Invasive Species

The high rate of biodiversity in the Burren relies on careful management of invasive species that might effect this.

The Burrenbeo Conservation Volunteers have started training others in invasive species identification and all have a map that individuals can post up their invasive species findings.

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are, after habitat loss, the second greatest threat to biodiversity worldwide. Once introduced to an area, the control, management and eradication where possible of IAS can be very difficult and costly.  A vast amount of International, European and National legislation has been put in to place concerning the spread and management of IAS highlighting the serious nature of the threat caused by them.

IAS are animals, plants or other organisms introduced by man into places out of their natural range of distribution. When they become established they can have a negative impact upon the local ecosystems and species. Some invasive species can have an impact upon us too – e.g. Japanese knotweed can grow up through concrete or tarmac and destabilise building foundations. Luckily most non-native (alien) species do not cause any harm and only a small portion of them are considered to be invasive.  There are various excellent websites detailing what species are classified as invasive and how to identify and manage them – check out two of them listed below: The National Biodiversity Data Centre  Invasive Species Ireland

Members of the public are encouraged to record and report sightings of IAS but the biggest problem is many of us do not have the awareness of what are classified as IAS and what they look like.   Follow these links and see if you have any of these knotweeds growing in your area: Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Knotweed. If you do, sightings can be sent to the National Biodiversity Data Centre or if they are in the Burren region they can be sent to [email protected] where they will be added to our IAS map of the Burren.

Why not join us?

With the long term objective of managing some plant IAS in key Burren areas, the BCV have started an IAS recording project in the Burren for the following species:

• Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica
• Giant knotweed, Fallopiasachalinensis
• Bohemian knotweed, Fallopia japonicas x bohemica
• Himalayan knotweed, Persicariawallichii
• Red valerian, Centranthusruber
• Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster spp.
• Himalayan balsam, Impatiens glandulifera
• Giant hogweed, Heracleummantegazzianum
• Rhododendron, Rhododendron ponticum
• Sycamore, Acer pseudoplantanus (only when found on limestone pavement)
• Travellers joy/Old man’s beard, Clematis vitalba
• Hybrid bluebell, Hyacinthoides x massarttiana

See The National Biodiversity Data Centre or  Invasive Species Ireland for ID sheets of many of the species listed above.

A google map has been created where volunteers can record their observations of the above IAS. This map will be shared with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Clare County Council and Galway County Council.

Mapping of the above species will continue throughout 2017.

For more info or to help with this project please contact [email protected]

 

 

Two of our volunteers, Eileen O’Connor and Richie Jones are currently photographing Japanese knotweed every month to aid with identification.

                     

 

As spring is upon us and plants are just starting to grow here is what the Japanese knotweed is currently looking like.

April 2017: A few small stems and leaves are currently growing amongst the dead stalks of last years growth.

 

 

 

 

There are many other groups around Ireland working on mapping and managing certain IAS – have a look on the internet and see what you can find in your area.

So, are you interested to be part of maintaining the Burren’s history, culture and precious ecosystems? If so, why not join the fun and enthusiastic team of conservation volunteers, share your passion for the Burren with others and make a huge difference to the biodiversity and maintenance of this unique landscape. Becoming a volunteer offers you an opportunity to build skills, knowledge about place and indeed, lasting friendships.

This is an active group of conservation volunteers that have been working in areas of archaeology conservation, rare species monitoring, managing scrub encroachment and much more since 2010.  We have 1-2 events a month.

• Get outdoors, enjoy some healthy exercise and give something back in the region
• Learn new skills in conservation and heritage management
• Be part of a friendly, inclusive and active conservation community

 

Join us today and make that difference!  To register for the events email [email protected]

What are the upcoming events for the volunteers

What other ongoing projects are the volunteers involved in:

drystone walling  archaeological surveys   scrub management

species monitoring   landscape management  

What have the volunteers achieved?

View below all the activities that the Burrenbeo Conservation volunteers have achieved since 2010:

