Crucial restoration project laying foundations for brighter future

The RSPB Northern Ireland received a £199,565 contribution from the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant to help launch the Island and Lough Shore Habitat restoration project, including the Lough Erne’s islands, which offer the best location for successful nesting due to the reduced risk of predation compared to mainland sites. 

The project is designed to allow the region, a key breeding area for the curlew bird, to redress the catastrophic loss being experienced across Ireland and Europe of the iconic wetland bird species. 

Head of Grants at the RSPB, Kim Gutteridge said: “The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Nature can’t wait - time is running out and sadly that is also the case for Curlew. Both the climate and the nature crises are hand in hand; we need to work on both, and we need to act for climate and nature, as it is two sides of the same coin. 

“That’s why it’s really vital to highlight places where curlew live and habitats that they exist in so people can understand how they can help. 

“The Lough Erne partnership project is doing some fantastic community work too through visual arts and other media, including three recent exhibitions, celebrations events, mural, and video to raise awareness of these rare species. 

The Eurasian curlew is Europe’s largest wading bird with an extraordinary, curved bill and a haunting ‘cur-lee’ call – numbers have declined by 48% between 1995 and 2020 across the UK and the species is at risk of extinction as a breeding bird in Northern Ireland within the next decade if there is no intervention. 

During COP28, The National Lottery has unveiled an immersive exhibition, Habitats of Hope, created by Georgia Tucker at Horniman Museum and Gardens, to bring awareness to various species including Curlew that face extinction. 

The exhibition showcases the positive impact the £30 million raised every week by National Lottery players for good causes has had on preserving land and nature across the UK.

Gutteridge added, “We’ve done so much thanks to National Lottery funding at Lough Erne and early indications show Curlew numbers are improving.  We know what works and need to get on and do it. One of the key barriers for nature conservation is funding. But happily, thanks to National Lottery players, targeted funding for priority species like Curlew can make a big difference.

“The other important thing for the National Lottery is that our project involves people as well. Nature needs people and people need nature.

"We need people to understand what’s needed to protect UK wildlife and also to learn about these wonderful creatures. 

“I’ve always been somebody who has been very keen on the outdoors, my love of wildlife is what spurred me on to join the RSPB and to learn more about UK conservation.

“In order to save nature, you need to love nature and you can’t love nature unless you know about it so funding and projects like this help a huge amount."

Since 1994 almost £2bn of National Lottery funding has been awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to 4,600 land, nature, and biodiversity projects across the UK, helping to protect animals and wildlife with more investment to come. 

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “In the UK, one in six species are at risk of extinction, from the beloved hedgehog to the lesser-known Narrow-headed Ant. Every species plays a significant role in the natural ecosystem, whether it be pollinating our food crops, reducing flooding, or decomposing and recycling our waste. The ‘Habitats of Hope’ exhibition spotlights the vital work that our nature organisations do in protecting our unique natural heritage. Through our new 10-year strategy, Heritage 2033, the National Lottery Heritage Fund will be investing even more in helping nature to recover across both rural and urban landscapes, as well as helping more people to enjoy and connect with nature.”