The Irish Wildlife Trust

WOLF DOWNLISTING EU The European Commission has presented at the EU Council a legislative Proposal to weaken the legal protection of the European Grey wolf (Canis lupus). This proposal is not based on scientific evidence; however, it was adopted by most oEU States, and will be soon presented at the Bern Convention on the Conservation of Wildlife and Natural Habitats for possible delisting. If adopted, such a delisting will consequently delist the wolf in the EU relevant law (EU Habitat and Species Directive). Despite the efforts of European NGOs, the current European legal protection regime for wolves and the coexistence policies are now at stake. Two Scientific Statements, 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆, have been launched by a small group of experts in the field of conservation and environment – GREEN IMPACT - Transformative practice has offered to host the initiative on its Website. The Statements will be sent to the Secretary of the Bern Convention on 1st December 2024. This is call to Scientists to help assure EU wolves conservation policies remain founded on science and not politics. The decision on the delisting will be taken at the beginning of December 2024 at the Standing Committee Meeting of the Bern Convention. Please see below in comments a list of actions https://lnkd.in/enE8AFfW

This General Election campaign has featured lots of promises of tax cuts and big spending but little attention has been given to nature and the environment on the campaign trail. We are getting in touch with some key asks for nature as well as updates on general election campaign tools from the Environmental Pillar and SWAN Sustainable Water Network, two fantastic groups of which we are proud members. When candidates come knocking on your door asking for your vote it's a great opportunity to remind them of the importance of nature protection and restoration in Ireland. With the Nature Restoration Law now passed it is a crucial time for action on nature and we need the next government to give nature the attention and funding it needs. Below are some suggested asks to raise on the doorstep.  These asks are aligned with the Environmental Pillar’s general election manifesto. You can find info on the full manifesto below.  1. The creation of a ring fenced nature restoration fund to support nature restoration work throughout Ireland and help us deliver on our National Nature Restoration Plan. 2. Revise the legal mandates for key state agencies and public bodies such as Bord na Mona and Coillte to ensure they manage all the land they own in line with Nature Restoration Law obligations. There is huge potential for large-scale restoration of our native woodlands and peatlands if these agencies' official mandate was to restore nature for the good of society.    3. Implement all the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. The assembly agreed on an ambitious list of forward thinking recommendations and we are asking the new government to implement these recommendations. You can see the Citizens Assembly report here as well as articles we have published on some of these recommendations here.  4. Enact the long overdue Marine Protected Area legislation as soon as possible. This will allow Ireland to increase its marine protected area designation to the level needed to restore our marine biodiversity. 5. Ban bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas and phase out of destructive fishing practices in all waters. Bottom trawling still occurs on most of our  marine protected areas. This practice needs to stop to allow marine life to recover and thrive in our MPAs. 6. Create a dedicated Department for Environment, Nature, Heritage and Natural Resources with a senior cabinet minister who can speak for nature at the highest level in government. We are proud members of the Irish Environmental Pillar. The asks above can be found alongside many more important ideas for our environment in the Environmental Pillars manifesto  “Pathways to a Sustainable, Resilient and Equitable Ireland”. Find it here: https://lnkd.in/g2Pt28_P

Social media plays a powerful role in shaping attitudes toward wildlife, and it's crucial that we all take responsibility for the content we engage with. SMACC’s 5 Steps are practical and empowering actions everyone can take to combat cruelty and support ethical wildlife practices. We’re proud to feature this initiative in Irish Wildlife Magazine and to raise awareness about how we can all help protect animals from harm. Together, we can create a safer, more compassionate digital space for wildlife. 🌍🐾 If you would like to get your own copy of Irish Wildlife Magazine, join today! Membership options can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eKxzdve9

🚨 Tomorrow's vote on EU Deforestation Regulation could set us back years! Tomorrow, the European Parliament will vote on the EU Commission’s proposal to delay the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year. This delay is not just a procedural tweak. It threatens to undermine a landmark law designed to protect global forests by enforcing due diligence for companies dealing with products linked to deforestation. The EUDR, adopted in June 2023 with wide support from national governments and Members of the European Parliament, answered the call of more than a million EU citizens to better protect forest ecosystems worldwide. A delay will have major consequences, allowing harmful business-as-usual activities to continue unchecked, contributing to the loss of vast areas of forests that will be lost forever, while exacerbating the nature and climate crises.  But the situation is even more alarming: the EPP is tabling last-minute amendments that would drastically water down the law’s effectiveness. If approved, the amendments will introduce an additional year delay, remove critical due diligence requirements for traders, and add a “no-risk category" – effectively exempting all EU countries from ensuring their commodities do not contribute to forest destruction. These changes claim to reduce administrative burdens, even though the EUDR requirements closely mirror those of its predecessor, the EU Timber Regulation. The Timber Regulation, however, allowed for significant loopholes which the EUDR was meant to close. Reopening these loopholes would be a step backwards. If these EPP amendments are approved in tomorrow’s vote, we call on the European Commission to stay true to its original commitments and withdraw its proposal altogether.    Birdlife, alongside 245 civil society organisations, is calling on the European Parliament and national EU governments to reject the Commission’s proposal and champion Europe’s responsibility to protect our forests. Read our full statement here: https://lnkd.in/eGkkh-AU #Deforestation #EUDR #together4forests  📸 Yves Adams

