Ireland
Bat Conservation Group Dublin
Website: http://www.geocities.com/dublinbat/
This voluntary body is dedicated to the protection of Ireland's bats. Although active mainly in Dublin and the surrounding areas, also included are such other activities as a helpline for anyone concerned about having bats in their house or who simply want some information on bats; a "bat hospital"; the conducting of visits to known and possible roost sites to identify and count the bats and ensure their protection, as well as surveys of such areas as Phoenix Park and other locations in Dublin and Wicklow; and hosting walks, talks, and exhibitions to increase public awareness of bats and to reverse the unjustified negative ideas many people have about them. The group has also mounted a successful exhibition in ENFO, given talks to school groups, appeared on several radio programmes and on Den TV, and produces a newsletter called The Natterer. In addition, it has submitted proposals to improve the protection of bats under the Irish Wildlife Act.
Contact: Harristown Lane, St. Margaret's, Co. Dublin (01-834-7134) or email: batline @ eircom.net
Birdwatch Ireland
Website: http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/
Birdwatch Ireland is the trading name of the Irish Wildbird Conservancy (IWC), which was formed in 1968 from the merger of three ornithological bodies -- the Irish Society for the Protection of Birds (ISPB), the Irish Ornithologists' Club, and the Irish Wildfowl Conservancy(IWC). Since then, it has grown to become Ireland's largest, most experienced and active, independent nature conservation body, with a network of member branches throughout the country actively promoting the importance of birds and their habitats. BWI is devoted to the conservation and protection of Ireland's birds and their habitats. It is a registered charity with more than 10,000 members and supporters and has 20 branches nationwide. The site also provides a long list of links for other birding organizations.
Contact: Rockingham House, Newcastle, Co. Wicklow (353-1-2819878) or email: rcoombes@birdwatchireland.org
Burren Action Group (BAG)
Website: http://www.iol.ie/~burrenag/
BAG evolved as a local response to oppose plans by the Irish National Parks and Wildlife Service to develop a large scale interpretative centre at Mullaghmore in the Burren, Co. Clare, Ireland. The purpose of this site is to provide information regarding this campaign and is appealing to those who have an interest or involvement in sustainable development and conservation for help. The Burren is the largest karstic limestone area in western Europe and is known internationally for both its unique flora and its spectacular archeology. The Mullaghmore area is widely regarded as being one of the most interesting, diverse, and sensitive parts of the Burren. Apart from the partially completed National Park interpretative centre, it remains, for the moment, largely undisturbed. For more than eight years, BAG has been successful in opposing the visitor facilities at this site but the campaign is ongoing. BAG has consistently argued that visitor facilities should be in villages where services already exist and where economic benefits can accrue to the local populations. Such facilities should not be placed in the sensitive core area of the Burren National Park.
Contact: Michael Miller, Clogher, Kilfenora, Co. Clare (00353-0-65-7088187) or email: burrenag@iol.ie
Camphill Communities of Ireland
Website: http://www.camphill.ie/
This site links all of its many communities throughout Ireland, as well as many other countries, and gives information on each.
Contact: A list is provided for each community.
Conservation Volunteers Ireland
Website: http://www.cvi.ie/
The goals of this organization is to provide practical opportunities for groups and individuals to protect and enhance their natural and cultural heritage through projects, training courses, and educational initiatives.
Contact: The Steward's House, Rathfarnham Castle, Dublin 14 (495-2878) or email: info@cvi.ie
Crann
Website: http://www.crann.ie/
Crann means "tree" in Irish and is a fitting name for this group. Ireland was once almost entirely covered with mixed forests. Today, only 1% of the total land area is covered with broadleaf trees and has become the least wooded country within Europe. Over the years, Ireland has continuously imported tropical hardwoods from third-world countries, thereby contributing to the causes of famine in those areas. In 1986, Crann was founded by Jan Alexander to reverse this trend and to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable home-grown hardwood forestry to meet Ireland’s timber needs. Crann's mission is to releaf Ireland with broadleaf trees. It is a non-governemental, non-profit organisation with branches (no pun intended) nation-wide.
