Vacancy Watch: a big site near Fatima Luas stop
Even as the government casts around for new land to zone for homes, it is unclear when this plot will be built out.
biodiversity
12 articles
On Ireland’s Eye, a roll-out of measures to better protect the birds
The island off Howth is a haven for puffins, cormorants, and more. But human visitors have continued to stress them.
An effort to seed a revival of hedgerows in Dublin city
“We're going to develop different urban trial hedgerows,” says Sophie von Maltzan. “The edible hedgerow, and the not-so-fast-growing hedgerow, and the thorn-free hedge.”
In Ballymun, a rare plant complicates a football club’s ambitions
Its discovery is holding up an expansion, the club’s secretary says. But there should be a way it can happen, while keeping the plant safe, an ecologist says.
Councils plan to clear paths through weirs on the Liffey to help revive fish
The barriers “block migratory fish species from accessing most of the river and degrade/impound the habitat they need to complete their life cycles”.
In Whitehall, a GAA car park is used to grow potatoes and mint
“People come in, take some spuds, some onions, whatever it is. It all keeps ticking along.”
An ecosystem in a matchbox serves as an ice-breaker for a new Dublin biodiversity network
It’s meant to be a forum for sharing ideas, and knowledge – and working together to push for change.
In Porterstown, a public garden offers a template for residents who want to attract more critters to the area
The Riverwood Biodiversity Group has shaped the patch to tempt solitary bees, hedgehogs, and others. They hope neighbours will take inspiration from it.
Department doubtful about council’s plan for a new interpretive centre on Bull Island
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has questioned “the viability of providing the proposed Discovery Centre”.
Locals push for full ecological survey before development of Balbriggan’s Mill Pond Park
The park is part of a planned “green corridor”, with landscaping, walk- and cycle-ways, a meadow and a managed wetland.
In Howth, effort to trim back vegetation to clear tramway trail went way too far, locals say
“There was absolutely no need for this big tractor to come along and literally annihilate everything.”
Rosemary for the people: does Dublin need more public herb gardens?
“It could be as small as a herb garden on a lamppost, on the base of a tree, or on the corner of housing estates, so space wouldn’t be at a premium.”
Keeping hives of honeybees is great for honey, but not so good for city’s biodiversity, say experts
“Too many honeybees can negatively impact wild bees in the vicinity,” says Úna FitzPatrick, a senior ecologist for the National Biodiversity Data Centre.