Not to be missed this weekend in #Kerry 🦈🌊 Join the Irish Elasmobranch Group and their guest speaker to gain valuable insights from a long standing Marine Protected Area in the UK. Read more about the Lyme Bay Marine Reserve via the link below and the work done in collaboration with the local communities to protect the bay while boosting incomes for the bay's fishing families: https://lnkd.in/eStHwceg P.S. (elasmobranch = sharks, rays, skates, etc.) #FairSeas

The hearing is over, the votes are counted, and we now know that Costas Kadis will be the new European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans until 2029. Commissioner-elect Kadis clearly knows his brief, and gave some indications that he is serious about addressing some of the big problems the ocean faces. One example is article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy, with the Commissioner-elect expressing his readiness to take bold action to set fishing quotas with social and environmental criteria in mind. The idea of fair and eco-friendly fishing allocations is not just a theoretical concept; it’s a practical solution we can build on right now. Find out more in our recent report: https://lnkd.in/dhpK5cVs. However, this is not just about numbers and quotas — it’s about protecting the ocean. The Commissioner-elect stayed close to this new Commission’s toplines — productivity, competitiveness, internal market — but his job title includes an important word that played second fiddle to ‘fisheries’. That word is ‘oceans’, and it needs more than lip service. People and the planet are depending on the EU to not just serve industry interests, but to protect marine ecosystems from the continued harm caused by human activities. The biggest opportunity to nurse the ocean back to health is the upcoming EU Ocean Pact. Questions from MEPs including Christophe Clergeau and Thomas Bajada urged the Commissioner-elect to elaborate beyond hollow words such as ‘framework’ and ‘policy coherence’. He dismissed the idea of new legislation, instead stating that the Pact will improve the implementation of existing policies. But that is not enough. We need concrete action and binding measures to deliver nature-positive outcomes. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) must be fully realised, with a clear emphasis on improving their environmental effectiveness and ensuring they support the recovery of marine biodiversity. We also need new legislation on a range of areas, from trade of aquatic food, to effective management of marine protected areas, and unintentional microplastics pollution. We recently joined forces with five other ‘blue’ NGOs to prepare the ‘Blue Manifesto’, a roadmap to a healthy ocean in 2030, and this should form the backbone of any Ocean Pact, Deal or Framework coming from the Commission: https://lnkd.in/daZX93FD. This is a defining moment. The triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution is real, and it requires urgent action. We can no longer afford to prioritise short-term economic gains over the long-term health of the ocean. The question is: will Commissioner-elect Kadis and others in power take bold steps to implement policies that align with the science and put the health of the ocean, people and the planet first?

📸 Announcing Our Shortlist For October Photo of the Month Competition! We received so many beautiful entries this month, capturing Ireland’s stunning wildlife from back gardens to mountain peaks. It’s truly special to see glimpses of wildlife across the country – a privilege that reminds us of the need to protect these precious moments. Thank you to everyone who shared their photos with us – your passion for wildlife shines through each image. Here’s the shortlist of amazing photos for October 2024, chosen from all your incredible submissions sent to photocomp@iwt.ie. Narrowing it down to just 20 finalists is always challenging, and we are immensely grateful for each and every entry. VOTING TAKES PLACE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE ✍ The winning photograph will be selected by the most 'likes' (or reactions) on Facebook by November 13th at 6 pm. The photographer will be announced as the IWT Facebook Photo of the Month! To give everyone a fair chance, please SHARE THE WHOLE ALBUM, not just individual photos. To vote, please go to our Facebook page: https://lnkd.in/d3yRdhMC 🗓 Want to enter our November 2024 competition? Send your entry to photocomp@iwt.ie with the subject line “November Photo of the Month” to ensure your photo is included. Be sure to add the date (dd/mm/yyyy), location (e.g., Co. Kilkenny), and your social media handle if you’d like us to tag you! Thank you to every photographer who shares a moment of connection with Ireland’s wildlife. Let’s continue to cherish and protect our wild places, together. 🌿 Good luck, everyone! 🌿

Here's five seconds of pine marten for anyone who might need it today.