There are areas of farmland beyond traditional crops and livestock products that can be considered ‘capital’, as they provide valuable ecosystem services if they are not depleted, according to Natural Capital Ireland (NCI).

NCI is a group of organisations and individuals from academia and the public, private and non-governmental organisation (NGO) sectors interested in the development of the natural capital agenda in Ireland.

The group will host a free interactive talk at Maynooth University as part of Kildare Biodiversity Week and the Kildare Public Participation Network (PPN) climate series on international Day for Biodiversity on May 22 at 6:30p.m.

Natural capital

NCI executive co-ordinator, Deirdre Lane said: “When you think of hedgerows, streams, rivers, ponds, grasslands – even soil itself – there can be many more valuable areas on a farm that often aren’t being considered.”

Lane said this has a lot to do with how some farm payment schemes were operated in the past, but that the situation seems to be changing now.

“The natural capital approach provides a framework to account for services such as carbon sequestration, pollination, water and air quality, health and recreation and, with the right systems in place, allows landowners and farmers to get paid for them,

“National ecosystem accounts are being developed by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and projects involving our members such as Farm Zero C and FARM-NC (Farming Resilience and Management through Natural Capital) are looking at new ways to ensure these previously overlooked but vital areas are invested in, restored and protected,” she explained.

The natural capital group recently collaborated with Irish Environmental Network on a report on high-level recommendations for funding nature restoration in Ireland, which included recommendations on funding the work of farmers to restore nature.

Nature — Ecological consultant, Dr. Maria Fitzpatrick.

Lane will be joined at the Maynooth campus School of Education talk by ecological consultant, Dr Maria Fitzpatrick, who sits on the steering committee for Natural Capital Ireland and also works with Business For Biodiversity Ireland, an organisation helping businesses to transition to a nature positive way of working.

They will give a presentation on key concepts behind the United Nations (UN) ecosystem accounting framework, currently being put into practice in 90 countries globally, including in Ireland by the Central Statistics Office.

According to Lane, the aim of the UN framework is to help countries integrate data on natural capital into their economic planning and policy decision-making.

“It’s to clearly show the multiple benefits nature contributes to our society, vital services that currently aren’t being considered in policy and business decisions such as pollination, carbon sequestration, air and water quality, recreation and cultural aspects, and the impacts this will have on our health and economy if they continue to deteriorate in the ongoing biodiversity crisis.”

The NCI talk will be accompanied by two other events; a Bioblitz and insect ID workshop with Dr James Carolan of Maynooth University from 12 noon -2:00pm, meeting at the TSI entrance; and a  dusk walk with Birdwatch Ireland Kildare, from 7:30pm, meeting outside the south campus gates.

These events can be booked separately on the Maynooth Green Campus Eventbrite.

Bird Goggle Box

Meanwhile, blue tit eggs have hatched into chicks on camera, in time for Biodiversity Week at the Organic Centre in Rossinver, Co. Leitrim.

‘Nesting Up Close’ is an educational project in collaboration with the Irish Environmental Network was planned back in February in the lead up to Biodiversity Week,

The project involved the mounting of a ‘Bird Watch Ireland’ bird box with camera in a suitable location at the Organic Centre.

The centre team subsequently charted the progress of the box and shared images through their social media platforms.

Viewers have been able to witness the initial investigation of the site by blue tit adults in early April, to a two-week period where blue tit adults made their nest comfortable with garden moss, fur and feathers, the sightings of the first eggs on April 17 to finally the hatching of the eggs on May 8.

Both female and male parents now continue to work together to nurture their new fledglings.

The Organic Centre – which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year – holds a mission to promote organic growing and sustainable living, sees the bird box as a great way of celebrating the milestone and of highlighting the importance of organic growing in protecting nature.

Stephen Campbell, centre manager, said that by providing a safe space for nesting boxes and avoiding chemicals, their organic gardens help the blue tits thrive, and in return, the birds naturally control garden pests like caterpillars.

Campbell said: “This partnership shows how organic farming supports nature while producing great food.

“Nature and organic farming can co-exist in harmony while we grow healthy food for our local community, wildlife like blue tits help us manage pests naturally. Together, we create a balanced environment where both people and wildlife benefit.”

The Organic Centre has come to prominence before for its video footage, with trail cameras on the grounds recording its wildlife, a project that started in Covid in 2020.

Since then cameras spotted an array of many species from pine martin, foxes, hares, heron, swallows to name but a few.

The wildlife gained national attention when the centre’s trail camera captured footage of an otter and fox competing for a salmon on the Ballagh river, which runs through the grounds.

Natural capital

Bird Goggle Box

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'Valuable areas on farms' not considered as assets - Natural Capital Ireland