Green Sod Ireland is an Irish environmental charity and land trust for the protection of Irish land since its inception in 2007. We work with local communities to raise awareness of not only the benefits of caring for biodiversity and land, but of the importance of understanding that all life is interdependent and interconnected.
This document sets out potential research opportunities that we would like to explore with interested academics in areas surrounding our various pieces of land in Ireland. Locations of our land back are listed below for reference.
| Site | Area (ha) |
| Pairc a Tobair, Rosscarbery, Co. Cork | 10.5 |
| Meenletterbale,Inishowen, Co. Donegal | 11.7 |
| Salrock, Little Killary, Co. Galway | 5.7 |
| Bawnboy,Arderry, Co. Cavan | 4.7 |
| Redbog, Co. Carlow | 2.0 |
| Curramore,Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo | 0.4 |
1 Research opportunities
| Habitat Type | Locations | Current Needs |
| Wet Heath | Salrock | Grazing pressure was removed in 2022 (by fencing) and research into the benefits/cons of resuming grazing on this habitat type would be beneficial. |
| Wet Heath | Meenletterbale | An annex 1 habitat assessment was carried out in 2021 and the peatland has been classified as “Unfavourable bad”. Research into viable conservation options for this habitat would be beneficial. E.g Would the most beneficial measure be to allow the peatland to regenerate to woodland-as it is currently doing. Possiblility of looking at this in terms of current carbon loss to the atmosphere.
Hydrological dynamics and benefits of small-scale bog rewetting |
| Wet Heath | Salrock and Meenletterbale | Potential for a project related to measuring CO2 fluxes and other gas exchanges above peat soils (potential for installing some monitoring equipment on these sites)
Potential to investigate peat soil dynamics on small plots of privately owned lands compared to the dynamics on larger bog sites or formerly industrial sites. |
| Wet grassland | Meenletterbale | Currently being dominated by rush species. Research on the viable conservation options for improvement of this type of habitat would be beneficial. E.g. Cutting of rushes prior to going to seed to reduce rushes and improve diversity of forbe species. Comparison with other farms to inform the control of rushes without the use of chemicals-which is widely used and is negatively impacting water quality.
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| Emerging woodland | Arderry | Evidence of emerging woodland on this site. Potential to convert some of the current grassland to emerging woodland. Potentially the presence of Marsh Fritillary butterfly on site also. Management decisions required to balance preservation of species rich grassland and emerging woodland. |
| Mature hedgerows | Arderry | Potential to encourage the use of hedge laying in the local community as a means of stock proofing. |
| Immature woodland (c.3ha) | Rosscarbery | This woodland contains 30% Ash which is due to be felled (due to Ash dieback) and replanted. The plan is to carry this out in the least impactful way. Some recording of the methods and suggestions for improvements perhaps. |
| Oak-Ash-Hazel woodland (0.39 ha) | Ballinrobe | Semi natural woodland -part of a large woodland that is dominated by Ash. Some comparison with the previous entry as to best practice in relation to managing Ash. This site is small but it is part of a much bigger parcel of woodland and is also within an SAC. This woodland has not been managed in a long time and some maintenance is required e.g. removal of beech saplings and pruning beech to allow more light in, hedge planting and hedge laying potential. There could be potential to compare different types of management of Ash in terms of Ash dieback. Monitoring of Ash dieback is also required here. |
| Oak-Ash-Hazel woodland | Salrock | Currently scrub and secondary woodland. Could be an interesting case study for the changes to the ecosystem which will take place during regeneration to original oak-ash-hazel woodland.
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| Native hedgerows | Arderry, Donegal, Pairc A Tobair, Redbog | Various hedgerows at various levels of maturity and condition. Potential to compare including at different parts of the country. Potential for carbon sequestration measurement or natural capital assessment. |
| Depositing lowland river | Redbog | Potential for riparian planting.
Invertebrate and sediment sampling on the small streams – investigating relationships to hydro morphological pressures such as cattle poaching, poor riparian zones, etc. |
| Eroding upland river | Donegal | Potential for riparian planting and comparison with Redbog stream.
Invertebrate and sediment sampling on the small streams – investigating relationships to hydro morphological pressures such as cattle poaching, poor riparian zones, etc. |
| Fauna surveys | All sites | We have very little information on fauna on our sites and any invertebrate, insect, bird, mammal surveys etc would be welcome. |
| Coastal ecology-Sheltered rocky shore (240 linear metres, <10 wide) | Salrock | Various seaweeds, shell species and lichen species . Last surveyed in 2010. Potential to observe changes over time. |
| Soil assessments | All sites | Potential to compare various soil types and local climatic conditions |
| Natural capital assessment | All sites | We would welcome a natural capital assessment involving all of our sites, nationwide |
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