Forestry and Bird Conservation in Ireland with special reference to Hen Harrier

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Forestry and Bird Conservation in Ireland with
special reference to Hen Harrier

• A presentation for
• COFORD Council Land Availability Working Group
  (CCLAWG)
• By David Tierney
• National Parks and Wildlife Service
• 6th of December 2012

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Layout of the talk

• The Birds Directive framing bird conservation
  in Ireland
• Bird Conservation priorities in Ireland and
  Forestry
• Irelands SPA network
• Hen Harrier its status as a breeding bird in
  Ireland
• The Hen Harrier within and without the SPA
  Network management challenges and opportunities

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The Birds Directive framing bird conservation
in Ireland

• What are the relevant species?
• Article 1 of Directive 2009/147/EC (the Birds
  Directive) relates to the conservation of
• ..all species of naturally occurring birds in
  the wild state

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The Birds Directive framing bird conservation
in Ireland

• What has to be done?
• Article 2
• Member States shall take the requisite measures
  to maintain the population at a level which
  corresponds to ecological, scientific and
  cultural requirements..
• Article 3
• Member States shall take the requisite measures
  to preserve maintain or re-establish a sufficient
  diversity and area of habitats for birds

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The Birds Directive framing bird conservation
in Ireland

• What has to be done?
• Article 4
• 4.1 The species mentioned in Annex I shall be
  the subject of special conservation measures
  Member States shall classify special protection
  areas for the conservation of these species
• 4.2 Member States shall take similar measures
  for regularly occurring migratory species not
  listed in Annex I...
• 4.4 first sentence (with regard to areas
  classified as SPAs) Member States shall take
  appropriate steps to avoid pollution or
  deterioration of habitats or any disturbances
  affecting the birds, in so far as these would be
  significant
• 4.4 second sentence Outside these protection
  areas, Member States shall also strive to avoid
  pollution or deterioration of habitats

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Bird Conservation Priorities in Ireland and
Forestry

• Which species need priority conservation/protectio
  n, how much and when?
• Irish forest cover is approximately 700,000ha or
  10 of Irelands land area
• Could further afforestation potentially improve
  the conservation status of some species?
• Could further afforestation potentially damage
  the conservation status of some species?

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Bird Conservation priorities in Ireland and
Forestry

• Which species need priority conservation/protectio
  n, how much and when?
• BirdWatch Ireland and the Royal Society for the
  Protection of Birds in Northern Ireland complied
  a list known as the Birds of Conservation Concern
  in Ireland (BoCCI)
• Species are listed as either Red, Amber or Green
  depending on various factors including
• rate of population change (decline)
• rate of range change (decline)
• absolute population size
• How localised a population is

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Red List Amber List      
Black-necked Grebe Red-throated Diver Gadwall Woodcock Puffin
Sooty Shearwater Black-throated Diver Teal Black-tailed Godwit Stock Dove
Bewick's Swan Great Northern Diver Garganey Bar-tailed Godwit Turtle Dove
Pintail Little Grebe Pochard Greenshank   Swift
Shoveler Great Crested Grebe Tufted Duck Common Sandpiper Kingfisher
Common Scoter Manx Shearwater Scaup Great Skua Skylark
Red Grouse Storm Petrel Eider Mediterranean Gull Sand Martin
Grey Partridge Leach's Petrel Goldeneye Little Gull Swallow
Quail Gannet Goosander Common Gull House Martin
Corncrake Cormorant Hen Harrier Lesser Black-backed Gull Redstart
Lapwing Shag Kestrel Great Black-backed Gull Whinchat
Knot Little Egret Merlin Kittiwake Wheatear
Curlew   Mute Swan Water Rail Sandwich Tern Grasshopper Warbler
Redshank Whooper Swan Coot Roseate Tern Reed Warbler
Red-necked Phalarope Greenland White-fronted Goose Oystercatcher Common Tern Lesser Whitethroat
Herring Gull Greylag Goose Ringed Plover Arctic Tern Spotted Flycatcher
Barn Owl Barnacle Goose Golden Plover Little Tern Chough
Ring Ouzel Light-bellied Brent Goose Grey Plover Guillemot Starling
Twite Shelduck Dunlin Razorbill House Sparrow
Yellowhammer Wigeon Snipe Black Guillemot Tree Sparrow
Linnet
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Bird Conservation priorities in Ireland and
Forestry

