A Lecture on Soil

Cabragh Wetlands is getting down to the basics at its next evening talk on Tuesday 23rd March starting at 8.00pm. The speaker is Stella Coffey, an organic farmer from Cahir; she has a BSc in Biological Sciences and her subject is “The Wonder of Soil”. This is a topic that most people will recognise as being of prime importance, especially for those interested in the quality of the food they put on the family table and in sustaining healthy biodiversity. Stella has one of the oldest organically certified herds (of Aberdeen Angus cattle) in the country. If you value the health of your garden, are starting out on a new allotment, enjoy the fruits of the Farmers’ Market or are concerned about the state of farming and use of chemicals on the land, then this is a key evening for you to attend. All are welcome and entry is free.



At the heart of any consideration about the health of our soil is that most undervalued of creatures, the humble earthworm. Though surrounded at home and Cabragh by books on wildlife, it is alarming that so many contain no indexed references to this crucial little fellow. The normal public reaction to a wriggly worm is almost invariably one of disgust, and total failure to recognize the key role played by worms in the development of life on earth. The sprawling compost heaps in my garden are a constant source of fascination. They act as breeding grounds for worms, which live in their thousands, eating their way through remains of plants and other biodegradables thrown on the heap. Material passes through the body of the worm, is cast out and gradually transformed by the action of bacteria into humus, that essential ingredient of fertile soil.



In a day a single worm will eat about a third of its bodyweight, well under a teaspoonful. Insignificant on one level, but on another perhaps the most important day-to-day activity on the planet. Every ounce of organic vegetable mould has passed through the body of worms many, many times. Worms alter the composition of the soil, improving its ability to absorb and contain moisture, changing the balance of microorganisms and nutrients. Through these processes they determine the ability of soil to grow particular kinds of plants, thus playing a key role in deciding which plants grow above the surface of the earth, and in turn influencing the type of insects, mammals and birds that can evolve and live in any area.



The worm moves through the ground, eating tiny particles of decaying organic material, which it ingests with a few grains of clay, creating a permanent burrow. At night it comes to the surface, leaves a few milligrams of castings and then searches for new material (leaves, grass, anything organic) to drag underground and break up. As well as acting as a miniscule plough, worms will, piece by tiny piece, shape the landscape above the surface, burying items left on the ground. That key you dropped, those stones you flung in a corner of the garden, that path you laid, all will be buried by the action of worms. Given enough time and enough worms, collapsed houses, towns and whole civilizations will disappear under the ground. Is it an illusion that things sink below the surface? Surely worms are causing the level of the surface to rise? Archaeologists having to dig down several feet to find their lost treasures are surely clear evidence of the unlimited power of the humble earthworm to shape the landscape above.



Charles Darwin spent his last years studying and writing about worms. This most humble of creatures has a strong case to be considered the most important and indispensable creature on the planet. There can be no doubt that it plays a far more important role in sustaining life on earth than humans. Come to Cabragh Wetlands on Tuesday 23rd to reflect more on “The Wonder of Soil”.

Biofuels

As part of a vast raft of ideas to reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gases, stop global warming and save whatever we can of the huge range of life on earth, the European Community is legally committed to ensuring that a steadily increasing proportion of petrol and diesel used in road transport is sourced from renewable sources. This will mean more electric vehicles, but most (it is anticipated) will come from plant-based bio-fuels, including soy, sugarcane, rapeseed and palm oil. The advantage of plants grown for fuel is that they are renewable year-by-year, and that each litre of green biofuel burnt will reduce carbon emissions by 35% compared with a litre of traditional fossil fuel (coal, oil).



This sounds wonderful, but inevitably problems are emerging. The fuel-crops mentioned above are mostly tropical plants, and palm oil (apparently the most efficient for biofuels) can only be grown in regions like Indonesia and south-east Asia, west Africa, Brazil and the Amazon rain forest. To grow crops for biofuels to reduce greenhouse emissions, rainforests are being cut down at a frightening rate – rainforests which soak up carbon dioxide emissions as they grow. To meet desirable emission targets in Ireland, Britain and the EU, millions of acres of pristine forest are being logged, burned and converted to palm oil plantations. In Indonesia alone an area the size of Wales is being deforested every year. The orang-utan, one of our closest relatives, has been driven to the verge of extinction in Sumatra, and the survival of many tropical species of plants, insects, animals and birds is in doubt, including species only recently discovered – and probably others that we have yet to find and study.



