumers alike are demanding more from businesses when it comes to their environmental credentials, and this platform will enable businesses to build their awareness of both their impacts and their dependencies on biodiversity. With that awareness, businesses will be empowered to take action to address biodiversity loss and to have a positive impact on the communities in which they operate.” How the Platform Works The purpose of the platform is to encourage and incentivise Irish businesses to assess their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity. The overarching aim is to support the implementation of Ireland's National Biodiversity Action Plan, halt harmful activities and promote the restoration and regeneration of Ireland's natural heritage. Business For Biodiversity received Government seed funding for an initial three-year period, but from January onwards, the platform will put a paid membership model in place, once well-developed resources are established to offer support and networking opportunities to businesses, with a tiered fee system to suit every scale, from small-to-medium enterprises to large multi-nationals. Some of the services to be offered by the platform include increasing understanding of biodiversity through educational webinars, facilitating networking and collaboration among participating companies, educating member companies around national policy on biodiversity and identifying nature-based solutions to address climate change and biodiversity loss. Platform Development Manager for Business for Biodiversity, Lucy Gaffney acknowledged the important role that participating companies play in developing standards – for example, many businesses are now working with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan to enhance their contribution to bees and other pollinators. She said the plan is to incorporate some of these existing certifications into Business for Biodiversity's own scoring system to ensure streamlined compatibility between the various initiatives. Ms Gaffney emphasised: “Biodiversity is complex and hard to measure which is why we are working with the National Biodiversity Data Centre and Business in the Community to ask businesses to come aboard at this early stage to help us develop a biodiversity evaluation metric that can be applied and tailored...

There's no better time to give as much help to our pollinators than now. Úna is a wealth of knowledge and the work of the National Biodiversity Data Centre, including the All Ireland Pollinator Plan, is crucial. Stay up to date with their work by signing up to their newsletter or following them on Twitter @BioDataCentre @PollinatorPlan , Instagram @biodatacentre @allirelandpollinatorplan & Facebook.[04:30] Getting to know Úna.[06:30] When she realised ecology protection was moving in the wrong direction.[10:10] How the NBDC works & what kind of data can be collected.[13:10] What the All Ireland Pollinator Plan is.[15:30] What pollinators are.[16:50] The 3 main reasons we need to protect pollinators.[19:15] The main threats to pollinators.[20:45] How the changing weather affects them.[23:10] Solutions! How to help.[33:00] The issue with honeybees.Also mentioned:Explore Your Shore data collection.A Thousand Mornings by Mary Oliver.Book of Leaves event on the 18th May 2022.As always, don't forget to follow Book of Leaves on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, leave us a review, and share with a friend xPatreon / Buy Me A Coffee Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/bookofleaves. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's easy to think that sustainable data centers are all about reducing carbon. In fact the earth faces a biodiversity crisis as big as the climate crisis. Data centers can have a role in fighting to prevent extinctions, and produce a lot of other benefits in the process. When you build a data center, you have to see the unintended consequences, says Michelle Wallace of data center promotion group Host In Ireland. Build badly, and local species will suffer. But it's also easy to get it wrong, to put in measures that don't help. Host in Ireland went to Ireland's National Biodiversity Data Centre, found how important pollinators are, and put together a set of action to protect and promote them, DCs for Bees is now having influence beyond Ireland, and beyond the data center industry. It's being followed up with a scheme to plant orchards - and there are more ideas beyond that. This is the Zero Downtime episode which could make your data center into a haven for nature, and change your life for the better!

