Job, Vacancy, Wetland Ecologist Centre manager

Cabragh Wetlands, a photo by Mountain Vision on Flickr.

The Tralee Bay Wetlands Company invites applications for the posts of Centre Manager, Assistant Manager/Ecologist and Administrative Assistant for the new activity and nature park located at Ballyard, Tralee. The closing date for receipt of completed application forms at the Tralee Wetlands Administration Office, c/o Town Hall, Princes Quay, Tralee, Co. Kerry is 4.30pm on Thursday, January 26th.
Click HERE for more details

National Biodiversity Data Centre Internship 2012

Plant identification lab, a photo by Mountain Vision on Flickr.

The National Biodiversity Data Centre has announced an exciting new opportunity for a highly movitated person to contribute to the work of the Centre in 2012.
The post provides a suitable candidate with an opportunity to gain first-hand experience in working in a leading biodiversity Data Centre, learning about all aspects of biological recording, data management and biodiversity training, while contributing in a real way to increasing our knowledge on Ireland’s plant biodiversity resource. Candidates must be registered with the JobBridge National Internship Scheme http://www.jobbridge.ie/.

Vascular plant data internship

Responsibilities:
The key responsibility of the post is to collate and prepare existing vascular plant datasets to contribute to the National Biodiversity Database, and make them available to load to the online data portal, Biodiversity Maps. The role will also involve assisting with the National Pollinator Initiative.
he position is suited to candidates with training in the natural sciences and knowledge of biodiversity data. The internship would be for 9 months duration and based at the National Biodiversity Data Centre in Waterford. Candidates should have an interest in biodiversity, good attention to detail, good computer skills, and be able to work as part of a team. The internship will work closely with the Centre’s ecologists to provide guidance and support in the delivery of the work programme.


To apply, please send a covering letter outlining why you are interested in applying for the internship, together with a Curriculum Vitae to National Biodiversity Data Centre, Carriganore, WIT West Campus, Waterford or email info@biodiversityireland.ie. Please mark your applications Biodiversity Internship 2012. The closing data for applications is Friday 13thJanuary 2012.

If you wish to obtain more details about the internships contact Dr. Liam Lysaght, Director, National Biodiversity Data Centre. Telephone: 051 306240

European Outdoor Film Festival

European Outdoor Film Festival, a photo by Mountain Vision on Flickr.


Every year the European Outdoor Film Tour (E.O.F.T.) shows the newest and most exciting outdoorsports and adventure films. 120 minutes full of tension and adrenaline...
Watch Trailer Tere

A moment of astonishment - Ireland's Biodiversity

B.Sc.(Hons) Environmental & Natural Resourse Management students on Biodiversity recording field work, a photo by Mountain Vision on Flickr.

Dr Eugene Regan gives an inspiring talks about Ireland's Biodiversity.
Watch it Here

Fresh Water Birds of Ireland

Jim Wilson and Mark Carmody have done it again.  Following on from their excellent  Shorebirds of Ireland,,  they have just published another stunning and informative book, this time it's on the Fresh Water Birds of Ireland. 


Almost all the world's birds come to fresh water on a regular basis. In Ireland hundreds can be observed eating, drinking and washing on river and canal banks, in reservoirs, ponds and lakes. 


A broad range of birds, they take advantage of Ireland's climate and variety of freshwater habitats. They include the elegant great crested grebe which feeds feathers to its chicks to aid digestion, and moorhens, three of which may lay eggs in one nest and may raise two or three families in a year. 


Irish snipe, found on wet ground, with a population of roughly 15,000 - 20,000, are joined by over half a million snipe from Iceland and Europe each winter. The whooper swan, which breeds in Iceland, makes the longest non-stop migration of any swan, travelling 1,300km between Iceland and Ireland and has been seen on one flight at 8km above sea level. 

Mark Carmody (above, photo by M.Maunsell) spent many hours capturing the essence and beauty of Ireland's freshwater birds and their habitats. Awareness and understanding of the beauty and wonder of Ireland's freshwater birds will be enhanced by this visually stunning sequel to Shorebirds of Ireland.
A great Christmas gift idea Click Here for details

A chance encounter and shared moment with one of natures greatest and most fleeting phenomena.

A chance encounter and shared moment with one of natures greatest and most fleeting phenomena. Captured by Sophie Windsor Clive & Liberty Smith.