Contact: Crank House, Main Street, Banagher, Co. Offaly (+353-0-509-51718) or email: info@crann.ie
Donkey Sanctuary Ireland
Website: http://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/ds/ireland.htm
In 1988, The Donkey Sanctuary (UK) became officially associated with Paddy Barrett's rescue centre for donkeys in Liscarroll, Co. Cork. The sanctuary never refuses admission to any donkey and provides care for the rest of their natural lives. Any donkey in need of attention by reason of sickness, maltreatment, poor circumstances, ill-usage, or other causes is taken in. It also teaches about the prevention of cruelty and suffering often heaped upon these animals.
Contact: Knockardbane, Liscarroll, Mallow, Co. Cork (022-48398) or email: donkey@indigo.ie
ENFO
Website: http://www.enfo.ie/
A service of Ireland's Department of the Environment, ENFO was established in 1990 to give information on all issues involving the environment, including sustainable development.
Contact: 17 St. Andrew Street, Dublin 2 (+353-1-888-2001) or email: info@enfo.ie
Environmental Protection Agency Ireland
Website: http://www.epa.ie/
The EPA is an independent body set up under legislation and formally established in July 1993. Different from most other semi-state bodies, the EPA has a fulltime executive board consisting of the Director-General and four other directors. Ireland was among the leaders in Europe in establishing an independent EPA with such wide-ranging functions. EPA headquarters is in Wexford, with five regional offices (Castlebar, Cork, Dublin, Kilkenny, and Monaghan) and four sub-offices (Athlone, Letterkenny, Limerick, and Mallow).
Contact: Use the email form provided.
Friends of the Irish Environment
Website: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/tonylowes/home.htm
This is Ireland's longest established environmental campaigning website.
Contact: Allihies, Co. Cork [No postal code] (353-0-27-73025) or email: fie@eircom.net
Greenhouse Ireland Action Network (GRIAN)
Website: http://www.grian.ie/
GRIAN takes its name from the Irish word for "sun" and is a new, action-based network established to support Irish public action on climate and climate change. A specific mission is to concentrate equally on sourcing and providing solutions and with creating awareness of the threats. GRIAN believes that alternatives to fossil fuels are freely and readily available from the sun, either in the form of direct solar energy, or in the more indirect form of wind, wave, or biomass energies. Until now, no single Irish NGO has tasked itself with a specific mandate to concentrate on climate issues, climate problems, or its solutions. This is ironic, given the recent rate at which climate and climate issues have begun to hit the headlines, not to mention climate impacts beginning to show up in our part of the world. GRIAN intends to provide a focus for informed public action and debate on the many complex factors involved in both the problems and their solutions.
Contact: coord@grian.net
Groundwork.ie
Website: http://www.groundwork.ie/home.htm
Since 1981, Groundwork has grown from a small group of environmentally-concerned Irish students to an organisation attracting like-minded people from all over the world, who carry out voluntary work in some of Ireland's most beautiful natural habitats. While its work has been primarily focussed on the removal of Rhododendron ponticum from the National Parks in Kerry and Donegal, the Groundwork team has also tackled environmental projects in other parts of Ireland. The main criteria is that any work performed by Groundwork should be environmental in nature and something that would not otherwise be carried out.
Contact: Groundwork, Irish Wildlife Trust, Garden Level, 21 Northumberland Road, Dublin 4 (+353-1-6604530) or email: info@groundwork.ie or grndwork@iwt.ie
Irish Char Conservation Group
Website: http://www.charr.org/
This group was founded in 2000 to focus attention on the plight of Arctic char in Ireland. It is dedicated to the protection and conservation of the few remaining populations of Arctic char that country. It also wants to replace the international spelling of charr with the Irish spelling, CHAR. A further goal of the group is to promote public awarness of other threatened and unique fish species in Ireland, including shad, pollan, and such trout sub-species or races as Ferox, Gillaroo, Sonaghan, and Croneen.
Contact: email: info@charr.org
Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC)
Website: http://www.ipcc.ie/
IPCC (Comhairle Chaomhnaithe Phortaigh na hÉireann) is an independent conservation charity established in 1982 to campaign for the conservation of a sample of living intact Irish bogs and peatlands as part of Ireland's heritage. Ireland's remaining peatlands should be treated as a precious resource that cannot be replaced and, therefore, a representative sample should be protected. Conservation work includes: purchasing bogland nature reserves; providing resources and training for teachers and education groups; repairing and restoring damaged bogs; fostering a positive attitude towards the bogs; and encouraging lifestyles in harmony with the environment.