When	General Area	What	Where	Leader	From
2021	Biodiversity	Pine Project Site Guardian Training	Tubber area	Bernard Carey and Brendan Dundord
2021	Conservation	Coastal Clean Up	Fanore	K. Lavender	BCV
2020	Archaeology	Monument site maintenance	Cappagh	S. Parr	Burren Programme
2020	Biodiversity	Habitat Maintenance	Carron Area	BCV committee	BCV
2020	Biodiversity	Habitat Maintenance	Carron area	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2020	Archaeology	Monument site management	Nougheval	M&C Lynch	Local archaeologists
2019	Biodiversity	Bat site management	Dromore	R. Hollingsworth	BCV
2019	Conservation	Drystone walling	Poulacarron	J. Marrinan/M. Scanlon	Local farmer/BCV
2019	Conservation	Coastal Clean Up	Fanore Caravan Park coastline	K. Lavender	BCV
2019	Conservation	Coastal Clean Up	Fanore	E. O'Connor	BCV
2019	Conservation	Monument site management	Noughaval	Michael and Clodagh Lynch
2019	Training	First aid training	Carron	Barry Redmond	First Response
2018	Biodiversity	Bat site management	Dromore	R. Hollingsworth	BCV
2018	Conservation	Coastal Clean up	Fanore	W. Smith/P. McHale	BCV
2018	Conservation	Open Day	Ballyvaughan	Various	BCV committee
2018	Biodiversity	Habitat restoration	North Burren	A. Mullen	Burren Programme
2018	Biodiversity	Bat monitoring training	Kinvara	R. Hanniffy	Vincent Wildlife Trust
2018	Conservation	Coastal Clean Up	Fanore	E. O'Connor/K. Lavender	BCV
2018	Biodiversity	Bat site management	Dromore	R. Hollingsworth	BCV
2018	Conservation	Coastal Clean up	Murrough, Blackhead	K. Lavender	Burrenbeo Trust
2018	Archaeology	Monument site Maintenance	Baur	M&C Lynch
2018	Training	REC 2 first aid course	Turough	B. Redmond	First Response
2017	Archaeology	Monument site management	Ballycasheen	Ros O'Maolduin	Prehistoric Field School of Archaeology
2017	Biodiversity	Butterfly site management	Fahee, Carron	Ann Mullen	Burren Life
2017	Conservation	Conservation Volunteering Open Day	Carron	BCV committee R. O'Maolduin J. Harding	BCV Fieldschool of Prehistoric Archaeology Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2017	Biodiversity	Bat site maintenance	Dromore	R. Hollingsworth and S. Biggane	BCV and Clare Co Co
2017	Biodiversity	Constructing a bat night roost	Fiddaun	R. Hanniffy and K. McAney	Vincent Wildlife Trust
2017	Conservation	Trail management	Newtown, Ballyvaughan	R. Morrison	In conjunction with the Burren College or Art
2017	Conservation	Drystone wall repair	Coolorta	R. Jones	BCV
2017	Conservation	Coastal clean up	Fanore	E. O'Connor	BCV
2017	Conservation	Coastal clean up	Fanore	Various experts	BCV, Burren Shores
2017	Archaeology	Site Management	Roughan Hill	Ros O'Maolduin	NUI Galway
2016	Archaeology	Site management	Roughan Hill	Ros O'Maolduin	NUI Galway
2016	Invasive Alien Species	Mapping IAS	Carron	P. Murphy	Eireco
2016	Special Monitoring	Bat breeding site maintenance	Fiddaun	Dr Kate McAney	Vincent Wildlife Trust
2016	Landscape management	Coastal clean up rocky shore Fanore	Fanore
2016	Landscape management	Fanore beach clean	Fanore
2016	Archaeology	Post excavation work (Mar,Apr,May,Jun)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2016	Monument management	Scrub clearing at Cappagh Tower House	Carron	Dr Sharon Parr	Burren Life
2016	Monument management	Scrub clearing from monuments on Roughan Hill	Corofin	Dr Ros O Maolduin	NUI Galway
2016	Walling	Repairing and rebuilding walls at Coolorta	Burren National Park
2016	Special Monitoring	Bat breeding site maintenance	Ruan	Dr Kate McAney	Vincent Wildlife Trust
2016	General Training	Butterfly transect training	Carron	Paula McHale
2015	Landscape management	Coastal clean up rocky shore Fanore	Blackhead
2015	Landscape management	Coastal clean up rocky shore Fanore	Blackhead
2015	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2015	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2015	Archaeology	Post excavation work	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2015	Archaeology	Post excavation work	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2015	Archaeology	Surveying at Fanore	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2015	Archaeology	Prehistoric hut site mapping	Kilcorney	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2015	Archaeology	Doolin dig (4 weeks)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2015	Archaeology	Kilcorney excavation (1 week)	Kilcorney	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2015	Archaeology Training	Artefact handling course	Caherconnell	Dr Michelle Comber	NUI Galway
2015	Monument management	Scrub clearing at Cappagh Tower House	Carron	Dr Sharon Parr	Burren Life
2015	Monument management	Scrub clearing at Cappagh Tower House	Carron	Dr Sharon Parr	Burren Life
2015	Special Monitoring	Bat breeding site maintenance	Ruan	Dr Kate McAney	Vincent Wildlife Trust
2015	Special Monitoring	Bat site maintenance and emergence count	Ruan	Dr Kate McAney	Vincent Wildlife Trust
2015	Assisting with local community events	Assisting with Walk with a Difference	Carron
2015	General Training	Butterfly transect training		Paula McHale
2015	General Training	Invasive alien species ID workshop		Dr Sharon Parr, Paul Murphy & Kate Lavender
2015	General Training	Two day first aid course		Ray Murphy
2014	Landscape management	Coastal clean up Blackhead
2014	Landscape management	Coastal clean up Blackhead
