View
668
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
2015 National information Day on Horizon 2020 SC5
Flash Presentation Session 2b: Nature-Based Solutions
Karin Dubsky, Coastwatch Civil and Environmental Engineering, TCD, Dublin 2
My Focus: Coastal Nature – most of our cities are coastal •
• High value nature in urban areas • Designations - Dublin bay biosphere and Natura 2000 sites • Social - who knows it and who values it? What is it? We have an infill
and discharge to the sea history. • Decision to protect and manage is political
e.g. dog versus hare on Bull island
So to protect nature and to get human well being benefits, we need a solid knowledge and emotional connection foundation
NEEDS: Informed public participation in Environmental
Protection, Wise Use and Management of Coastal Resources.
HEAD: Gather, handle and understand information HEART: Love that shore, species, sound, smell
Aarhus it: know, apply law, public participation … CITIZEN SCIENCE: Coastwatch data gathering on biodiversity, IAS, eutrophication and litter . Coastwatch scientists and lawyers working also on GES, and further Descriptors , eg shellfish
Many Citizen science ways … - Coastwatch experience - record, photo, photo with GPS, measuring tape… Citizens report an exciting stable find, a fixed organism on a stable boulder which can be found again, or catch a moment in time like nitrates in an inflow - Coastwatch results & EPA below
8%
51%33%
8%Tolka Estuary inflows (n=51)
20%
36%25%
19%
South Dublin Bay (n=36)
Rush
7%
13%
13%
27%
40%
Rush inflows tested (n=15)
8%
31%
38%
23%
Bannow Bay inf. test. (n=13)
100%
Tralee Bay Inflows tesded (n=22)
South Dublin
Bannow Bay Tralee Bay
Tolka Estuary
Coastwatch Horizon 2020 ideas: 1 Social – attitude, knowledge • establish urban coastal site status combining official data and a
citizen science update to produce an agreed status report • research public feeling about status before baseline, after baseline
and after some engagement to make things better or clearer. • Produce advice to maximize social buy in to restoring and protecting
coastal nature/biodiversity. Theme 1 b - create a physical citizen observatory in an urban site abandoned infrastructure – e.g. Blackrock bath
Theme 2: Urban Habitat Restoration the fragile coastal rim. The quality of the coastal rim – edge of land - splashzone and intertidal have nursery functions for many species But urban shores tend to be either hard concrete, rock armour, wall or if sandy then mechanically cleaned and full of disturbance as people enjoy this space, so biodiversity is squeezed. Some simple modifications - adding soft coast nodules, bands with nursery wetland elements can significantly increase biodiversity, produce wave buffers and be welcomed by people if they are involved. This project seeks to audit the shores of 3 coastal cities with citizens and draft a ‘bio-diversification’ plan with citizens and start implementing sections of it.
Theme 3: Species protection, monitoring and potentially restoration • Select iconic species which become the flagship of the town to focus on
improving their status and avoiding damage
• or focus on a group in society with particular skill – eg Boyne salmon - Drogheda Draft fisheries
Boyne Estuary Salmon
Drogheda - Boyne salmon fishing was closed as salmon numbers had dwindled. But as stocks still needed to be monitored, IFI and fishermen with Coastwatch support designed a salmon research project. Draft fishermen men catch salmon on set days to tag, weigh & check health (sea lice infestation) of returning fish. Boyne Draft-fishermen
cooperation with IFI now in its 6th year. Stocks improving
(pics by Pat Burns 2013 season)
A citizen science initiative
for the sea and us,
Karin Dubsky Coastwatch
Civil and Env. Eng. Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2 [email protected] and [email protected] Mob 086 8111 684