With 2017 just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to take stock of what we’ve achieved for nature in Northern Ireland over the last 12 months.
There have been some big changes and challenges in the past year, not least the result of the EU referendum. But taking time to reflect and celebrate success is important to help us head into the new year with renewed energy.
Here’s a snapshot of our team’s most memorable moments of 2016. So grab a cuppa, sit back and enjoy a feel-good read!
My highlight of 2016 was encountering the last curlew chick to fledge on the reserve this breeding season. It was the feathery culmination of all our efforts on the reserve over the winter management period. From habitat management, livestock movements and 5am survey work to a curlew pair returning, laying an egg, incubating that egg, that egg hatching, the chick surviving and successfully fledging – amazing! At the current rate of decline, curlews are facing extinction on the island of Ireland within the next decade, so this chick was a real symbol of hope for me.
Amy Burns, Fermanagh warden
Curlew chick, Lusty More Island
In the run up to the Assembly Election in May, ‘Bob’ the red squirrel embarked on a virtual tour of Northern Ireland to bring his message to the people! The campaign was a huge success, with almost 1,500 local people ‘voting’ for Bob and 115 Assembly candidates supporting him too. More than 50 candidates went on to become MLAs and we’ve been following up their promises to raise environmental issues higher up the Assembly and NI Executive agenda.
Colum Delaney, Policy Advocacy Officer
Bob spread his 'vote for nature' message at Stormont with pupils from Millennium Integrated Primary School.
One of the best moments of the past year for me was the 2016 Farming Life and Danske Bank Awards. I was really impressed with the calibre of the nominees in the Wildlife-Friendly Farmer category and the passion they have for doing great things for wildlife on their land. I was delighted to attend the awards ceremony in Belfast in October to see Roy Lyttle from Newtownards crowned the winner and presented with the welly boot trophy!
Claire Barnett, Conservation Team Leader
Joanne Sherwood (RSPB NI Director), award winner Roy Lyttle and Clive Mellon (RSPB NI Committee Chair)
Back in May a corncrake was heard calling on Rathlin Island – a very special moment that shows the work we’re doing to give the species a home is working. He stayed on the island for more than 50 days, causing much excitement amongst the RSPB NI team and the island community. Our Giving Corncrake a Home project will continue in 2017 and fingers crossed we’ll hear even more ‘crek-creking’ next year!
Peter Harper, Sea Loughs and Islands Area Manager
Corncrake calling (file photo)
The launch of the innovative Head to Nature project has been my ‘best bit’ of 2016. This 12-week pilot saw us partner with the South Eastern Health Trust to use nature as a form of intervention for people with mild mental health issues.
I really enjoyed meeting the participants at our Portmore Lough reserve and seeing them getting involved in activities like nature photography and putting up nestboxes.
Sean Woods, Futurescapes Project Officer
Head to Nature participants pictured with Portmore Lough volunteer Robin Brown (left)
My highlight was the successful campaign to secure funding for the Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS). The future of around £100million in funding for wildlife friendly farming in NI looked very uncertain after the result of the EU referendum vote. We encouraged wildlife-friendly farmers to contact the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Michelle McIlveen to convince her of the importance of EFS. In October, Treasury Minister Philip Hammond announced that funding for EFS would be secured and agreements honoured post ‘Brexit’.
John Martin, Conservation Team Leader
East County Down - a 'hotspot' for species like yellowhammer.
My best moment of 2016 was standing on the Shillanavogy Road in the Antrim Hills talking to a PhD student about invertebrate sampling when a curlew flew across the road into the wader fields on Glenwherry Hill Farm! When we entered the fields we realised there was a nesting pair - the first to breed at the site in over 10 years, thanks to partnership work of the Glenwherry Heathland Regeneration Project.
Neal Warnock, Conservation Advisor
Curlew in flight, Glenwherry
Big Schools’ Birdwatch was the biggest and best in 2016, achieving 30,000 connections with young people across Northern Ireland! This also led to the highest number of Wildlife Action Awards ever achieved here – a triumph for enjoying outdoor learning, taking action for nature and inspiring young people about the world around them.
Jess McVicar, Youth and Education Manager
Pupils from Fane St Primary School taking part in Big Schools' Birdwatch
My highlight of the year was spending the day with our Fermanagh staff and volunteers doing hands-on habitat work for breeding waders. The February weather in Fermanagh was (as always!) beautiful. The lake was like a mill pond, soft winter sunshine warmed us and there was not a breath of wind.
Gregory Woulahan, Reserves Manager
Rabbit Island, Lower Lough Erne
One of my highlights this year was attending the NI4Kids Family Awards at the City Hall in Belfast, along with our partner National Museums Northern Ireland. Our Big Wild Sleepout was nominated as the best family event in Northern Ireland by the popular magazine. While we may have narrowly missed out on the top prize, even making it into the top three was testament to the quality of this great family event.
Tim McCann, Community Team Manager
RSPB NI Community Team Manager Tim McCann (left) and Geoff Davidson from National Museums Northern Ireland
My highlight of 2016 was welcoming the Countryfile crew to Fermanagh and enjoying glorious sunshine on Lower Lough Erne as we showed them the amazing work we do to give nature a home. Our Fermanagh team (as well as some very obliging cattle and sheep) were so interesting they secured a 10 minute segment on the show’s summer special which was watched by around five million people!
Amy Colvin, Communication and Events Officer
RSPB NI stockperson Andrew Gallagher is interviewed for Countryfile by presenter Adam Henson.
One highlight that stands out for me was when we had a local school visiting us and we had the pleasure of watching our resident swan family’s cygnets hatch. This was a fantastic moment for the children and you could see how hey instantly connected with nature that day!
Shelly Ovadia, Visitor Experience Manger at Belfast’s Window on Wildlife
Giving nature a home at Belfast WOW
As I look back on 2016, our 50th anniversary year, there were so many highlights it’s difficult to pick just one. But a special visit from RSPB Council and Board back in May sums up many of our successes, as we were able to showcase the impact we’re having right across Northern Ireland. Glorious weather created the perfect conditions for wildlife and wonderful places to shine – from Rathlin Island to Lough Beg – and our visitors were bowled over by the people and places they encountered
As I reflect on the highlights of 2016, and the last 50 years, the constant has been a fantastic team effort from staff, volunteers, partners and RSPB members to save our iconic species and habitats.
Here’s to the next 50!
Joanne Sherwood, RSPB NI Director
RSPB Board members soak up the sunshine and wonderful views on Rathlin