NEWS

Friday 6 November 2026 Noise pollution is affecting the survival, development and behaviour of wildlife across the world, with new research from Queen’s University Belfast revealing consequences for species found in Northern Ireland, including house sparrows, Atlantic salmon and Atlantic cod. The major international analysis found that noise pollution altered the physiology, development or behaviour of 80% of the species studied, with evidence of reduced survival, reproductiv

MP for Upper Bann Carla Lockhart during her visit to the inaugural Slurry Live event, held this week at the Eikon Exhibition Centre near Lisburn. Friday 6 November 2026 A Northern Ireland MP has called for greater flexibility in slurry spreading regulations after Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir rejected a request to reconsider the winter ban, despite concerns that prolonged wet weather prevented farmers from emptying slurry tanks before the October deadline. Upper Bann MP Ca

Inset: Ulster Unionist Party Leader, North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows Tuesday 3 November 2026 Private sales of fireworks should be banned in Northern Ireland except in exceptional circumstances, with displays restricted to organised public events, Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA has said. The proposal follows another Halloween period in which the impact of fireworks on pets and their owners has come under scrutiny, with Mr Burrows arguing that unpredictable explosion

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon presents Ahoghill community volunteer Wallace Elder with his award. Tuesday 3 November 2026 An Ahoghill volunteer has been recognised for his contribution to making Mid and East Antrim a greener and more welcoming place, as 19 individuals, schools and community groups were celebrated at this year’s Mid & East Antrim in Bloom Community Awards. Wallace Elder was named Volunteer of the Year at a special ceremony in Larne Marke

The black swan that has sadly since died. Sunday 01 November 2026 The death of a male black swan has brought further heartbreak to Broughshane Waterfowl Park, where two Trumpeter swans and more than ten ducks have already died following a devastating oil contamination incident. The Broughshane Environment, Waterfowl and Wildlife Trust (BEWWT) has confirmed the additional loss as North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew warns that the popular community attraction could remain closed for

Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Dawn Huggins, meets Rachel Cassidy, whose photograph of Binevenagh and Lough Foyle has earned her a place on the shortlist for the Royal Meteorological Society’s Weather Photographer of the Year 2026 competition. Thursday 29 October 2026 A spectacular photograph of rare night-shining clouds above Binevenagh and Lough Foyle has earned a Limavady woman a place among the world's leading weather photographers – and now the public can

Tuesday 27 October 2026 Two beloved Trumpeter swans and more than ten ducks have died following a serious oil contamination incident at Broughshane Waterfowl Park, leaving volunteers devastated as they fight to save the remaining affected birds. The Broughshane Environment, Waterfowl and Wildlife Trust (BEWWT) confirmed the losses on Monday (26 October), four days after heating oil entered the park's waters following what the charity described as an act of vandalism involving

Monday 26 October 2026 Northern Ireland is facing another spell of potentially disruptive weather, with the Met Office issuing two yellow wind warnings covering Monday evening and much of Tuesday, just days after Storm Boelo brought strong winds across the region. Gusts of up to 65mph are forecast along exposed coasts and over high ground during the first warning, with heavy rain also expected at times. County Antrim is included in both warnings, meaning Ballymena and surroun

Ulster Wildlife’s marine conservation team joins volunteers at Carrickfergus oyster nursery to celebrate winning Biodiversity Initiative of the Year at the 2026 All-Ireland Sustainability Awards. Saturday 24 October 2026 A pioneering project helping to restore endangered native oysters to Northern Ireland’s coastal waters, including Carrickfergus and Glenarm, has won a prestigious all-Ireland biodiversity award. Ulster Wildlife has been named Biodiversity Initiative of the Ye

Saturday 24 October 2026 Northern Ireland is bracing for potentially damaging winds from Storm Boelo this weekend, with gusts reaching 80mph in exposed coastal areas, as the Met Office issues a further weather warning for Tuesday. An amber wind warning covering County Antrim and County Londonderry will be in force from 9pm on Saturday until 10am on Sunday, with widespread disruption possible as the strongest winds sweep across the region overnight. The latest forecast indicat

