https://climatejournal.news/ en https://climatejournal.news/news/placing-biodiversity-at-the-heart-of-urban-development-in-dublin <div class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item"><span>Placing biodiversity at the heart of urban development in Dublin</span> </div> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="https://climatejournal.news/news/placing-biodiversity-at-the-heart-of-urban-development-in-dublin" data-a2a-title="Placing biodiversity at the heart of urban development in Dublin"><a class="a2a_button_linkedin"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/linkedin.svg" border="0" alt="LinkedIn" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/linkedin_hover.svg" border="0" alt="LinkedIn" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/facebook.svg" border="0" alt="Facebook" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/facebook_hover.svg" border="0" alt="Facebook" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/twitter.svg" border="0" alt="Twitter" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/twitter_hover.svg" border="0" alt="Twitter" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/email.svg" border="0" alt="Email" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/email_hover.svg" border="0" alt="Email" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"></a><a class="a2a_dd" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/share_hover.svg" border="0" alt="Share" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/share.svg" border="0" alt="Share" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"> Share </a></span> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline"> <div class="field--label">Tags</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/biodiversity" hreflang="en">Biodiversity</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/urban-planning" hreflang="en">Urban Planning</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/sustainable-city" hreflang="en">Sustainable City</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline"> <div class="field--label">Topic</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/topic/biodiversity" hreflang="en">Biodiversity</a></div> </div> </div> <img alt="Placing biodiversity at the heart of urban development in Dublin" title="Placing biodiversity at the heart of urban development in Dublin" class="img-responsive" src="/files/styles/news_full_main_image/public/bsp-images/news/1484.jpg?itok=fqM3ksi5" width="687" height="687" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4598 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4599 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>The latest `<a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/urban-adaptation-in-europe-what-works" target="_blank">Urban Adaptation in Europe</a>` report published by the European Environment Agency warns that the average temperatures across Europe are rising faster than the global average, and cities are feeling the impacts of climate change more regularly and more severely.</p> <p>The report stresses that the need for adaptation coupled with raising public awareness has never been more urgent and identifies nature as a formidable ally on both fronts.</p> <p>Dublin is no exception to most European capitals that must fight the climate crisis on multiple levels.</p> </div> </div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4602 paragraph--width--full paragraph--style--66-33"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven__2col-column1"> <div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4600 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p><a href="https://www.dublincity.ie/residential" target="_blank">Dublin City Council</a> (DCC) has been developing a project in the past year that aims to embrace a holistic approach to creating more liveable public spaces, protecting cultural heritage, and enhancing urban green areas.</p> <p>"We are working on bringing a Biodiversity Education Centre to life at the Liffey Vale on a two hectares site that involves reconstructing a Georgian townhouse and connected lands situated on the banks of the Liffey River close to Chapelizod Road,” shares Donncha Ó Dúlaing, Senior Executive Officer at DCC.</p> <p>Uncared for over twenty years, the damaged house and overgrown land are not exactly attractive in their current state, but with a well-planned design, the site will be turned into a multi-purpose space to revive wildlife and provide a place for locals and visitors to experience nature.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven__2col-column2"> <div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-image paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4601 paragraph--width--full"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-bp-image-field field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img alt="" title="" src="/files/bsp-images/paragraph/1485.jpg" width="540" height="540" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-image-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">Donncha Ó Dúlaing, Senior Executive Officer at Dublin City Council.</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4603 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <blockquote> <p>“It is a very special location where you would find a range of habitats from forestry to wetlands and the remains of an old orchard, so we have a great potential to restore it into a rich biodiverse green space nestled in an urban environment. It even inspired to add Cois Abhann when naming the Biodiversity Centre, which means close to the river."