Episode 100: Deer, Sheep and Fires with Ashley Glover There are no two ways about it. It's a milestone episode. Episode 100. To mark the occasion we get together with environmentalist, hunter and axe thrower, Ashley Glover to discuss some of the most interesting subjects from the past three years. And while the title says “Deer, Sheep and Fires,” in reality it should have said, “Deer, Sheep, Boar, Wolves, Mink, Trout, Seals, Woodland, Rhododendron and Fires.” You get the picture! In our conversation, you will be able to identify episodes from Tommy's Outdoors back catalogue that you might want to listen to. For your convenience, I have compiled below a full list of episodes discussed in our conversation. It is by no means a list of “best” episodes but just a list of those we mentioned. Episode 20: Irish Wildlife Trust with Pádraic Fogarty Episode 29: Forestry and Native Woodlands with Ciaran Nugent Episode 51: Fighting Illegal Salmon Netting with Bertie Brosnan Episode 54: The National Biodiversity Data Centre with Dave Wall Episode 61: African Swine Fever Awareness and Prevention with Shane McAuliffe Episode 68: Rewilding, Wolves and Biodiversity with Pádraic Fogarty Episode 71: The European Federation for Hunting and Conservation with David Scallan Episode 72: Seal Rescue Ireland with Mel Robinson Episode 73: Quantitative Ecology with Kilian Murphy Episode 77: Sweden is Hunting with Andreas Michalik Episode 78: Human-Seal Conflict with Liam Flannery and Dan Brosnan Episode 81: Skates and Marine Rewilding with Patrick Collins Episode 88: Rewilding Scotland with Peter Cairns Episode 89: Camera Trapping and Large Mammal Monitoring with Adam Francis Smith Episode 92: Upland Ecology with Cathy Mayne Episode 95: Białowieża Forest with Marta Klimkiewicz Episode 97: Human-Wildlife Conflict with Amy Dickman You will also receive hints of possible future episodes! I don't usually give that information away, but hey! There is only one episode 100 for every podcast! Finally, I would like to say a big “thank you!” to all my guests from previous episodes, for donating their time and sharing their views, experiences and knowledge. It is greatly appreciated. I would also like to give a very special thanks to all of you, my listeners! Thank you for your messages, your feedback and your support. You make this podcast worth doing. Onwards and upwards! To episode 200 and beyond!

Dr Úna FitzPatrick from the National Biodiversity Data Centre, joins Mark Gibson, Teagasc ConnectEd, on this week's podcast version of the Signpost Series webinar to discuss the All Ireland Pollinator Plan. The presentation was followed by a questions and answers session facilitated by Pat Murphy, Head of Teagasc Environment KT Programme. For more shows and information from the series and to register for future webinars visit: https://www.teagasc.ie/corporate-events/sustainable-agriculture-webinars/

Dr. Liam Lysaght, National Biodiversity Data Centre, tells us why it has been a bad season for butterflies, tells us where all the butterflies have gone this year

The National Biodiversity Data Centre, which was established by the Heritage Council in 2007 collects and manages data on Ireland's biodiversity.   The Data Centre is jointly funded by the Heritage Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.   In order to conserve Ireland's biodiversity, we need to document what biodiversity we have, understand how it is distributed across the island of Ireland and its marine waters, track how it is changing over time, and communicate the importance of conserving biodiversity.    Addressing these knowledge gaps and building the scientific evidence base to help its conservation is central to the work of the Data Centre.   In addition to the core work, funding is provided to oversee and assist with implementation of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan (2021-2025), which is endorsed by over 61 governmental and non-governmental organisations in Ireland.   In today's podcast, Dr Liam Lysaght, Director of the Data Centre, explains why it was established and the strategic importance of its work, Oisin Duffy, Surveys and Records Officer, talks about the Citizen Science Portal and Niamh Phelan, Biodiversity Engagement Officer, discusses the Data Centre's outreach and training work.   On with the show.. The Heritage Council: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Paul Green was born in Guildford, Surrey. The family moved to Somerset when he was 5. Paul has always been keen on all aspects of natural history, especially plants. He is a self-taught botanist. He currently lives in Co. Wexford, Ireland, where he moved to in 2006. He is currently working for the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland (BSBI) as their BSBI Ireland Officer. Prior to this he worked as the BSBI Wales Officer from 2012 – 2015 and he surveyed rare plants all over Wales. Paul also works part-time as a botanical leader for Greentours Natural History Holidays since 2004. He led trips in Europe, Canada, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Morocco & Turkey. Paul has been a member of the BSBI for 37 years. He took an active role in the BSBI Monitoring Scheme in 1987/88 in Somerset, Waterford and Galway. He was appointed BSBI Vice-county recorder for Somerset in 1992. The Atlas Flora of Somerset, he published in 1997 with his brother, is a highly regarded county flora that won the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland (BSBI) and Wildflower Society President's prize for the best botanical work published that year. In the 1990s Paul was invited to come to Ireland to assist with the BSBI New Atlas project. He became the Vice County-recorder for both Co. Waterford and Co. Wexford. He stepped down as the Vice County-recorder for Waterford in 2019. In 2008, he published the Flora of County Waterford which was funded by the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. In the same year, the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Waterford published his plant dataset through a GIS web version of the Flora of County Waterford. This was the first web flora for a county published in Ireland or Britain. Paul was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Recorder Award in 2009 by the National Biodiversity Data Centre which is an annual award to individuals or organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to the recording of Ireland's biodiversity. He is currently working on a Flora of Co. Wexford, and hopes to publish in 2022. Ireland twitter account: https://twitter.com/BSBI_Ireland W: bsbi.org BSBI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BSBIbotany BSBI on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BSBI2011 BSBI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsbibotany/ BSBI News & Views Blog: http://bsbipublicity.blogspot.co.uk/ Latest botanical news: http://bsbi.org/news Press releases/Media: http://bsbi.org/publicity

