Feathered Foyle visitors threatened by cuts

The Whooper swan’s plaintive cry is unmistakable as it flies overhead but the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is worried swingeing cuts could seriously endanger the birds.

It is sending a clear message to the Government: Don’t Cut The Life from Our Environment.

Currently there are over 311 Areas of Special Scientific Interest in Northern Ireland including one in Lough Foyle.

The Londonderry site is comprised of a large shallow sea lough which includes the estuaries of the rivers Foyle, Faughan and Roe.

The site contains extensive intertidal areas of mudflats and sandflats, saltmarsh and associated brackish ditches and is home to internationally important numbers of Whooper Swan, Light-bellied Brent Geese and Bar-tailed Godwit.

Over the last five years the RSPB has been campaigning to increase the number of ASSIs to four hundred. Northern Ireland is presently the only part of the UK not to have its designation programme completed which should have done ten years ago.

The RSPB believes that the modest funding the government has provided is not making the progress in designations for ASSIs.

Fearing that funding may be cut the RSPB as part of their 'Dont Cut The Life from Our Environment' campaign is lobbying the government to reconsider where the cuts will be made.

“Nothing less than extinction is at stake here,” said Claire Ferry, Senior Conservation Officer. “We have already lost the iconic corncrake and it will take millions to turn the fortunes of this bird – and others like – it around.”

And it will not be just our unique wildlife that will suffer.

“Environment-related activity tourism, like angling, walking, cycling, and other outdoor sports brought spending of 19.6 million to the regional economy in 2005. Many of these sites have public access as well.

“Also, estimates on the value of green space for health show that an area of just 20 ha of green space could save as much as 215,000 per year to the local economy in Northern Ireland, or 3,195,000 per year to the health service, based in increasing levels of physical activity.”

In addition to biodiversity and the economy, Ms Ferry pointed out the global importance of fragile habitat like blanket bog.

“Northern Ireland holds a significant proportion (nearly 10 per cent) of the UK and Ireland’s blanket bog, which is also an important contribution to European habitats.

“This is our black gold since millions of tonnes of carbon are stored in our peat soils – this would be lost to the atmosphere if peat soils and habitats are poorly managed, thus adversely contributing to climate change,” she added.

Finally, because of their environmental importance, Northern Ireland has legal obligations to designate, manage, monitor and protect ASSIs where they support internationally important wildlife sites designated under European Directives. Government could open itself up to fines from Europe if these obligations are not met.

“Don’t let the cuts damage or neglect these sites,” said Ms Ferry. “For relatively little input, we get massive benefits and losing that input could also mean big fines if we get it wrong. Let’s keep them ‘safe and sound’,” she concluded.