Kilkenny TD set to purchase island for breeding waders

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan has announced his intention to purchase Clawinch Island on Lough Ree in order to protect threatened wading birds.

Lough Ree is a designated Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation, and was recently identified as the most important site in Ireland for breeding waterbirds. 

The 50-acre island, which is located around 500 metres from the western shore of the lake, has been identified as a key site by the National Parks and Wildlife Service as it is home to breeding Curlew, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Ringed Plover and Snipe, as well as various Duck, Gull and Tern species. White-tailed Eagles have also been recorded roosting here. 

The announcement adds to the footprint of lands already being managed for nature by the NPWS on Lough Ree, following last year’s acquisition of the nearby Black Islands, and will help to ensure that their vulnerable breeding wader populations can be secured into the future. 

Minister Noonan said:

“Under this Government, we have invested heavily in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, increasing its funding by 170%. We have created two new National Parks and have invested in the strategic acquisition of key sites of ecological importance. We have also continued to fund and support targeted conservation projects such as the Breeding Waders EIP, a €25 million project, co-funded by the NPWS and the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. 

“In 2023, I also announced a pledge of an additional €5 million to drive targeted conservation measures and strategic acquisitions for Breeding Waders. Today, I am proud to announce my intention to further increase the State’s portfolio of landholdings for nature to include the acquisition of the beautiful island of Clawinch. The opportunity to purchase an island site like this is rare, and it’s particularly valuable for breeding waders. These birds nest on the ground and are particularly vulnerable to predators. Because it’s an island, Clawinch is something of a haven for them. I’d like to thank the current owner for his willingness to see this site conserved for its ecological importance into the future.”

Lough Ree is also an important migratory stopping point and Wintering site for many other species, with Golden Plover, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Turnstone, Common Sandpiper and both Black-tailed and Bar-tailed Godwit consistently using the site for feeding and roosting. Clawinch island, meanwhile, has some wonderful wet-grassland habitat, with species such as Water Germander, Teucrium scordium, in abundance. Otters are also recorded in the waters around the island on a regular basis.

Many of the larger islands on Lough Ree became uninhabited in the mid to late 1900s and, on certain islands, this has seen the level of agricultural activity decrease. Reduced grazing and less intensive land management has led to scrub encroachment becoming an issue for some species. Ownership of Clawinch will allow the NPWS and the Breeding Waders EIP to implement measures to restore habitat where necessary. 

Owen Murphy, Senior Project Manager with the Breeding Waders EIP, stated:

“This acquisition is hugely exciting for the project and shows the commitment of government to invest in sites of strategic importance for Breeding Waders. Islands are such important sites for ground-nesting birds, as the protection offered by the surrounding water greatly reduces the risk of nest and chick predation by mammals. 

“This need for scrub maintenance, and other habitat restoration measures, shows the dependency that Waders such as Curlew, Lapwing and Redshank have on sympathetic agricultural activity. These birds need farmers, and I want to compliment the amazing work being done by local farmers in managing lands to support vibrant Breeding Wader populations, as well as maintaining productive farming models. This shows how farmers and conservation projects such as the Breeding Waders EIP can work collaboratively for nature. 

‘Collaborative Conservation’ is the key to changing the fortunes for many, many Irish species. It is only when all stakeholders and interested parties work together, that meaningful actions can be taken to avert our biodiversity crisis”.