Speaking at an event in the Butler Gallery in Kilkenny City on Monday October 14th, Minister Malcolm Noonan announced his intention to designate the NPWS managed State lands at Boora in County Offaly as the new ‘Boora Farmland Birds Nature Reserve’. The 600 acre site, actively managed by NPWS, is the location of one of our rarest native breeding farmland birds, the grey partridge. The NPWS habitats and species management regime there has resulted in associated benefits for other declining or threatened farmland bird species such as lapwing, barn owl, hen harrier and other birds of prey as well as wildlife and biodiversity in general. The site is important for birds associated with farmland year round for both breeding and wintering thus making it an ideal site for a Nature Reserve in Offaly. The proposed statutory establishment as nature reserve is on state lands managed by NPWS only.
This will be a somewhat new type of Nature Reserve compared to perhaps the traditional concept – while there will be areas of the property left to regenerate and succeed naturally – more areas will require continued active management for the benefit of Boora’s Farmland Birds and wildlife. In essence it will be a working farm but with a focus for nature outcomes or ‘profits’. As such, access to the site will be managed in a sustainable way across the existing public path access network to allow visitors enjoy the area safely. This is absolutely critical for protecting its sensitive ground nesting and vulnerable species and the associated habitats as undue disturbance by walkers or dogs is a recognised factor in breeding success. Designating it as a nature reserve will provide it with statutory protection and with the due recognition it deserves as an important conservation site for our farmland birds.
Photo credit: Tom Egan
