Lost native predators and trees: Science Week puts Ireland’s conservation challenges front and centre

It's time to raise awareness about the issues affecting our ecosystems.

Science Week is back, and this year, there’s a special focus on indigenous and non-indigenous wildlife in Ireland, and conservation biology in general.

The theme for Science Week this year is Regeneration. The decisions we make today will greatly impact future generations, especially when it comes to the natural world – our life support system.

We’ve partnered with Science Week to shine a light on two fascinating – and important – areas of interest; Biodiversity, and especially Native Trees.

So, read up on these topics and join the conversation, because Science Week isn’t just about learning, it’s about raising awareness about our precious ecosystems.

Let’s get into it, shall we?

Conservation and Biodiversity

The last decades have seen massive biodiversity loss and habitat degradation, so it’s important that we understand the key drivers as well as the best course of action to restore, improve and conserve what we have left.

This year, Science Week is taking a look at how we might bring back our lost native predators.

In almost every other corner of Europe, bar Britain, species that had been killed off are returning naturally, including wolves, bears and lynx. These creatures can now even be found in very densely populated countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

The resulting problems have been minimal, the vast majority of people have welcomed the comeback of once-lost native predators.

Ireland, being an island, faces challenges in bringing back lost native predators, so this Science Week there’s a focus on starting conversations about whether we should bring back predators to help conserve our ecosystems.

Native Trees

Another conversation taking centre stage this Science Week is Ireland’s native trees because, despite our reputation as a green nation, Ireland actually has surprisingly little forest.

Across Europe, nations average around 35% forest cover, but in Ireland, we have just 11%, one of the lowest on the continent. Additionally, just 2% of Ireland is covered with native broadleaf trees.

Right now, researchers at Trinity College Dublin are trying to establish the value and benefits of forests to Ireland (including carbon capture and wildlife habitats) so that reforestation efforts can be supported.

Science Week is taking place from 10 – 17 November. For more information on Science Week, click here.