We have health warnings against lake swimming in dozens of locations across Ireland because of contamination with harmful algal blooms and the presence of toxic blue-green algae in the water — all boosted by artificially elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in the water

In 2021 a ‘new’ bee species arrived in Ireland, the ‘ivy bee’. This bee was first spotted in Wexford... perhaps warming temperatures have facilitated the expansion of its range. Have you seen it yet?

The notion that humans are separate from, and superior to, the natural world is at the core of the broken connections characterising modern times

Feeding my enchantment is what keeps me connected, curious, and able to remain engaged in the many battles to advocate for the rights of nature

For anyone thinking of making a long meadow in part of their land, now is a good time to collect wildflower seeds, especially with all this good weather — and here's a link to a how-to guide with loads of info 

The main difference between 'Mustela erminea hibernica' and their British and continental cousins is that Irish stoats keep their rich brown colouring throughout the year, while British and European stoats turn white in winter

There are lots of bat walks and talks taking place this month... links below

Here are some easy and fun ways to learn about the seas around Ireland

This disease could have devastating consequences for otters and other river creatures here

A combined, community-wide approach at Lough Carra will hopefully show how collaborative conservation actions can be successful

Swift nesting boxes and 'nest bricks' could really help these speedy birds. Info on where and how to install these below...

"There are 39 different shark species and 28 species of skates and rays (closely related to sharks) living in the ocean around Ireland, long before people ever reached these shores."

That so many people are enthusiastic about restoring nature is grounds for hope. We must not let the scaremongering of a minority derail this democratic process

'Most are night flying, and many have evolved to blend in with their surrounds. Some look just like a piece of a leaf, others you can hardly see on a branch even if you are looking right at them'

Rivers across the country are becoming increasingly polluted through negligence, carelessness, and greed

Ireland had a very early set of rules, or legal tracts, called the 'Brehon Laws’. These had detailed rules for the management and protection of trees, fisheries, wild birds, seaweed, and other ‘resources’ essential for people

Ireland had a very early set of rules, or legal tracts, called the 'Brehon Laws’. These had detailed rules for the management and protection of trees, fisheries, wild birds, seaweed, and other ‘resources’ essential for people

So many plant–animal interactions have been harmonised over thousands of years but some of these relationships are now beginning to fall askew as a result of rapidly shifting seasonal patterns

When our vocabulary for the natural world becomes diminished — words for plants, bees and patterns vanishing from our vocabulary — we become impoverished in the scope of what we see and understand

And pioneering communities across the country are reinstating habitats and restoring rivers, wetlands, bogs, and woodlands

I consider our connection with nature to be core to how we cope with all that’s wrong with the world today

A farmer who has stopped using rodenticide discovered his farm actually has fewer rats — the owls are doing a better job of controlling rodents than the rat poison

Beautiful, intelligent and benign animals - badgers and their cubs are a protected species

Greater Skellig hot spot included in same league as the Galápagos Islands and the Great Barrier Reef

And their bodies change from transparent to brown to silver to blend in along their journeys

Birds that rely on winter stubble in the fields for food and shelter will suffer as new Government regulations say stubble must be ploughed into the ground

Research has shown that Ivy protects walls from heat, cold, salt, frost, and pollution — so is often more helpful than harmful to heritage structures

And when it comes to 'love', it is the female who assesses all the factors and makes the final choice of mate

Quality outdoor clothing is always welcome for those who spend time in nature — warm and rain-resistant is key

Here are some native trees that are particularly suited to gardens or urban planting

Seals have historically been persecuted because they eat fish and have been perceived to be ‘in competition' with human fishers

Here are some ways to help manage distressing feelings arising from the climate situation

We need good biodiversity data to address the global biodiversity crisis. Information leads to action, at least in principle

We've been given information, we've been given warnings, we've been given leeway but the scandal is that we still fail to value and protect the fragile ecosystems of our bogs

At this time of year, with restrictions on cutting lifted, many hedges are flailed to within an inch of their lives. Cutting too hard, too often, too low, or at the wrong time of year will all weaken the hedge over time

The seas where salmon mature and the rivers that they have been returning to for thousands of years have now been utterly transformed by human activity

There are more than 500 different species of seaweed growing along the 3,000 kilometres of our coastline — and now is a perfect time to explore these from the shore or by snorkelling at high tide

A major global report says it's official that the dominant global focus on short-term profits and economic growth is now degrading nature faster than at any other point in human history

Birch trees were among the first to thrive here after the Ice Age and transformed Ireland's tundra into a richly wooded landscape

Every local authority in Ireland will have a biodiversity officer within three years but it’s up to each of us to get involved, spend time in nature, forge connections, and demand that those in power step up to the challenges at hand

Ecosystem engineers — sea anemones, barnacles, and more — all find places to make a home in the bustling high-rise living reef

Colourful, charismatic dragonflies and damselflies are on the wing now

Often described as one of the jewels in the crown of Irish biodiversity

We are the first generation that has a clear understanding of just how much the world depends on nature, and we are also the last generation that can act to reverse the trend