We are now at the stage when studies are emerging which suggest that it is better to burn oil in your car than green biofuel, because of the environmental cost of producing palm oil, which is directly causing an acceleration of the loss of rainforest habitat. Burning rainforest releases greenhouse gases and reduces Earth’s natural ability to soak up carbon dioxide. A Danish study says that it would take 75-93 years for the benefits to the climate created by switching from fossil to biofuels outweigh the terrible damage caused by converting tropical forest to palm oil plantations. Apparently it will take 840 years for a palm oil plantation to soak up the carbon emitted from trees and soil by clearing forest to plant the crop.



This is a problem of horrible complexity. What is becoming clear is that palm oil is not likely to be a magical solution, despite massive lobbying by the multi-billion dollar business. Needless to say there is also evidence of corruption, violence and trampling on the rights of indigenous peoples. Can we ask those who are experts on these issues to share their expertise and perspectives with the general public? Are there crops that could be grown for fuel in the Irish climate? Certainly our farmers seem to open to chances to diversify with traditional agriculture struggling at the moment.

Birds

So many good people have devoted a lot of time and money to feeding the birds during this very cold winter. Whether helping the birds in your garden or feeding the ducks at your local pond, everyone deserves praise for their generous efforts. Now, with spring surely just a few weeks away, can we ask you to help out again? This is the ideal time for getting your nestboxes sorted.



With older rough-walled buildings gradually disappearing from the countryside and walls, hedges and woodlands all under a bit of pressure, anything we can do in our gardens to help the local birds to build nests, sit on their eggs and raise a brood of chicks is to be welcomed. Garden centres and pet shops are obvious places to look for commercially designed birdhouses, but if you fancy making your own, drop by the Cabragh Wetland Centre one morning and I am sure someone will find you an easy design to take home.



Make sure you get boxes that are suitable for the birds in your neighbourhood – some are very specialist and may be designed to be attached high on the wall of a house. If you have space and can put up several boxes, then get a variety of types. A box with a small hole in the front will attract garden regulars like tits, sparrows and nuthatches, and if the hole is larger then bigger birds like starlings will take over. This sort of box can be placed in a hedge, attached to a tree or secured to the wall of your house or shed.



Robins, wrens and pied wagtails do not normally nest in holes, so a small, open fronted box is better for them. House martins and swifts like to nest in communities tucked up under the rafters of your roof, so two boxes near each other is desirable.



Placement is crucial. Think about predators in your area. Cats are so agile and climb so well that they are a huge threat to nests, so look for a site two to five metres high and well away from overhanging branches which might be a launch pad for your local puss. Do not put a perch under the entrance hole – it will make access easier for predators and also allow noisy house sparrows the chance to sit near the nest and upset the occupants, perhaps driving them away.



Another key issue is to face your box the right way. If you face it south or southwest, there is a danger of too much sun and wind getting into the heart of the nest, and this can dehydrate and kill the defenceless chicks. So north to east is the best direction for the opening. Another important tip is to keep nestboxes well away from the place where you feed the birds. Feeding sites will always be very busy, with noise, squabbling and a lot of species very active, all of which will discourage parents from choosing a nesting site nearby.



There are a lot of things to bear in mind, not least trying to ensure that you are rewarded for your community spirit by having a good view of nesting sites. So act now to get boxes up, and do drop in to Cabragh Wetlands Centre or contact us by e-mail (cabraghwetlands@eircom.net) if you want more advice.

Squirrels & Pine Martens

There are advertisements in the Shinrone area asking for information about red and grey squirrels and the elusive pine marten. A group is trying to collate information about these three species, of which two might be considered native to Ireland. The story is well-enough known. Red squirrels thrived here for centuries, but have been under threat ever since their grey cousins were introduced from America. Gradually the reds have been pushed back, clinging to ever smaller pockets of territory while the more aggressive greys expanded their range and took over the prime sites. It is hoped that the Shannon will provide some sort of barrier to the western spread of the greys, but by and large the outlook for the red squirrel is not good.



Now it seems as if the pine marten may be helping to restore some sort of balance. Its numbers are rising and they are serial hunters of grey squirrels, providing a much-needed natural predator to keep numbers under control. Information is sought from people who have seen all three species living, and hence interacting, in the same neighbourhood.



Squirrels are rodents, of which there are about 2,000 known species, including rats, mice, marmots, prairie dogs, beavers, voles and moles. About 40% of mammals are rodents and they are some of the most successful breeders and colonisers on the planet, moving in to just about every habitat you can think of. Red squirrels are among the most endearing. They make a nest or “drey” and are imperfect and erratic hibernators, driven inside to sleep only in severe weather. They rarely spend the whole winter in a state of coma, but will often pop out to look for nuts they have buried in their winter store.