</p> </blockquote> <p>The decision to transform this land into a Biodiversity Centre is based on thorough preparation that included surveys, considerations of proposals, and discussions with local communities and wider stakeholders, says Donncha.</p> </div> </div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4606 paragraph--width--full paragraph--style--33-66"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven__2col-column1"> <div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-image paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4604 paragraph--width--full"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-bp-image-field field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img alt="" title="" src="/files/bsp-images/paragraph/1486.jpg" width="491" height="368" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-image-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">The original site to be transformed into Cois Abhann Biodiversity Education Centre at Liffey Vale in Dublin. Image: Dublin City Council</div> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven__2col-column2"> <div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4605 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>To lead by example, the site's reconstruction and development will also promote sustainable practices by using reclaimed building materials and implementing water management systems and renewable energy sources.</p> <p>The building will retain traces of historic features so the house will be positioned to tell stories as well as provide the setting for stories to be told with additional spaces for interactive sessions and classrooms, a small cafe and public restrooms.</p> <p>Educational activities will focus on bringing nature closer to visitors besides making sustainability and climate action more tangible as they can be more abstract and hard to grasp.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4607 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>The outdoor areas will be designed to facilitate experiential learning through rewilding the area and rehabilitating some of the original orchards while enhancing the overall level of biodiversity with species that are typically found on sites like this.</p> <p>Donncha shares what makes this a unique opportunity to enhance the quality of life in the city besides enriching biodiversity:</p> <blockquote> <p>“Here, you will have that sense of being in the city but you can find yourself in a completely different world, surrounded by nature, tuning in to the trickling sound of water with birdsong, getting some countryside vibes.”</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-image paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4608 paragraph--width--full"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-bp-image-field field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img alt="" title="" src="/files/bsp-images/paragraph/1487.jpg" width="720" height="386" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-image-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">Plans for the Cois Abhann Biodiversity Education Centre at Liffey Vale in Dublin. Image: Dublin City Council</div> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4609 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>Careful planning and implementation will be carried out over the years with ongoing monitoring so we can demonstrate woodlands and wetlands with native birds, pollinators, and others.”</p> <p>Parts of the site will be left untouched so the rewilding process can also be studied.</p> <p>Donncha explains:</p> <blockquote> <p>“We don`t want to overdevelop or over-cultivate the site. Instead, we aim to embrace its characteristics and transform it into the best version of itself while giving space for nature to recover.”</p> </blockquote> <p>He adds that they also plan to carry out science-driven recultivation to eliminate invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed. Clearing out the site will probably take years, but learnings can be shared and adopted by others to address similar situations effectively.</p> <p>The centre will strive to build strong relationships with schools and communities in this part of the city, including colleges and provide space and activities for practical lessons on sustainability, natural science and other related areas.</p> <p>“Our intention is to link in with these communities as much as we can and also to attract people living nearby and visitors to Phoenix Park.”</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-background-style field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Background style</div> <div class="field--item">Light</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-sponsored field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Sponsored?</div> <div class="field--item">No</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field--item">June 2024</div> <div class="field field--name-field-collaborative-content-with field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline"> <div class="field--label">Collaborative content with</div> <div class="field--item"> <a href="/partner/profit-with-purpose-magazine">Profit with Purpose Magazine</a> </div> </div> Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:57:54 +0000 Szilvia Szabó 333 at https://climatejournal.news https://climatejournal.news/news/what-does-feeding-ducks-at-parks-have-to-do-with-biodiversity <div class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item"><span>What does feeding ducks at parks have to do with biodiversity?</span> </div> <span class="a2a_kit a2a_kit_size_32 addtoany_list" data-a2a-url="https://climatejournal.news/news/what-does-feeding-ducks-at-parks-have-to-do-with-biodiversity" data-a2a-title="What does feeding ducks at parks have to do with biodiversity?"