State and Impacts

Habitats

The majority of Ireland’s most important habitats are reported to be of poor or bad conservation status, including raised and blanket bogs, dune systems, oligotrophic lakes, fens and mires, natural grasslands and woodlands.

Species

Many protected species have a moderately satisfactory status but certain species, particularly of wetland and freshwater environments, are also reported to be of bad conservation status, such as the Atlantic salmon and freshwater pearl mussel.  Species such as bats, cetaceans and seals appear to be doing well and there has been good progress in providing natterjack toad Epidalea calamita habitat in its core range.

Birds

A recent Birdwatch Ireland assessment of the population status of Ireland’s birds indicates that of the 199 species assessed, 25 were placed on the red list (i.e. of most conservation concern), 85 species were on the amber list (generally of unfavourable conservation status) and 89 on the green list (of least concern). Several red-listed bird species are believed to be on the brink of extinction in Ireland.

However, there is also evidence that many of the more common breeding birds in Ireland have fared quite well over the last ten years and the populations of roseate tern Sterna dougallii and buzzard Buteo buteo have increased significantly. In addition, there is evidence that the great spotted woodpecker Dendrocopus major established itself in Ireland in 2009 as a breeding species.

Threatened Species 

Recent red lists indicate that some 30 per cent of Irish bee species, 17 per cent of Irish water beetle species and 30 per cent of non-marine molluscs are threatened. Ireland’s mammals are judged to be generally in good status with just one species, the black rat Rattus rattus, judged to be vulnerable. In relation to Ireland’s marine environment, most commercially targeted fish stocks in Irish waters are overexploited and in decline.