An Amber weather warning has been issued for parts of Northern Ireland as Storm Boelo approaches, with winds potentially reaching 80mph in exposed coastal areas and an increased risk of disruption over the weekend. The Met Office has escalated its warning for parts of Counties Antrim and Londonderry, while a separate Yellow wind warning has been extended to cover all six counties from Saturday morning. The latest forecasts indicate that strong winds will arrive earlier than p

Northern Ireland is bracing for a weekend of severe weather after the Met Office named Storm Boelo, with winds potentially reaching 75mph in exposed areas and disruption possible across all six counties. A Yellow weather warning for wind has been issued for the entire region, taking effect at 6pm on Saturday 24 October and remaining in place until 3pm on Sunday 25 October. The clocks go back one hour overnight, meaning the warning begins in British Summer Time (BST) and ends

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir recently pictured at Portrush Costal Zone with organisations including Queen's University, Ulster Wildlife and the NI Marine Taskforce. Tuesday 20 October 2026 A record 61,315 people have visited Portrush Coastal Zone in 2026, with fascinating marine exhibits, developing shark embryos and the largest preserved thresher shark in the UK and Ireland helping to attract visitors to the popular north coast attraction. The figures, released by the Departme

The Queen's team will be led by Professor Sharon Huws (right) and co-led by Dr Katerina Theodoridou (left) who will work alongside Dr Kayley Barnes (centre) from the Institute for Global Food Security and School of Biological Sciences at Queen's to drive the program forward. Sunday 18 October 2026 Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast are set to play a key role in a major international research initiative aimed at improving livestock productivity, reducing methane emissio

NI Water Peatlands Sunday 18 October 2026 As Northern Ireland enters the wetter autumn and winter months, NI Water is highlighting how restoring peatlands, planting trees and improving upland landscapes can help reduce the impact of heavy rainfall and support efforts to manage flood risk. The work focuses on protecting the natural areas surrounding reservoirs and rivers, where healthier soils and vegetation can absorb rainfall and slow the movement of water into waterways. Th

The Garron Plateau overlooking the Antrim coast Saturday 17 October 2026 Plans for a major wind farm in the Antrim Glens have come under renewed scrutiny after Mid and East Antrim Borough Council maintained its concerns over the development’s potential impact on one of Northern Ireland’s most distinctive landscapes. The proposed Unshinagh Wind Farm, located approximately five miles south-west of Carnlough and five miles west of Glenarm, has been scaled back from 14 turbines t

DUP Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart Friday 09 October 2026 DUP MP Carla Lockhart has called on Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir to act on new research into bovine tuberculosis (bTB), warning that farmers cannot continue to shoulder the financial and emotional burden of a disease which has affected Northern Ireland's cattle industry for decades. The Upper Bann MP has welcomed an independent evidence review by AgriSearch examining DAERA’s proposed wildlife intervention options, ar

Dr Konstantinos Xyntaris invites those with an interest in tree planting to attend the Growers Gathering at CAFRE this month at Greenmount Campus. Monday 05 October 2026 Tree growers, foresters and others involved in woodland creation across Northern Ireland are being invited to Greenmount Campus in Antrim for an industry event exploring the future of tree production and planting. The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) will host ‘A Growers’ Gathering fo

UFU deputy president Clement Lynch, who is urging farmers to have their say on DAERA’s bTB wildlife intervention consultation. Saturday 03 October 2026 Northern Ireland farmers are being urged to have their say on the future of bovine TB controls before a major consultation closes next week, as the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) calls for wildlife intervention to form part of efforts to eradicate the disease. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) c

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir launches the second phase of the Lough Neagh Water Quality Dashboard in Ballyronan pictured with (L-R) Patrick Murphy, Lough Neagh Science Advice Branch, DAERA and Stephen Prentice, NIEA Freshwater Monitoring and Assessment. Saturday 03 October 2026 An expanded public monitoring system is giving communities and scientists a much clearer picture of conditions across Lough Neagh — as those working around the lake warn that years of sustained action wi