From one of our best-known woodlands to the return of the corncrake to a boost for our seas, these stories show much-needed change is on the way – even as more progress needs to be made, say environmental groups
The corncrake is a bird that has steeply declined in Ireland over the last century but its numbers are beginning to grow. Photo: Getty
When assessing the current state of nature and biodiversity in Ireland, it is easy to sink into gloom or apathy. However, there are reasons to be hopeful. Here are three positive developments for nature that took place in Ireland this year.
The Glen of the Downs nature reserve in Co Wicklow is one of Ireland’s best-known oak woodlands. This ecologically critical woodland supports many important plants and fungi, including Turner’s Threadwort, a plant species found in only five sites in Ireland.