><a class="a2a_button_linkedin"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/linkedin.svg" border="0" alt="LinkedIn" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/linkedin_hover.svg" border="0" alt="LinkedIn" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"></a><a class="a2a_button_facebook"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/facebook.svg" border="0" alt="Facebook" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/facebook_hover.svg" border="0" alt="Facebook" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/twitter.svg" border="0" alt="Twitter" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/twitter_hover.svg" border="0" alt="Twitter" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/email.svg" border="0" alt="Email" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/email_hover.svg" border="0" alt="Email" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"></a><a class="a2a_dd" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/share_hover.svg" border="0" alt="Share" height="18" class="social-media-links-hover"><img src="/libraries/bsp_social_media_icons_share/service/share.svg" border="0" alt="Share" height="18" class="social-media-links-normal"> Share </a></span> <div class="field field--name-field-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline"> <div class="field--label">Tags</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/biodiversity" hreflang="en">Biodiversity</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/tag/sustainable-city" hreflang="en">Sustainable City</a></div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-topic field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline"> <div class="field--label">Topic</div> <div class="field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/topic/biodiversity" hreflang="en">Biodiversity</a></div> </div> </div> <img alt="What does feeding ducks at parks have to do with biodiversity?" title="What does feeding ducks at parks have to do with biodiversity?" class="img-responsive" src="/files/styles/news_full_main_image/public/bsp-images/news/1450.jpg?itok=d3LbKcRT" width="687" height="687" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" /> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4480 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4481 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>Feeding ducks in public parks could seem like an innocent act of kindness, yet it is more detrimental to the animals and the natural environment than it appears.</p> <p><a href="https://www.feedducks.com/" target="_blank">The Feed Ducks Initiative</a> is an Irish organization that is partnering with government authorities to make duck feeding in public spaces more sustainable while protecting these habitats.</p> </div> </div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4484 paragraph--width--full paragraph--style--58-42"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven__2col-column1"> <div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4482 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>Matthew Knight, Director of the Feed Ducks Initiative, explains the origins of the project: "Our story began back in 2021 in the middle of COVID. We used to take my son, Oscar, who was quite young and has autism to the park because he was really engaged with the wildlife.</p> <p>He was so interested in the ducks and at that time, I always noticed people were throwing bread at the ducks.</p> <p>Lots of it was floating in the water or wasn’t eaten.</p> <p>I knew as much that feeding bread wasn’t right for the wildlife, so I thought to myself, what if we put a dispenser here that releases small quantities of the right stuff the public can give to the ducks instead?”</p> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven__2col-column2"> <div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-image paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4483 paragraph--width--full"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-bp-image-field field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img alt="" title="" src="/files/bsp-images/paragraph/1451.jpg" width="519" height="436" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-image-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">Matthew Knight, Director of the Feed Ducks Initiative</div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4485 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>The ultimate goal of this project is to limit negative harm to biodiversity.</p> <p>Matthew shares why it is so important that ducks are fed the right food and, similarly, not overfed:</p> <p>“A lot of councils put up signs as to why not to feed ducks bread.</p> <blockquote> <p>Bread in itself goes largely uneaten, then it rots and causes build-ups in pond ecosystems, which leads to algae blooms and outbreaks of diseases such as botulism. There are several knock-on effects on biodiversity from this.</p> </blockquote> <p>Algae blooms kill off the habitats the ducks naturally feed on, which means that the wrong food also negatively impacts the environment."</p> <p>The units mean that people stop bringing bread, and they also have signs on the units to explain why not to feed ducks bread and the impacts of doing so.</p> <p>Every feeder built is made from recycled plastics, equivalent to 20,000 plastic bottles, and the dispensers are solar-powered.</p> <p>The units are free for councils to install, and community members pay to use them while 10 per cent of the proceeds go back into environmental projects.