Donegal included in new €4.35m programme to protect the Corncrake

Calling male corncrakes. The male birds are known for their distinctive craking call which is used to attract females and establish their territory

placeholder image — Calling male corncrakes. The male birds are known for their distinctive craking call which is used to attract females and establish their territory

The programme will initially operate in nine key sites in Counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway selected for the conservation of Corncrake and designated as Special Protection Areas but will also support the conservation of a broader range of bird species

Donegal is included in a new €4.35 million programme to protect the rare and endangered Corncrake and other bird species.

Building on the many successes of the Corncrake LIFE project, this new initiative, the Natura Communities for Birds programme will build capacity in communities to deliver nature conservation actions for farmland birds.

The programme will initially operate in nine key sites in counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway selected for the conservation of Corncrake and designated as Special Protection Areas but will also support the conservation of a broader range of bird species.

The Corncrake is listed on the Red List of Conservation Concern due to declining numbers in Ireland and Europe.

Over the past five years, the Corncrake LIFE project contributed to a 55% increase in the national corncrake population with almost 1,500 hectares of land in management agreements with landowners.

It is widely considered an exemplar of bird conservation projects and was warmly received by the local communities and landowners it worked with. The project was led by NPWS in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Fota Wildlife Park, Atlantic Technological University and Údarás na Gaeltachta.

The Natura Communities for Birds Programme will run for an initial three year period. It is being funded with contributions from NPWS, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and through Shared Island funding.

It will focus on corncrake conservation and habitat restoration, species monitoring and forge community partnerships and develop champions for bird conservation. The ultimate goal is to ensure the long term conservation of farmland birds and their habitats whilst delivering social benefits for local people in the areas through direct investment in communities to deliver nature focused solutions.

The Natura Communities for Birds Programme will see conservation action being led by a locally embedded team in partnership with landowners, farmers and communities.

The Programme will be overseen by the NPWS, working closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. NPWS has appointed Atlantic West Community Alliance CLG to develop and help deliver the Nature Community for Birds pilot programme.

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O'Sullivan, and Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, have welcomed the new programme.

Speaking from Belmullet in Co Mayo, where he launched the Natura Communities for Birds programme Minister O’Sullivan said: “The Corncrake LIFE Project has been an incredibly successful and hopeful story of nature conservation in Ireland. Through investment in conservation, and working hand in hand with local communities, this most elusive bird and its unique call can be heard that bit louder every year in the meadows, farmlands and hayfields of the northwest. Last year saw the highest number of corncrake territories recorded in 25 years. An incredible 250 farmers and landowners across Donegal, Mayo and Galway are now managing land for nature, implementing measures which protect this bird and improve its habitat.”

Minister Heydon added: “The positive impact of the Corncrake LIFE project is heartening to see and is a testament to the conservation work that farmers are embracing on their land.

“I am delighted to support the future Corncrake programme and the winning tenderer Atlantic West Community Alliance CLG, which will continue this excellent conservation work.”

Dr John Carey from the National Parks and Wildlife Service said: “The learnings from the LIFE project, many of which have already been incorporated in the ACRES CP scheme, will now have the opportunity to adapt and improve further. The Natura Communities team will be able to continue to instil the confidence and support to farmers and landowners who want to manage for these rare birds and keep their farms filled with wildlife. So much good work has been done in the past five years, not only to restore nature, but to restore trust and cooperation between communities and conservation.”

Suzanne Nally, Director of Nature Conservation with the National Parks and Wildlife Service concluded: “The Corncrake LIFE project was an inspiring and successful model for the delivery of conservation measures and community engagement with farmers and landowners. The NPWS has always committed to mainstreaming these actions and we are delighted to support Natura Communities for Birds today. This initiative demonstrates the best of Ireland’s approaches to conservation, with locally led teams working in cooperation with the NPWS and landowners to deliver for nature and people. We look forward to seeing yet another excellent example of a systemic and integrated approach to conservation measures as part of the Ireland’s delivery of its obligations under the EU Nature Directives.”