2014	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2014	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2014	Archaeology	Surveying and mapping	Kilcorney	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2014	Archaeology	Post excavation work	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2014	Archaeology	Post excavation work (2 days)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2014	Archaeology	Post excavation work	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2014	Archaeology	Surveying at Doolin	Doolin	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2014	Archaeology	Second Fanore excavation (3 weeks)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2014	Monument management	Scrub clearing at Cappagh Tower House	Carron	Dr Sharon Parr	Burren Life
2014	Monument management	Scrub clearing at Cappagh Tower House	Carron	Dr Sharon Parr	Burren Life
2014	Walling	Repairing and rebuilding walls at Coolorta	Burren National Park
2014	Walling	Repairing and rebuilding walls at Coolorta	Burren National Park
2014	Other events	Dismantling mini-dolmens	Fanore	Mary Howard	Volunteer
2014	Special Monitoring	Bat breeding site maintenance	Ruan	Dr Kate McAney	Vincent Wildlife Trust
2014	Other events	Dismantling mini-dolmens	Fanore	Mary Howard	Volunteer
2014	Assisting with local community events	Assisting with Walk with a Difference	Flaggy Shore
2014	Assisting with local community events	Assisting with Winterage weekend	Bellharbour
2013	Assisting with local community events	Assisting with Bells across the Burren	Ballyvaughan
2013	Landscape management	Coastal clean up rocky shore Fanore
2013	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2013	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2013	Archaeology	Post excavation work (2 days)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2013	Archaeology	Post excavation work (2 days)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2013	Archaeology	Post excavation work (2 days)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2013	Archaeology	Atlas mapping day	Kilcorney	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2013	Archaeology	Post excavation work (2 days)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2013	Monument management	Scrub clearing from around Doolin Court Tomb	Doolin	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2013	Walling	Repairing and rebuilding walls at Coolorta	Burren National Park
2013	Other events	Newtown music trail clearing	Ballyvaughan	Dr Stephen Ward	Volunteer
2013	Other events	Newtown music trail clearing	Ballyvaughan	Dr Stephen Ward	Volunteer
2013	Other events	Dismantling mini-dolmens	Fanore	Mary Howard	Volunteer
2013	Assisting with local community events	Assisting with Walk with a Difference	Flaggy Shore
2013	General Training	Butterfly transect training	Carron	Paula McHale
2013	General Training	Two day first aid course		Ray Murphy
2013	General Training	Wildflower identification workshop		Drs Sharon Parr and Stephen Ward
2012	Landscape management	Coastal clean up Blackhead
2012	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2012	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2012	Archaeology	5 week excavation at Fanore Shell Midden	Fanore	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2012	Archaeology	Filling in Fanore dig (2 days)	Fanore	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2012	Archaeology	Post excavation work (2 days)	Kilnaboy	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2012	Archaeology Training	Atlas training	Carron	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2012	Archaeology Training	Atlas training	Carron	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2012	Monument management	Scrub clearing at Cappagh Tower House	Carron	Dr Sharon Parr	Burren Life
2012	Walling	Repairing walls at Blackhead	Fanore	Shane Casey	Biodiversity Officer
2012	Walling Training	Workshop		Rory O'Shaughnessy	Stone Mason
2012	Other events	Dismantling mini-dolmens	Fanore	Mary Howard	Volunteer
2012	Assisting with local community events	Assisting with Walk with a Difference	Burren National Park
2012	General Training	Butterfly transect training	Carron	Dr Bryony Williams
2012	General Training	Mapping Skills	Carron	Pat Cronin
2012	General Training	Weekend Heritage Course	Carron
2011	Landscape management	Lough Bunny Spring Clean
2011	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2011	Habitat management	Scrub clearing to control invasive cotoneaster	Abbey Hill	Shane Casey	Biodiversity Officer
2011	Archaeology	Preparing site for excavation at Caherconnell	Caherconnell	Dr Michelle Comber	NUI Galway
2011	Archaeology	Kilcorney excavation (5 days)	Kilcorney	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2011	Archaeology	Surveying at Fanore	Fanore	Michael & Clodagh Lynch	Field Monument Advisor
2011	Monument management	Scrub clearing from around Doolin Court Tomb	Doolin	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2011	Assisting with local community events	Stewarding for Burren triathlon	Ballyvaughan
2011	General Training	Weekend Heritage Course	Carron
2010	Landscape management	Fanore beach clean
2010	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2010	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2010	Habitat management	Scrub clearing at butterfly breeding site	Fahee north	Jesmond Harding	Butterfly Conservation Ireland
2010	Archaeology	Settlement surveying	Kilcorney	Dr Christine Grant	National Monument Service
2010	Walling	Repairing walls at Blackhead	Fanore	Shane Casey	Biodiversity Officer
2010	Walling Training	Workshop		Rory O'Shaughnessy	Stone Mason
2010	Assisting with local community events	Annual Biodiversity day	Kinvara