Squirrels hurriedly dig shallow holes, in which they will deposit a nut, usually hazel nuts or acorns. The process is haphazard and unmethodical, and there is no reason to suppose that they ever recover more than a small proportion of what they have buried. This is almost certainly a major reason why oak trees tend to grow in unexpected places (along with the less pleasant bowel habits of horses and pigs). Our squirrel will smooth the soil over the hastily buried nuts, and then moves on to a new site until a vast store is laid down throughout the woodland to see him through the coming winter.



The more aggressive grey squirrels are an alien introduction from America, and they lack the plumed ears, grace and fascination of our native reds. They have gained a bad reputation as thieves, snatching what they can from bird tables and birds’ nests. They have been remarkably successful in spreading far and wide across Ireland, and once they move into an area, you will not see much of the downtrodden reds.



The pine marten is a handsome cat-like creature. They are mustelids, related to badgers, otters, mink and weasel. Pine marten numbers were driven to the brink of extinction because of the cutting down of forests and woodland. They are by nature arboreal (tree-dwelling) but have been forced to ground level and have learned to adapt by taking on a totally new way of life. This tree loving beast of the old woodlands and pine forests is now a raider of hen houses and underground hunter. Ducks, hens, rabbits and rats are all favourites of this highly carnivorous hunter. Nothing is safe from them. They will search the tree canopy for nests and eggs, burrow into rabbit holes, grab fish, frogs, newts and lizards out of streams and ponds. Insects and berries are also favourites.



Reafforestation has played a major part in the growth of pine marten populations in Ireland and Scotland. Legal changes give them much needed protection, not least by stopping the use of the terrible gin traps that were once far too common in the countryside and nearly exterminated this much needed predator. Nature needs a balance of species, and a flourishing pine marten population will help to control rats and grey squirrels. If you can provide information about these three species, contact us at Cabragh Wetlands and we will pass it on - cabraghwetlands@eircom.net, or telephone 0504-43879. Visit our website at www.cabraghwetlands,ie.

Using our Earth wisely

In 2005 the United Nations published a landmark study called the ‘Millennium Ecosystem Assessment’ It stated that ‘everyone in the world depends completely on Earth’s ecosystems for food, water, disease management, climate regulation, spiritual fulfilment and aesthetic enjoyment’. While that may seem obvious, our behaviour sometimes appears to put the earth’s systems under unreasonable strain. Our extractive economy is stretching the resilience of the planet’s resources to near breaking point. So to be reminded that we all depend completely on our earth’s systems does make sense.



The study found that we are using 60% of available resources unsustainably, notably fresh water and marine fisheries, and it concluded ‘over the past 50 years humans have changed ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than in any comparable period of time in human history, largely to meet rapidly growing demands for food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel.’



This has resulted in a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on earth. The distinguished primatologist Jane Goodall has written recently that mankind is causing the sixth mass extermination of species in the history of the planet, and that it is probably unstoppable. So while one part of the UN study affirms that everyone (and everything) in the world depends completely on earth’s ecosystems, the same study is confirming that we are using these resources in an unsustainable way – indeed we destroying the life-support systems that created and support us.



We all have to budget in order to live. Imagine trying to run a house where the weekly shop is €300 and the weekly income is €200.Soon enough action would have to be taken to balance the books.



The bigger budget of the earth is really no different. Currently we are using up what the planet can produce by September of each year. From then until December we are dipping into the earth’s reserves. Unless the deposit account is very large we all know we can only dip into it for so long. There are adjustments which we need to make and it is well within our capacity to respond. The first steps are to acknowledge that there is a problem and that business as usual is not an option for us or our children.



By putting our heads together and working together we can begin to work within earth’s budget, but we do need to give it our attention. That is what we are trying to encourage at Cabragh Wetlands. We encourage you to share your thoughts, offer your advice, respond to our efforts and to get involved. Thoughts for these articles will also be passed on and used whenever possible. Contact us via e-mail at cabraghwetlands@eircom.net and visit our website at www.cabraghwetlands.ie.

Water Rails

The water rail is one of the most elusive birds, rarely seen but often heard by those who frequent secluded, marshy ground. If you want to see them, patience is a useful virtue. Photographers Eamonn Brennan and Joe Byrne spent many hours one Sunday in early January, waiting in the hide at Cabragh Wetlands for the shy little creature to walk into their camera lenses. Several times the bird was on the point of emerging, when something would scare him back into the undergrowth – perhaps a family walking round the ponds, or someone approaching the hide a little too noisily. With a sigh of resignation and infinite patience, Eamonn and Joe settled down to wait all over again and in the end were rewarded with fine pictures of this mysterious and secretive bird.



