NEWS

The new All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2026-2030 was launched on Thursday at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, by Andrew Muir, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland and Ireland’s Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD. Pictured with Dr Úna FitzPatrick, Co-founder of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and Chief Scientific Officer, National Biodiversity Data Centre. Northern Ireland is backing an ambitious new

Underwater seagrass meadow. A protected seagrass meadow off the County Antrim coast at Waterfoot has been found to contain more nitrogen than scientists consider healthy, after researchers discovered every seagrass meadow tested across Northern Ireland had exceeded an internationally recognised pollution warning threshold. The Queen’s University Belfast study examined the amount of nitrogen stored inside seagrass leaves — a natural record of the pollution the plants have been

Wetlands at Dungonnell Dam in the Antrim hills. Northern Ireland’s rich network of wetlands is being celebrated this week as World Wetlands Day is marked across the globe on 2 February, with this year’s theme focusing on ‘Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Heritage’. Closer to home, NI Water is using the international awareness day to highlight the vital role wetlands play in supporting biodiversity, protecting water quality and safeguarding community wellbeing.

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has welcomed confirmation from Environment Minister Mary Creagh MP that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are now assisting Northern Ireland officials following the first confirmed sighting of an Asian Hornet. Minister Creagh confirmed to Mr Swann that DEFRA and APHA had “worked closely with officials from Northern Ireland to help them prepare and publish a contingency pl

Alix Mulholland, Co-founder of Co. Down-based home fragrance company FieldDay, joins Dawn Miskelly, CEO of Ulster Wildlife, and Maureen Carvill, Wildlife Gardening Officer at Ulster Wildlife, to celebrate a new partnership to inspire 5,000 households across Northern Ireland to make space for nature in their garden Local County Down fragrance company FieldDay has joined forces with conservation charity Ulster Wildlife to inspire 5,000 households to take part in the Let Nature

Invasive species: The Asian hornet, otherwise known as a yellow-legged hornet was discovered for the first time in Northern Ireland. South Antrim MP Robin Swann has written to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir seeking urgent clarification on Northern Ireland’s response to the confirmed presence of an Asian hornet, warning that the invasive species poses a serious threat to local honeybees, pollinators, and biodiversity. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) confirmed last w

The Asian Hornet, also yellow-legged hornet The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has confirmed the first-ever record of an Asian hornet in Northern Ireland, following the capture of the invasive insect in Dundonald, Belfast, on 10 October. The insect, also known as the yellow-legged hornet, was reported by a vigilant member of the public, triggering a swift response from NIEA officials. Originating from East Asia, the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) was first recorded

Larne Town Park Larne Renovation Generation has voiced opposition to the “re-wilding” of the town’s main park. In a statement on social...

Lough Neagh: Lough Shore Park, Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston has warned against “scapegoating” farmers for the worsening blue-green...

Residents of Broughshane, County Antrim, are rallying to protect Craigs Wood, an ancient woodland within the Antrim Coast and Glens Area...

Neagh at Ballyronan on 18 August 2025. (Photo: Lough Neagh Partnership) Lough Neagh Partnership Chair Urges Immediate Action to Protect...

RSPB NI Director Joanne Sherwood, Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir and RSPB NI Peatland...

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has officially opened entries for the 2025 Mid and East Antrim in Bloom Community Competitions ,...

Inset: North Antrim MLA Colin Crawford In a stark warning to policymakers, North Antrim MLA Colin Crawford has branded the proposed...

Northern Ireland’s Environment Minister is facing renewed pressure after confirming that his department is grappling with a shortage of...

NI Water has imposed a temporary prohibition on the use of barbeques and open fires across all its publicly accessible sites, including...

The Lough Neagh Partnership has announced a series of public information evenings titled Connected Landscapes: How Your Local River...

DAERA Minister Muir is pictured at the Sustainable Agriculture Programme stand at the Balmoral Show to announce his intention to roll out...

Minister Kimmins is pictured with representatives from the Rathlin Development and Community Association, The Future Island-Island...

The Ecos Nature Park in Ballymena. Image: UAV NI Mid and East Antrim councillors have approved a tree and woodland strategy which urges...