If we were *really* serious about tackling nature collapse in Ireland (a very big if, I know), what would we be doing? A thread...🧵 - ThreadSky

irishrainforest.bsky.social • 71 days ago

If we were *really* serious about tackling nature collapse in Ireland (a very big if, I know), what would we be doing?

A thread...🧵

Comments

brengun.bsky.social•71 days ago

This would work if we had a serious government in situ, one not beholden to the powerful farming and agri-foods lobby. Alas I cannot see this changing for the foreseeable.

muddyduckworkshop.bsky.social•71 days ago

The obvious one is a drastic reduction of *all* sheep and deer populations.
The economic impact would be widespread and severe so few people, except Monbiot, are willing to go there.

elsnicol.bsky.social•62 days ago

These suggestions should make up the manifesto of many a political party!

irishrainforest.bsky.social•71 days ago

1. Most obviously, we'd accept NO more excuses for the state of our national parks like Killarney (pictured), all of which remain ecologically trashed.

These and other places owned and managed by the state really are the very *lowest* of hanging fruit, and a clear priority.

irishrainforest.bsky.social•71 days ago

2. Give landowners the option of being paid to rewild.

70% of ireland is farmed, and as things stand, if farmers don't exploit their lands extractively, they don't get farm subsidies.

YOUR taxpayer's money is still directly pushing the death of nature.

enorconhcet.bsky.social•70 days ago

Our provincial NDP leader, Claudia Chender, suggests that people be paid not to harvest or sell their woodlots - sometimes their only hope of being able to retire - a great idea.

irishrainforest.bsky.social•71 days ago

3. Introduce a national programme to eradicate (so far as possible) invasive species like sika deer, feral goats, and rhododendron, learning from groundbreaking countries like New Zealand.

We'd also remove legal protection for sika, ban invasive pheasants, sitka spruce, etc...

irishrainforest.bsky.social•71 days ago

4. Actively prepare for, and (re)introduce, missing larger keystone species like lynx, wild boar, beaver... In their absence, ecosystems don't work.

And if ecosystems don't work, nature dies. It's as simple as that.
https://www.scotlandbigpicture.com/press-releases/10-reasons-for-bringing-back-lynx

ane-sofie.bsky.social•71 days ago

They tear up groves of trees, and are impossible to catch, and reproduce rapidly. They live in groups of up to 50. Even here, with bears, wolves, and so on, they have no predators. Just my point of view. Good luck with your work.

ane-sofie.bsky.social•71 days ago

Uh oh. From my point of view, in western Canada, I'm watching some of our ecosystems being badly damaged for the first time. One of the worst things are introduced wild boars and escaped domestic pigs. I would really be cautious of these critters. /2

richardbickers.bsky.social•70 days ago

What do you mean ecosystems don’t work? Don’t they just work in a different way? Maybe a way we think is less good?

rossmcnally.bsky.social•71 days ago

As far as I'm aware, beavers aren't native to Ireland, so I'd question the basis for introducing them there.

irishrainforest.bsky.social•71 days ago

First: the present lack of evidence for beavers in Holocene Ireland does *not* equate to evidence for them not being here.

Second: the whole basis for considering Ireland's Holocene biogeography as somehow 'natural' (ignoring previous 30k years of colossal human-caused chaos) needs revisiting, imv.

irishrainforest.bsky.social•71 days ago

5. Designate REAL Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which means no fishing or industrial activity whatsoever.

Essentially rewilding at sea, real MPAs would act as breeding grounds for fish and other life, spilling out into unprotected areas and boosting fishermen's livelihoods.

irishrainforest.bsky.social•71 days ago

6. Abandon the existing ecocidal forestry model based on monoculture plantations, mostly of alien species like sitka, covering 10% of Ireland.

Instead, move to reforest large areas with wild, native, mostly *naturally regenerated* forests: great for nature, climate, and people.

shanerazor.bsky.social•71 days ago

Yeah, hedgerows are low hanging fruit too. The amount that are ripped out and trees felled for one off housing or by a farmer to use to absolut boundary of a field is unbelievable. How it's still going on is beyond me.

tringdriventhing.bsky.social•70 days ago

Hedgerows near me, already hacked at once in the autumn, received a second haircut to fully remove any cover and food opportunities for wildlife through winter.

"They" even trashed some of the nascent woodland on the other side.

chrisbirder.bsky.social•70 days ago

How it even makes financial sense for the farmer is beyond me.

sarahc15.bsky.social•70 days ago

The quest for a "tidy" countryside is maniacal 🙄

cyclinginkilkenny.bsky.social•70 days ago

Nature doesn’t stand chance.

kenhes.bsky.social•69 days ago

Wouldn't want any life to survive. God forbid!

landielf.com•70 days ago

Noticed they'd done this all through Cornwall, custodians of the land my arse.

peterreavill.bsky.social•70 days ago

Nice and tidy though, good old guardian's of the countryside. They know Best, gawd bless them all.

tringdriventhing.bsky.social•70 days ago

I suspect it was Dacorum Council as opposed to any farmer. I always feel like berating the driver of the vehicle...but if it's a council worker that's not the right response.

peterreavill.bsky.social•70 days ago

No, but is it likely your local council would listen, wholesale education is needed, but those who need it most already think they know. Economically, hire of the driver & vehicle, the diesel, the managerial planning and oversight all cost rate payers money, maybe that's something they understand?

tillee.bsky.social•70 days ago

I've no faith left in humanity.

jjofbc.bsky.social•70 days ago

what a shame :(

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