Effect of Climate Change on Bird Habitats around the Irish Sea

ECHOES is addressing the challenges of climate change on the coastal bird habitats of the Irish Sea by promoting climate change understanding, and providing tools to monitor, manage and adapt to its potential impacts. The project is working with stakeholders in both Ireland and Wales including those tasked with managing coastal habitats and bird populations, as well as people who live within or enjoy the coastal environment.

ECHOES (Effect of climate change on bird habitats around the Irish Sea) was a research project that sought to address how climate change will impact coastal bird habitats of the Irish Sea, with particular reference to two wetland species that are in rapid decline – the Curlew and Greenland White-fronted Goose. ECHOES has applied innovative scientific approaches to modelling the behaviour and distribution of Greenland White-fronted Goose and Eurasian Curlew. Through the project, online tools and services have been developed to help site managers and policy makers to understand how to best mitigate for the potential impacts of climate change on their sites. By creating tools for land managers, the ECHOES project has been actively promoting climate change adaptation, associated risk prevention, and management. The tools, which are part of the ECHOES Platform, enable land managers and policy makers to understand climate change and its potential impacts at both site and regional levels. An important aspect of the ECHOES project has been to engage with local stakeholders: those tasked with managing or monitoring coastal habitats and associated bird populations, as well as local communities and their visitors – those who enjoy the coastal environment.  Raising the awareness of climate change impacts and how we can monitor, manage and adapt to these impacts has been one of our key priorities.