• Which species need priority conservation/protectio
  n, how much and when?
• A study by UCC (Sweeney et al 2011 Irish Birds
  Vol 9 pp181196) recorded a total of 39 bird
  species across 76 forests.
• Many of these species considered to be forest
  generalists (Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest etc)
  and only two conifer specialists were recorded
  (Siskin, Crossbill)
• Five species listed amber on the BoCCI list were
  recorded in this study
• Grasshopper Warbler
• Linnet
• Spotted Flycatcher
• Stockdove
• Woodcock

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Bird Conservation priorities in Ireland and
Forestry

• Which species need priority conservation/protectio
  n, how much and when?
• A study by UCC (Sweeney et al 2011 Irish Birds
  Vol 9 pp181196) recorded a total of 39 bird
  species across 76 forests.
• There are other species of birds occurring in
  Ireland that has varying degrees of association
  with forestry (for nesting and/or feeding)
  including
• Hen Harrier
• Merlin
• Long-eared Owl
• Although not recoded in this study Great Spotted
  Woodpecker is now regularly breeding in Ireland
  and its range is expanding one of Irelands few
  forest specialists

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Red List Amber List      
Black-necked Grebe Red-throated Diver Gadwall Woodcock Puffin
Sooty Shearwater Black-throated Diver Teal Black-tailed Godwit Stock Dove
Great Northern Diver Bar-tailed Godwit Turtle Dove
Pintail Little Grebe .. Greenshank   Swift
Great Crested Grebe Tufted Duck Common Sandpiper Kingfisher
Common Scoter Manx Shearwater Scaup Skylark
Red Grouse Storm Petrel Eider Mediterranean Gull Sand Martin
Grey Partridge Leach's Petrel G.. Little Gull Swallow
Quail Gannet Goosander Common Gull House Martin
Corncrake Cormorant Hen Harrier Lesser Black-backed Gull Redstart
Lapwing Shag Kestrel Great Black-backed Gull Whinchat
Knot Little Egret Merlin Kittiwake Wheatear
Curlew   Mute Swan Water Rail Sandwich Tern Grasshopper Warbler
Redshank Whooper Swan Coot Roseate Tern Reed Warbler
Red-necked Phalarope Greenland White-fronted Goose Oystercatcher Common Tern Lesser Whitethroat
Herring Gull Greylag Goose Ringed Plover Arctic Tern Spotted Flycatcher
Barn Owl Barnacle Goose Golden Plover Little Tern Chough
Ring Ouzel Light-bellied Brent Goose Grey Plover Guillemot Starling
Dunlin Razorbill House Sparrow
Yellowhammer Wigeon Snipe Black Guillemot Tree Sparrow
Linnet
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Bird Conservation priorities in Ireland and
Forestry

• Which species need priority conservation/protectio
  n, how much and when?
• Some species on the BoCCI list by virtue of
  their ecology, habitat use, range etc have
  varying degrees of overlap with areas that could
  be targeted for afforestation
• Low potential overlap seabirds and non-breeding
  waterbirds that frequent coastal areas and large
  inland wetland sites
• Medium potential overlap Farmland birds (e.g.
  Yellowhammer) herbivorous waterfowl (e.g.
  Whooper Swan, Greenland White-fronted Goose)
  Chough and
• High potential overlap Upland breeding waders
  (e.g. Golden Plover) Lowland wet grassland
  breeding waders (Redshnak, Snipe) Curlew, Meadow
  Pipit, Skylark, Red Grouse Many of these have
  undergone significant reductions in numbers and
  range