Contact: 119 Capel Street, Dublin 1 (Tel and Fax: +353-1-8722397) or email: bogs@ipcc.ie
Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS)
Website: http://www.irishsealsanctuary.ie
This group rescues and releases seals all around the Irish coast. Despite the fact that 18% of European waters lie on Irish shores, Ireland was the only coastal European nation which did not have a National Seal Sanctuary. ISS is a registered charity which has been in operation for 14 years and is Ireland's only full-time professionally run wildlife hospital, rescue, and rehabilitation facility. To date, over 70 long-term seals have been successfully released back to the sea. Twenty-three long-term seals have already arrived at the sanctuary because of the storms which hit during the pupping season of the grey seal (from October to the Christmas period). The approximate cost for each rescue and release is £3,000. The Sanctuary receives no state or government grants or funding; and, unless it receives immediate financial help, it will have to cease operations, and the seals will be shipped to England.
Contact: Garristown, Co. Dublin or email: flanagan@indigo.ie
Irish Seedsaver Association
Website: http://www.irishseedsavers.ie/
Anita Hayes founded the Irish Seed Savers Association in 1991 and worked from her own home and garden. With financial aid of government bodies and many generous donations, the association soon took on a life of its own. The first collection of native Irish apples was made in the 1940s, but was tragically destroyed in the early 1970s. In 1991, Anita began working with Peadar MacNeice, of the Armagh Orchard Trust, and Dr. Michael Hennerty, of University College, Dublin, to replicate this valuable collection. Now all but fourteen of the original collection have been found. In 1996, the Native Irish Apple Collection was opened at University College, Dublin, The Irish Seedsavers now have funding to replicate the collection. Eight years ago, one of its members enquired about old grain varieties and, unlike most western countries, Ireland did not have a collection of native grains. In 1997, the Irish Genetic Resources Conservation Trust and ISSA began a project to restore the Irish cereal varieties to the state. Prior to the introduction of the potato in Ireland, grains were the staple food.
Contact: Capparoe, Scariff, Co. Clare (00-353-61-921866) or email: anita@irishseedsavers.ie
Native Woodland Trust Ireland
Website: http://209.238.136.8/
This group is dedicated to the preservation of Ireland's remaining ancient woodlands and committed to the restoration of the country's original climax ecosystem. One way is through the re-creation of woodlands using only native seed.
Contact: email: info@nativewoodtrust.ie
No Incineration Alliance
Website: http://www.noincineration.com/
This organization was established by local community and environmental groups in the North East of Ireland to spearhead opposition and promote safer alternatives to incineration. It is a non-profit alliance, supported by representatives of all political parties, and say "Yes" to reduction, recycling, re-use, and the composting of waste. With a motto of: "Thinking globally, acting locally!" , it has dispelled five popular myths about incineration: 1) Incineration reduces the need for landfill; 2) Incineration is a way of recycling energy; 3) Incineration is safe; 4) Incineration and materials recycling can work together; and 5) Incinerators solve the "waste problem."
Contact: PO Box 2001, Drogheda, Co. Louth or email: mail@noincineration.com
Tree Council of Ireland
Website: http://www.sustainableireland.org/
This voluntary, non-governmental organisation was formed over 15 years ago to promote the planting, care, and conservation of trees in both urban and rural areas. It is the umbrella body linking together almost 50 organisations which are connected by their appreciation of trees. The Council is responsible for tree planting and conservation programmes, as well as organizing seminars and workshops. In addition, it cooperates with other groups and local authorities in urban tree projects and manages a major woodland project in Baltrath Wood, Co. Meath.
Contact: email: trees@treecouncil.ie
Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE)
Website: http://www.voice.buz.org/
VOICE promotes a respectful relationship with the Earth and positive solutions to environmental destruction. It encourages a way of life that is in harmony with nature rather than in conflict with it. In co-operation with local, national, and international organisations, it helps to increase environmental awareness through education, empower people to protect their environment, and campaign on national environmental policy.
Contact: 7 Upper Camden Street, Dublin 2 (01-475-0467) or email: avoice@iol.ie
Wildwatch
Website: http://www.iwt.ie/
This is the official website of the Irish Wildlife Trust, a group that works to conserve Ireland's wildlife and habitats.
Contact: Garden Level, 21 Northumberland Road, Dublin 4 (+353-01-660-4530) or email: iwt@eircom.net or enquiries@iwt.ie