</p> </div> </div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4488 paragraph--width--full paragraph--style--42-58"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven__2col-column1"> <div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-image paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4486 paragraph--width--full"> <div class="paragraph__column"> <div class="field field--name-bp-image-field field--type-image field--label-hidden field--item"> <img alt="" title="" src="/files/bsp-images/paragraph/1447.jpg" width="376" height="451" loading="lazy" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-image-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">Duck feeder units are built from recycled plastic utilising solar energy. Image: The Feed Ducks Initiative</div> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="paragraph--type--bp-columns-two-uneven__2col-column2"> <div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4487 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>Matthew adds, “We also have a QR code on the unit that takes the community to a webpage about each habitat. It features facts about wildlife like ducks and geese, but also swans and other various animals.</p> <p>This is a way to engage the community and get them to connect with nature.”</p> <p>Fewer people feeding the bread also means we’re improving the water quality.</p> <p>Since people aren’t bringing bread, there is also no packaging involved, so the Feed Ducks Initiative is, in fact, also reducing the number of plastic packages littering parks that would otherwise go into water bodies.</p> <p>After speaking to his local council, Matthew was given permission to go to the park, where he designed a prototype to test his theory.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4489 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>When that was complete, there was a reduction in overfeeding, which was a sign that this innovation was something very unique to the community.</p> <p>He wondered if there was anything similar or if the same thing would work well in other parks.</p> <p>Matthew explains: “We approached Cork City Council, and they were really receptive and said yes. This marked our first unit, and it was a kind of repurposed gumball machine, able to withstand vandalism but still look nice in the park. We eventually created a contactless version of the same device and put it in Cork City, and that received even more acceptance.”</p> <p>At this point, Matthew’s idea had been validated in two separate parks and two separate communities.</p> <blockquote> <p>“The kids loved it, the families loved it, and the issues we were seeking to address were decreasing.</p> </blockquote> <p>We decided to bring this to more parks outside Cork, but to do this, we had to design a model that would be scalable and fit in other communities.”</p> <p>In April 2022, the Feed Ducks Initiative exported its first solar-powered contactless duck food dispenser to the UK, the first original design of their dispensers.</p> <p>The dispenser is free of charge to the community, which means the council does not need a budget to implement these feeders.</p> <p>Since the dispensers are solar-powered, they do not need a direct electrical connection.</p> <p>When people tap their card on the dispenser, the food is released into a tray that the person scoops out to feed the ducks on the site.</p> <p>Currently, the Feed Ducks Initiative is in 23 locations, five of which are in Ireland and 18 of which are in the UK.</p> </div> </div> <div class="classy-style--margin-bottom paragraph paragraph--type--bp-simple paragraph--view-mode--default paragraph--id--4490 paragraph--width--full" style=""> <div class="paragraph__column"> <p>“People really like the duck feeding units.</p> <blockquote> <p>There is a family amenity in the community that is low cost and they get an opportunity to learn about wildlife which creates happy memories."</p> </blockquote> <p>In terms of challenges in getting started, Matthew found the main one to be sourcing the right people in the right departments within councils to speak to.</p> <p>This meant they largely relied on people hearing about what they were doing. In saying that, this approach has still been effective since the duck feeding units have been really accepted into all the communities they are placed in.</p> <p>"I think everyone can cast their mind back to a memory of feeding ducks as a child and so to think that kids now can do it in such an environmentally positive way is very rewarding.”</p> <p>He adds: “We’ve only received requests to go into even more parks as a result. We’ve grown from one feeder in September 2001, and as of June, we’ll be just shy of 50 units, so the growth rate of the units has been tremendous.</p> <p>We look forward to working with more councils and are eager to bring this initiative to more communities to empower them to spark positive change.”</p> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-background-style field--type-list-string field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Background style</div> <div class="field--item">Light</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-sponsored field--type-boolean field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">Sponsored?</div> <div class="field--item">No</div> </div> <div class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden field--item">May 2024</div> <div class="field field--name-field-collaborative-content-with field--type-entity-reference field--label-inline"> <div class="field--label">Collaborative content with</div> <div class="field--item"> <a href="/partner/profit-with-purpose-magazine">Profit with Purpose Magazine</a> </div> </div> Tue, 14 May 2024 09:18:29 +0000 Bronagh Loughlin 324 at https://climatejournal.news