In this weeks episode of Master My Garden podcast I am joined by Dr Una FitzPatrick, Senior Ecologist with the National Biodiversity Data Centre and project co-ordinator of the All Ireland Pollinator plan 2021-2025. The all Ireland pollinator plan is a superb initiative that has just gone into its second 5 year plan. With the aim of halting the decline of pollinators in Ireland initially and with the long term aim of growing the numbers again. Through a range of measures aimed at reinstating habitats in agricultural land, public roads & parks as well as in private gardens. This multi facated plan and approach which involves all stakeholders has been widely recognised and  adapted. It is also being used as a shining example of house best to tackle the issue in other areas the world. The plan originally developed by Una and Jane Stout from Trinity College has been successful through the first plan and that work is now being continued and built upon with this second plan 2021-2025. Dr Una FitzPatrick, Senior EcologistÚna is responsible for the development of, and oversees delivery of, the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, and is responsible for the plant and vegetation work programmes of the Data Centre. This includes management of the National Vegetation Database and contributing to development of the Irish Vegetation Classification System.Both the National Biodiversity Data centre and the website for the All Ireland Pollinator plan can be found here.https://www.biodiversityireland.iehttps://pollinators.ieThere will be a blog post on this episode very soon on my website. This blog and previous blogs along with all podcast episodes are be available on my Website :https://mastermygarden.com/If there is any topic you would like covered in future episodes please let me know. Please like and follow Master My Garden on the following channels  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mastermygarden/Instagram @Mastermygarden https://www.instagram.com/mastermygarden/Twitter:https://twitter.com/tweetsbyMMGor email info@mastermygarden.comUntil the next time Happy GardeningJohn  

Whether you own a flower box, or run a farm, you can play your part in protecting our bees.   Currently one-third of our 98 wild bee species are threatened with extinction. Helping biodiversity calls on all of us to manage our natural habitat in a different way. Pollination is crucial in maintaining the quality of our food supplies. Caring for pollinators is also of economic importance to our farmers, while protecting environmental health. Last week, the National Biodiversity Data Centre published a report "Working Together for Biodiversity".   It highlighted what has been achieved through the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan in its first five years.   Implementation of the Plan was coordinated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre - a programme of the Heritage Council – which tracks changes in Ireland's wildlife.   In publishing the Plan in September 2015, Ireland became one of the first countries in Europe to address this issue. This plan was a collaboration between The Heritage Council, Biodiversity Ireland, Bord Bia - Irish Food Board, and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. It is supported by more than 100 governmental and non-governmental organisations. The Plan identifies 81 actions to make Ireland more pollinator friendly. In today's podcast, project-manager Úna FitzPatrick, a Senior Ecologist in the National Biodiversity Data Centre, explains the background to what is a landmark development. We also chat to Lorcan Scott, Wildlife Officer with The Heritage Council, about his work and the Council's involvement in this area. Finally, we talk to John Fogarty, a dairy farmer, from Tipperary. He explains how small changes are having a big impact on biodiversity on his land. Enjoy the show! The Heritage Council: Website Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn YouTube This podcast has been produced by Fuzion Communications.

