WE ARE FACING a catastrophic biodiversity crisis. The natural systems we all depend upon are in peril. Perhaps nowhere is this more obvious than in Ireland – a country almost completely bereft of intact ecosystems.
. In a country that was once covered by forest, including , a unique and beautiful habitat, this is not only heart-breaking to think of, but it is threatening life as we know it, We need drastic, tangible action if we are to restore our natural world and protect human health. Ireland’s seven (soon to be eight with ) national parks combined cover a meagre ~1% (~750 Km ) of Ireland’s land area.
For comparison, Scotland’s two national parks, Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park and Cairngorms National Park combined cover almost 6400 km2. This equates to ~8% of Scotland’s land area. Furthermore, according to the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, more than .
There are even calls to make Scotland the . Further afield, Irish national parks remain small, isolated areas overrun by a common theme of overgrazed and barren hills, invasive species and spruce plantations. At present, the use of the term ‘national park’ misleads people into believing that something is being done to restore and protect nature.
The reality, however, is that Irish national parks are a shadow of what they ought to be. As part of its , the National Parks and Wildlife Service is due to publish National Park management plans by the end of 2024. The plans will include a full public consul.