Archive for the 'BEACH BY-LAWS MINERSTOWN' Category

GREENS CAMPAIGN FOR THE PROTECTION OF SEALS AND BIRDS AT MINERSTOWN

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on January 20, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, BEACH BY-LAWS MINERSTOWN, Cadogan Enright, Council, Tyrella/Minerstown and Wildlife/Trees/Nature
. 0 Comments

Minerstown residents Philip Nye (L) and Jonathan Bradshaw (R) with Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright and son Cadogan Jnr overlooking the seal colony at Minerstown.

Residents along Minerstown Beach have expressed delight at the news that Down District Council is proposing beach bye-laws to protect local wildlife in the area during the breeding season.

Local Minerstown resident Philip Nye said “all the beach-nesting birds were wiped out this year by a small number of people on Quads during the nesting season repeatedly running over the nesting area. We have many miles of coastline, but this small area is really one of our few wildlife gems in Down District.”

Jonathan Bradshaw whose house overlooks the beach said “It is frustrating and upsetting to watch a small number of people on jet-skis disturb new-born seal pups and not being able to do anything about it.”.

Green Party Councillor congratulated local people on the success of their campaign and complemented Down District council director Martyn Todd and chief executive John McGrillan on the proposal, which will be put out for consultation in the coming weeks.

Cllr Enright said “A scientist has told us that this was the first year in which deaths and rescues of seals exceeded observed births at Minerstown. The seal colony is much beloved by local people who have found the deaths of so many seals deeply upsetting. One rescued seal was later released and died after an impact with a Jet-ski.”

Cadogan Enright said “I have a large number of photographs of seals killed by 4×4’s, jet skis of other human interference on my web-site at www.downgreens.com/?p=599 . Some were so gruesome that I have decided not to publish them – but have them in the office for purposes of legitimate enquiry”.

“Tourism is going to be increasingly important going forward in Down District and we need to protect our best assets for the future. Previous proposals from the Northern Ireland Environmental Agency (EHS) in 2001 to protect birds and seals at Minerstown came to nothing – it is to be hoped that this campaign by local people with the support of council management can bring a modicum of protection to the beach during the breeding season.” concluded councillor Enright.

Press Cuttings: Residents call for protection of wildlife on Minerstown Beach, Beach byelaws aimed at helping Minerstown wildlife

MINERSTOWN BEACH BY-LAWS SLIDESHOW

Published
by
John Hardy
on January 8, 2009
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, BEACH BY-LAWS MINERSTOWN, Tyrella/Minerstown and Wildlife/Trees/Nature
. 0 Comments

Below you can view the slideshow that was presented to the Down District Council to support the need for the implementation of Beach By-Laws on Minerstown Beach to protect Seal and Bird populations.

Please be aware that some images on the slideshow you may find upsetting.

1.JPG2.JPG3.JPG4.JPG5.JPG6.JPG7.JPG8.JPG9.JPG10.JPG11.JPG12.JPG13.JPG14.JPG15.JPG16.JPG17.JPG18.JPG19.JPG20.JPG21.JPG22.JPG23.JPG24.JPG

QUAD BIKES DESTROY RARE BIRD NESTS

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on May 16, 2008
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, BEACH BY-LAWS MINERSTOWN, Cadogan Enright, Council, John Hardy, Littering/Vandalism/Crime, Tyrella/Minerstown and Wildlife/Trees/Nature
. 0 Comments

QUADS DESTROY BIRD NESTS, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.

DOWN Cllr Cadogan Enright has expressed his deep concern at the destruction of more bird nests by quad bikes on Minerstown Beach. The nests, belonging to the Ringed Plover, were smashed by quads last week. Local residents altered the Green Party to the problem.

The birds are protected by the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds. Although up to 500,000 are estimated to spend the winter in Britain and Ireland, their numbers have been dwindling due to habitat destruction.

Cllr Enright said, “The iresponsible use of beaches along the Lecale coast contrasts with other council areas in England and the Republic where regulations exist to protect swimmers from jet-ski’s, wild-life from quads and famiilies having their days out runined by out of control dogs or cars driving on the beach.”

Cllr Enright continued “Last year during the seal pupping season we received several complaints of jet-ski’s “buzzing” seals trying to gain acess to their new pups around the cost of Down District Council.”

This incident, in which eggs were destroyed in at lest four nests, is an indication of only one aspect of the seriousness of the problem. “This is just one example of nesting sites being destroyed by human interference. The habitat of these birds is already disappearing, so we need to protect those areas where the bird is still able to build a nest. Quads also destroy dunes and cause costal earosion which is bad for local residents” added Cllr Enright.

Cllr Enright in touring the area this week noticed that some of the birds had started new nests in the shingles, but were surrounded by quad-bike tyre tracks and car-tracks.

Cadogan Enright concluded “The nests are usually found at ground level and so this leaves them exposed to danger without regulation. That is why I making proposals to council for stricter beach regulations to be imposed which will ban quad bikes and motorised vehicles from using parts of our beaches which are sensitive for wildlife. If other councils can do it, so can we in DOWN”, he concluded.

Press Cuttings: Quad Bikes Spoil Nests, Greens accuse quad bikers