Interesting conversation with Nicole Cox, who has been working to help promote awareness and support for Irish bees as part of her work at Siemens Ireland. Nicole also shared more information about how to find out more about bees and what can be done to help them. Here are the links for DC for Bees and the National BioDiversity Data Centre which have been particularly helpful. https://www.hostinireland.com/dc-s-for-bees https://pollinators.ie/resources/ To clarify two points – It is the red-tailed bumblebee which I am particularly fond of (I said red-bottomed by accident). Also rather than 10% of solitary bees, the number likely to use bee hotels/nest boxes is actually approximated to be 10 of the 77 native solitary bee species. As for Nature on our Doorsteps, copies were still available for sale at the Tallaght Library as of September and I've personally found it to be highly informative. https://www.echo.ie/show/article/nature-on-our-doorsteps-book-launch Nicole Cox is a volunteer beekeeper and DC (Data Centre) for Bees Ambassador on behalf of Siemens Ltd., Dublin. A smart meter data management consultant with Siemens Advanta since 2014, she has joined the Siemens Ltd. Sustainability group after moving to Dublin in June 2020. Sustainability is one of the key pillars of the overall Zero Harm Culture at Siemens Ltd. which seeks to grow initiatives such as personal wellbeing, health and safety, thinking green, and giving back to the community. As a partner with Host in Ireland, the overall goal of DC for Bees and Siemens' Sustainability group is to raise awareness of the importance of Irish pollinators and encourage changes to support the local ecosystem on a corporate and individual level. More about DCs for Bees Why Are We Doing This? As well as helping fight one of the greatest threats not only to bees but to the entire planet there are numerous benefits to coming together as an industry for this initiative: Snowball effect: Act as an exemplar for other industries to follow suit and make a real difference ​Community with a common purpose: Bring an industry together in a way that has never been done before Awareness: Reach a far wider audience than the Native Woodland Trust or the National Biodiversity Data Centre could do alone ​​Meaningful Action: Help businesses to create and supplement a meaningful CSR programme Go global: This programme can act as a blueprint for our members' businesses to make an even bigger impact within their global offices Do the right thing right: People in the industry want to make a difference but it's not always clear how to go about it in a way that doesn't create unintended consequences. By working with the Native Woodland Trust and the National Biodiversity Data Centre we can do our very best to ensure the actions we take are the right ones and as impactful as possible.”

Cian McCormack has exclusive figures from the National Biodiversity Data Centre which saw cocooning as the perfect time to count and categorise Ireland's butterfly population

Today is World Bee Day, and the importance of bees and pollination is part of the ongoing Biodiversity Campaign being run this month by the Heritage Offices of Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal County Councils. Guests this week are Joe Gallagher, Heritage Officer with Donegal Co. Co., and Una Fitzpatrick of the National Biodiversity Data Centre

Many of us outdoors people like to keep records of the animal and fish species we have encountered, caught or seen during our time in the outdoors. To keep those records we use spreadsheets, databases, dedicated apps and, perhaps, a pen and paper if you’re a little old-timey chap. As it turns out, there is a website that can not only help you record and explore your sightings but also include your data in the national dataset that is used by scientists. This website is operated by The National Biodiversity Data Centre and, in this episode of the podcast, our guest is their Citizen Science Officer, Dave Wall. http://www.biodiversityireland.ie https://exploreyourshore.ie/ https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/iveragh-learning-landscapes-2019-tickets-51248972055

The National Biodiversity Data Centre is a national centre for the collection,collation, management,analysis and dissemination of data on Ireland's biological diversity.Biodiversity data are a key requirement for understanding our natural surroundings,for tracking change in our environment and for gaining a greater insight on how we benefit from,and impact upon,the ecosystem goods and services provided by biological diversity; a national asset which contributes at least €2.6 billion to the Irish economy each year.The Data Centre was established by the Heritage Council in 2007 and is funded by the Heritage Council and the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

We hear from writer & eco-activist, Victoria White, on how climate change action requires a radical shift in policy. Well known archaeologist, historian & presenter of the TV series ‘Coast’, Neil Oliver, shares his unique window on the world with Dr Richard Collins & The National Biodiversity Data Centre is seeking your help.

Terry Flanagan goes for a walk with Dave Wall who is Citizen Science Officer with the National Biodiversity Data Centre. They talk about a new initiative - Explore Your Shore.

Did you know that the pollinating work of bees and other insects is worth €53 million to agriculture in Ireland, North and South? That includes £7 million per annum for apples in Northern Ireland, and €3.9 million for oilseed rape in the Republic. Our guest on today’s podcast is Dr Úna FitzPatrick from National Biodiversity Data Centre in […] Protecting the Vital Role of Bees for Environment and Agriculture [Audio] originally appeared on Technology.ie News & Views on Gadgets & Tech - A Podcast about technology