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Red List Amber List      
. Red-throated Diver . Woodcock .
. . Teal . Stock Dove
Bewick's Swan . . . Turtle Dove
. . . .   .
. . . . .
. . . . Skylark
Red Grouse . . . .
Grey Partridge . . . .
Quail . . . .
Corncrake . Hen Harrier . Redstart
Lapwing . Kestrel . Whinchat
. . Merlin . Wheatear
Curlew   . . . Grasshopper Warbler
Redshank Whooper Swan . . .
Red-necked Phalarope Greenland White-fronted Goose . . Lesser Whitethroat
. Greylag Goose . . Spotted Flycatcher
Barn Owl Barnacle Goose Golden Plover . Chough
Ring Ouzel Light-bellied Brent Goose . . Starling
Twite . Dunlin . House Sparrow
Yellowhammer Wigeon Snipe . Tree Sparrow
Linnet
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Bird Conservation priorities in Ireland and
Forestry

• Which species need priority conservation/protectio
  n, how much and when?
• Irish forest cover is approximately 70,000 or 10
  of Irelands land area
• Could further afforestation potentially improve
  the conservation status of some species?
• Possibly, however the majority of birds that
  would benefit have a secure status already from
  a bird conservation perspective it is better to
  focus on how to improve the habitat within the
  current forest estate for certain species and to
  target areas of low bird conservation value for
  afforesation
• Could further afforestation potentially damage
  the conservation status of some species?
• Yes open habitat species that already have an
  unfavourable conservation status species like Red
  Grouse, Curlew, Golden Plover could be
  significantly impacted directly from habitat loss
  but also the quality of habitat adjacent to
  afforested areas could be potentially reduced
  (displacing individuals and/or increasing rates
  of predation)

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Irelands SPA Network

• How extensive?
• There are 164 SPAs in total
• Approximately 575,000 ha of Irelands land and
  marine territory

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Irelands SPA Network
What SPAs are designated for what species?
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Irelands SPA Network

• Consequences
• Birds Directive Article 4.4 first
  sentence Member States shall take appropriate
  steps to avoid pollution or deterioration of
  habitats or any disturbances affecting the birds,
  in so far as these would be significant
• Article 6 (3) of the Habitats Directive Any
  plan or project not directly connected with or
  necessary to the management of the site but
  likely to have a significant effect thereon,
  either individually or in combination with other
  plans or projects, shall be subject to
  appropriate assessment

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Irelands SPA Network

• Consequences
• Case C-127/02 The Wadenzee case the competent
  national authorities, taking account of the
  conclusions of the appropriate assessment of the
  implications of mechanical cockle fishing for the
  site concerned in the light of the site's
  conservation objectives, are to authorise such an
  activity only if they have made certain that it
  will not adversely affect the integrity of that
  site, that being the case if there remains no
  reasonable scientific doubt as to the absence of
  such effects

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Hen Harrier its status as a breeding bird in
Ireland

• Population estimates

Breeding status 2010 2005 1998-2000 change 2005 - 2010
Confirmed 128 132 102 -3.1
Possible 44 21 27 109.5
Overall 128 - 172 132 - 153 102 - 129 -
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Hen Harrier its status as a breeding bird in
Ireland

• Range
• 69 10kms in 2010 compared to 65 10kms in 2005

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Hen Harrier its status as a breeding bird in
Ireland
SPA Name 2005    2005    2005    2010    2010    2010    Change Change
SPA Name Confirmed Possible Total Confirmed Possible Total change change
Stack's to Mullaghareirk mountains, West Limerick Hills and Mount Eagle 40 5 45 18 11 29 -16 -35.6
Mullaghanish to Musheramore Mountains 5   5 2 1 3 -2 -40.0
Slievefelim to Silvermines Mountains 4 1 5 6 1 7 2 40.0
Slieve Bloom Mountains 5 3 8 9 0 9 1 12.5
Slieve Aughty Mountains 24 3 27 15 8 23 -4 -14.8
Slieve Beagh 4   4 5 1 6 2 50.0
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The Hen Harrier within and without the SPA
Network management challenges and opportunities

• How Harriers use the forest landscape
• The Hen Harrier SPA network (6 sites) covers
  approximately 168,000 ha
• Using data from around 2000 2005
• 23 rough grassland (39,600 ha)
• 28 heath bog (47,760 ha)
• 48 forestry (80,950ha).