The water rail is closely related to the moorhen and coot family, with the very rare corncrake and bittern as cousins. It is slightly larger than a garden thrush, with a pointed red and black wader’s beak, long legs and toes, a tail cocked upwards like a wren, and a rather sideways-flattened body, which apparently makes it easier to escape into thickets of tangled grass. His back, head, wings and tail are sandy-brown, speckled black, while his flanks are striped black and white, and his chest ash-gray. Male and female are almost identical.



The call of the water rail is very hard to pin down. Its piercing cry has been likened to squealing piglets and “heart-rending and fearsome groans”, but they can also purr like a cat and croak like a frog. They buzz, grunt, screech and squeak, “their wheezy grunting (is) the sort of noise a hedgehog makes when grubbing in the dusk” and on occasion they can reverberate like a klaxon horn, or even sound “like a recalcitrant cork being repeatedly and forcefully drawn from a bottle”. For those of you still uncertain what it sounds like, this description should clarify things for you: “… incessantly uttered purring noise likened to the purring of a contented squirrel”. That’s clear, then!



The water rail is so elusive, that in effect he is routinely invisible. But where you have marshy ground, reed beds, sedge and ditches, there is every chance that they will thrive. The more tangled the undergrowth the better. Cabragh Wetlands are ideal for them, with perfect cover in the thick vegetation. Their movements have an almost rodent-like character as they scuttle into a thicket or drain. Their nests are normally deep in a sedge tussock or on watery vegetation, with seven to ten eggs laid in May and June. After three weeks of incubation by both parents, they hatch. If there is danger, the female has been known to carry her nestlings in her beak, one by one, to safety. The young can fly at about two months old.



In general they eat anything, using that long beak to dig out earthworms and catch small fish and crustacea, beetles, water boatmen, leeches, earwigs, watercress roots, seeds from grass and weeds. One was trained to jump for worms from the end of a fishing rod! They also eat caddis flies, which will not be popular if they finish off the two very rare species living in Cabragh Wetlands and nowhere else in Ireland! In weather as bad as we have experienced recently, they can be more obviously predatory. Nine bird species are known to be prey to the water rail. It has two methods of attack; firstly it will seize its victim and hold it under the water till it drowns, and secondly it will use that long slim beak as a sword, driving it through small victims like the wren and impaling them. Quail and greenfinch have been recorded as prey. It seems that this sort of aggression is so out of character that other birds do not anticipate an attack and thus are relatively easy victims.



A rare but very valued resident of Cabragh Wetlands, there are no more than a few thousand pairs of water rail in Ireland and Britain. We must preserve their habitats.

Cold Weather

There is something special about this bitterly cold spell; it is the sort of winter that creates lifelong memories in the minds of children. Those of us of a certain age remember the great freeze of 1963, when the rivers froze over and ponds and lakes became skating rinks. Toboggans came out (how many own one today?), mass snowball fights replaced football on the school timetable until the snow became dangerously icy, spades were issued instead and we were sent to chip ice off roads and pavements. A colleague at work was recalling today how her father walked across the frozen surface of Lough Derg, and sea ice formed off the coast of Donegal. We have not quite reached those temperatures yet, but there is still plenty of time for snow to fall.



Here at Cabragh the ponds are covered in ice, and the ducks are very grateful for any food put out for them. If they can keep their feathers clean, healthy birds will cope well with these low temperatures. Have you noticed how large many of them seem at the moment? Their puffed-up feathers provide wonderful layers of insulation. Please do your best to keep feeding the birds – you will be rewarded with great entertainment around your bird table if the supply is regular and reliable.



Are your New Year resolutions still intact? We all have good intentions, but it is so easy to lapse. May we with humility suggest a few late but easily-kept resolutions for 2010?



1. Use the car less. See if you can phase out a few unnecessary car-miles by car-pooling to work or on the school run. Walk and cycle more.

2. Think about how you can save energy at home, perhaps by turning down the heating a degree or two and wearing an extra layer of clothing, insulating the loft more effectively, phasing out non-essential power-guzzling appliances.

3. Find out about alternative ways of heating and powering your home. Start yourself thinking about how best to replace your heating system with something more sustainable. What you have will not last for ever, and fossil-fuel systems will be very expensive in a few years.

4. Recycle more, and compost your organic waste. If you have young children, get them to take responsibility for some element of your environmental management.

5. Grow more food for your family. Pots and growbags will do the job if you lack garden space.

6. Look at your property and see what you can do to encourage wildlife and biodiversity. Certainly reduce chemical usage, (the frost will have killed off large numbers of slugs, so they will be less of a problem in 2010), and leave a few untidy areas - some rotting logs and a nettle patch would be ideal. Ask about which plants will attract friendly insects and birds.





If we all make small changes in our habits and lifestyles, and educate ourselves to think differently about the environment, it will make a difference to the future of the Earth.