Amazing, jaw dropping, starlings on the Shannon, Watch it here

Ireland's Adrian Hendroff wins this years outdoor book award

Members of the Outdoor Writers’ and Photographers’ Guild held their annual awards at the National Mountain Centre at Plas y Brenin, during which top practitioners received recognition for their work.

This years outdoor book award went to Ireland's Adrian Hendroff for From High Places – A Journey through Ireland’s Great Mountains, published by the History Press, which the judges described as ‘an eye-opener of a book’.

Check out Adrian Facebook page for book details Here

Other aware recipients include: 

Kev Reynolds, Guide book category "Trekking in The Alps: 20 Classic Routes", published by Cicerone Press.

Photographer and writer Jon Sparks won the feature prize for his article On the Beaten Track, which appeared in Cycle magazine. The travel feature award went to Judy Armstrong for Rivers Deep, Mountain High, which appeared in France magazine.

Ian Battersby’s Winter Comes to Yorkshire in TGO magazine won in the words and pictures category, and the Photography Award was won by David Taylor for Northumberland in Mono.

Anglophile American writer and Campaign to Protect Rural England president Bill Bryson was unable to attend the meeting to pick up the top Golden Eagle award for outstanding service to the outdoors. He will be presented with his award, which takes the form of an original watercolour painting by David Bellamy, in the New Year.

The 2011 Derryck Draper Award for innovation in the outdoor trade went to American fabric manufacturer Polartec for its revolutionary NeoShell breathable fabric, described by judge Chris Townsend as ‘the most breathable membrane I’ve ever tried.’

The Outdoor Writers’ and Photographers’ Guild was founded in 1980, as the UK’s only association of media professionals working largely or entirely in the outdoors.

Lichens of Ireland Project

Cladonia species, a photo by Mountain Vision on Flickr.

Mountains are increasingly recognised for their biodiversity value, including species of flowers, animals and birds. One group of species often overlooked and little understood are Lichen. This may be because Lichen identification is challenging and information and photos difficult to access. That is why Paul Whelan's web site on Ireland's Lichens is a welcome addition to Irelands on-line biodiversity identification and recording. As Paul tells us "Students of the higher plants have an enormous variety of books and web sites available to develop their knowledge. Lichenologists are a rare species themselves and good ones rarer still. Lichen biodiversity is vast and consequently they have little time to popularize their findings, or produce identification guides for amateurs".

Check out lichens.ie here

The site is maintained by the inspirational Paul Whelan. Paul also brought us Biology.ie

Vacancy, Job Opportunity - Mountain Rescue Ireland

Mountain Rescue Ireland is seeking to recruit a fund-raising officer, initially on a 12 month contract, to develop and co-ordinate our national fund-raising programme.

Mountain Rescue Ireland is the association representing Ireland’s twelve volunteer mountain rescue teams. Their role is to support and protect our volunteer teams as they carry out their life saving role in mountainous areas. This post will focus on raising funds at national level to support the implementation of our national development plan.

Further information on the post and application form are available here:
Fundraising Officer job description (PDF 270kB)
MRI application form (PDF 340kB)

A chance to have your say -Mountaineering Ireland (MI) is currently reviewing its events policy.

Untitled, a photo by Mountain Vision on Flickr.

Consultation on Events Policy

6 October 2011

To encourage best practice in organising the many walking festivals, fundraising and challenge events that take place in the Irish mountains, Mountaineering Ireland (MI) is currently reviewing its events policy.

As these events have an impact on everybody who uses the mountains, all members are urged to take a few minutes to read the revised draft policy and give their feedback. The draft policy and accompanying guidelines are available below. Feedback on the draft can be emailed to events@mountaineering.ie up to Monday, 21 November 2011.

Members are also encouraged to participate in one of the following consultations on the draft policy:
Belfast - Tuesday 25th October - Venue TBC
Dublin - Wednesday, 26th October - Sport HQ, Park West Business Park
Clonmel - Wednesday 15th November - Park Hotel
Killarney - Thursday, 16th November - International Hotel

Each consultation will take place at 7.30pm. A summary note will be posted on www.mountaineering.ie after each consultation. The draft policy and guidelines will also be discussed briefly during the Members’ Forum at MI’s Autumn Gathering in Leenane at 6pm on Saturday 15th October.

It is intended that a final draft of the policy will be

Click Here for copy of: Review of MI Events Policy on Organised Events in Ireland

Consultation Draft published early in 2012 with a view to adopting it at MI’s AGM in March 2012.