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The Hen Harrier within and without the SPA
Network management challenges and opportunities

• How Harriers use the forest landscape
• 2005 nest site selection

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The Hen Harrier within and without the SPA
Network management challenges and opportunities

• How Harriers use the forest landscape
• HH appear to have adapted to the afforestation of
  many of their upland areas
• It seems that Hen Harriers do not avoid breeding
  in heavily afforested landscapes.
• Pre-thicket second rotation habitat is often
  selected as nest sites.
• Hen Harriers also use rough grassland and heath
  bog
• The 2006 protocol agreement on managing the
  interaction of HH populations and forestry
  development was based on data of habitat
  selection of adult pairs of Hen Harriers and
  their nest sites as a proxy for the requirements
  of the Hen Harrier Population.

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The Hen Harrier within and without the SPA
Network management challenges and opportunities

• How Harriers use the forest landscape
• However recent research on breeding success by
  Hen Harriers using second rotation area as
  nesting habitat has indicated a negative
  association
• Estimates of breeding success by Irish Hen
  Harriers are often low

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The Hen Harrier within and without the SPA
Network management challenges and opportunities

• Forestry cannot be managed in isolation
• Agricultural intensification
• Land abandonment
• Wind farm development
• Other pressures and threats

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The Hen Harrier within and without the SPA
Network management challenges and opportunities

• Forestry cannot be managed in isolation
• There are weaknesses with the afforestation
  protocol
• there has been a notable decline of nesting Hen
  Harrier in some of the SPAs
• further data on breeding parameters are a cause
  for concern especially in light of the recent
  decline as well as the negative association with
  second rotation
• the equation that underpinned the protocol
  calculations assumed that the rough grassland
  resource was stable
• there may be increased negative pressure on the
  heath bog resource with in the Hen Harrier
  network and
• the demography and spatial arrangement of the
  forests within the SPAs may not be conducive to
  the promotion of stable Hen Harrier populations.

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The Hen Harrier within and without the SPA
Network management challenges and opportunities

• Forestry cannot be managed in isolation
• Under regulation 39 of European Communities
  (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011
  provision is made to develop and implement an
  appropriate threat response plan in order to
  cease, avoid, reduce or prevent threats,
  pressures or hazards that may be having an
  adverse effect on the conservation status of a
  species of bird referred to in Article 1 of the
  Birds Directive and/or causing the deterioration
  of the habitats of species for which a European
  Site has been classified pursuant to the Birds
  Directive

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• A threat response plan for Hen Harrier in Ireland
  
• A tender has been advertised seeking a suitable
  person/organisation to
• liaise with various stakeholders in order to
  compile Hen Harrier related population and
  habitat data and its analysis to identify gaps
  in these datasets and in our understanding of
  ecological processes relating to Hen Harrier in
  Ireland
• undertake site and wider countryside risk
  assessments informed by the identification of the
  current pressures and threats operating on the
  Hen Harrier population in Ireland on a site by
  site basis and in other geographical areas
  identified to be of significant importance
• through discussion with relevant stakeholders
  contribute to the production of sector specific
  management measures that will feed into the
  HHTRP
• produce site specific conservation objectives for
  those SPAs where breeding Hen Harrier is a listed
  interest
• contribute to the production of sector specific
  guidance in relation to raptor conservation in
  Ireland

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• Thank you