IWT Statement on media misrepresentation of incident involving Blue Shark fishing First published online: 13 August 2026 The IWT is disappointed to see the number of newspaper articles reporting on this accident without giving the details of what happened or any information about Ireland’s sensitive shark species. The boat involved had several anglers on board […]
Cherry Laurel Assessed as High Risk Invasive: The Science is Clear. Ireland Must Now Ban Its Sale. by Oisín Ó Néill, IWT Nature Advocacy Officer First published online: 12 August 2026 A newly published risk assessment of Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) has confirmed what ecologists, conservationists, and community groups on the ground have been warning […]
Press Release: Irish Wildlife Trust and Gaelic Woodland Project Call for Nationwide Cherry Laurel Sales Ban 12 August 2026 New Government-commissioned risk assessment finds invasive Cherry Laurel poses a High risk to Ireland’s biodiversity, with High confidence. A newly published risk assessment of Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) has found the invasive plant poses an overall […]
Press Release: Over 600,000 call on EU to defend nature laws as wildfires sweep across Europe 10 August 2026 As the European Commission’s public consultation on the future of the Birds and Habitats Directives closes today, more than 600,000 people have signed a petition calling on the EU to defend its nature laws. Devastating fires […]
Leading by Example? The State’s Role in Wildlife Persecution First published: 05 August 2026 by Oisín Ó Néill, IWT Nature Advocacy Officer Wildlife crime is a serious, persistent, and growing problem in Ireland. Many protected species are used for illegal sporting activities, birds of prey are poisoned, and protected habitats and species destroyed when they […]
First published online: 15 July 2026 Salmon aquaculture in Ireland is polluting coastal waters, contributing to the collapse of wild salmon and driving overfishing for its feed – all despite organic labelling. Phasing out these open-net farms from our ocean is essential for healthy seas and rivers, wildlife, and coastal communities. Please sign the Sustainable […]
A Living Land – Ambition and Opportunity by Oisín Ó Néill, IWT Nature Advocacy Officer First published: 13 July 2026 Last week the Government published A Living Land (Phase 2 of Ireland’s Land Use Review). The report contains a number of recommendations and ambitious modelled pathways for how Ireland could use its land over the […]
Nature & Society Need More Ambitious Nature Restoration First published online: 10 July 2026 The National Restoration Plan represents a historic opportunity, as arguably the most significant piece of biodiversity legislation to bind Ireland in a generation. The destruction and degradation of the ecosystems around us threatens not just our beautiful wild species but […]
Be Plant Wise. Let nature lead. Plant native. This Invasive Species Week, the Irish Wildlife Trust and Mary Reynolds are asking everyone to welcome native species into the garden instead of planting invasives by Charlotte Salter-Townshend, IWT Communications & Network Officer First published online: 25 June 2026 Invasive Species Week is coordinated by the National […]
Press Release: This Invasive Species Week, the IWT and Mary Reynolds are asking everyone to welcome native species into their gardens instead of planting invasives Be Plant Wise. Let nature lead. Plant native. 25 June 2026 The National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) coordinates Invasive Species Week. You can learn all about Ireland’s invasive species and […]
Have your Say: Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan First published: 24 June 2026 Ireland’s nature is in crisis and your voice can help change that. Ireland is at a turning point for nature. Right now, the government is finalising its first-ever National Nature Restoration Plan — a legally binding roadmap that will shape how we restore […]
Why Ireland’s new Invasive Species Bureau must have teeth to be successful By Oisín Ó Néill, IWT Nature Advocacy Officer First published online: 18 June 2026 Over the June bank holiday, I travelled north from Dublin to spend a weekend in Donegal. I spent a misty afternoon hiking in the Bluestack Mountains (na Cruacha Gorma), […]
River Glyde Fish Kill Exposes Ongoing Failure to Protect Ireland’s Waterways First published online 05/06/2026 Oisín Ó Néill, Nature Advocacy Officer Irish Wildlife Trust calls for prosecution and urgent action to address agricultural pollution On 4 June 2026, news broke of a devastating fish kill in the River Glyde, Co. Louth. More than 20,000 fish […]
Press Release: River Glyde Fish Kill Exposes Ongoing Failure to Protect Ireland’s Waterways Irish Wildlife Trust calls for prosecution and urgent action to address agricultural pollution 5 June 2026 The Irish Wildlife Trust has expressed outrage following confirmation of a devastating fish kill in the River Glyde, Co. Louth, where more than 20,000 fish have […]
Seeds of Inspiration, with IWT Monaghan Branch ‘Seeds of Inspiration’ is a feature length documentary and booklet (available in English and Irish) showcasing the extraordinary dedication of Castleblayney man John McKeon, who over the past 25 years has committed himself tirelessly to the growing, preserving, and celebrating of Ireland’s native trees, with particular attention to […]
Three actions you can take to save marine life this May First published: 08 May 2026 The Irish Wildlife Trust is a proud founding partner in the Fair Seas campaign. Our aim is to see Ireland become a world leader in marine protection, giving our species, habitats and coastal communities the opportunity to thrive. Key […]
IWT welcomes Commission action against Ireland over failure to designate protected areas at seas IWT Press Release 06 May 2026 The European Commission has sent a letter of formal notice to Ireland over its failure to designate protected areas at sea. Ireland has two months to provide a satisfactory response before the Commission decides whether […]
Nature Connection: winning entries of the members-only writing competition First published: 17 February 2026 A growing body of scientific studies show that we benefit physically, mentally, and socially from nature connection. Unfortunately, a recent analysis of 61 countries found Ireland to be one of the least nature-connected nations in the world. We must restore not […]
Places to Connect: Vale of Clara Nature Reserve, Co. Wicklow By Kieran Flood, IWT CEO First published online: 21 January 2026 In this new series of articles, we will share recommendations of nature reserves and wild areas where you can go to connect with nature. Spending time outdoors in wild, functioning ecosystems allows us to […]
IWT New Year Plant Hunts with BSBI By Charlotte Salter-Townshend, IWT Communications & Network Officer First published online: 07 January 2026 Warmer winters may be changing the flowering times of plants, with a domino effect on all forms of wildlife. Since 2011, the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) have collated data on what’s […]
Reflecting on 2025: Hope in the Wild First published online: 19 December 2025 Two strong themes of our work at IWT are Connection with Nature and Hope through Action. This year we have been busy progressing our strategy in line with these themes through the three interconnected pillars of our work; Advocacy for Nature, Building […]
Article 17 Report 2025 By Grace Carr, IWT Marine Advocacy Officer First published online: 12 December 2025 2025’s Article 17 report results are as clear as day. Nature is declining in Ireland. The State needs to properly fund and support nature restoration. Every 6 years countries in the EU have to report on the state […]
IWT Members-Only Nature Writing Competition To thank our members (and perhaps attract a few new ones!) we are delighted to announce a members-only Nature Connection writing competition. First Place wins an eco stay at Native Ballydehob, in the wilds of West Cork. A growing body of scientific studies show that we benefit physically, mentally, […]
Support the Bill to Ban Fox Hunting in Ireland By Charlotte Salter-Townshend, IWT Communications & Network Officer First published online: 04 December 2025 Background and Timeline Fox hunting emerged as a topic during the presidential election debates. Most people were aghast at the description of this brutality as a “rural pursuit”. Ireland is now an […]
