For our panel discussion on Friday, 12th February, we will be joined by Karin Dubsky, marine ecologist and a Director of Coastwatch, Dolf D'hondt, an active member of Bantry Bay - Protect Our Native Kelp Forests campaign and a co-ordinator for the Coastwatch survey and Patrick Graham, a Wildlife Ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Wetlands are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems. They provide essential services and supply all our fresh water. However, they continue to be degraded and converted to other uses. In her presentation, Karin will provide the legal context for protection of Wetlands under the Ramsar Convention, the wetland types in Ireland, how Ireland has fared in implementing protection and how, in this 50th Anniversary, we can all do more to conserve and restore wetlands.

Dolf will present in a more local context and, drawing from the experience of the campaign to protect kelp in Bantry Bay from being mechanically harvested, highlight the importance of our wetland features and our marine resources. He will explore how the agreement to designate 30% of our coastal waters to marine protected areas offers an avenue for community involvement and a real opportunity to conserve and restore these rich resources.

Patrick will present on Lough Hyne, near Skibbereen. Designated as a Marine Reserve, it is recognised as an internationally important site with a unique habitat and rare marine plant and animal species.

Karin Dubsky is a marine ecologist based in Trinity College Dublin and a Director of both Coastwatch and the Sustainable Water Network. Karin has international expertise in the design and execution of coastal citizen-science projects, marine feature-monitoring and habitat restoration. She has worked as an expert consultant and speaker at international marine-biodiversity, marine-litter and public-participation events.

Dolf D'hondt has been an active member of the Bantry Bay - Protect Our Native Kelp Forests campaign which was set up in early 2017 to prevent the experimental mechanical extraction of native wild kelp from 2000 acres in Bantry Bay. As a diver, Dolf has been involved in filming the kelp forests of Bantry Bay. He is involved with Coomhola Salmon Trust and is a coordinator for the Coastwatch survey.

Patrick Graham is a Wildlife Ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, responsible for the area of Cork South West from Bantry to Clonakilty. His role is to enforce the Wildlife Act and the Birds and Habitats Directives which involves a lot of community engagement with landowners and with planning authorities.

To explore these topics in advance of the panel you can browse the following:

Irish Wetland Types | An Identification Guide and Field Survey Manual by the Irish Ramsar Wetlands Committee. You can download the guide as a pdf here.

What are Wetlands? from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, UK. Watch here on YouTube.