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Project title

Leveraging Island liGHthouses and Harnessing Technology to examine Heritage Opportunities in Unique offShore Environments

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Mary Immaculate College

Lead Applicant

Catherine Dalton

Project Abstract

Protecting ecosystems of high ecological integrity, particularly islands, is a critical target in global and national biodiversity strategies and a priority for conservation. Despite their small area, islands play a crucial role in supporting unique biodiversity. Islands are home to important seabird colonies and relatively undisturbed terrestrial and marine ecological communities, which are increasingly threatened by climate change and invasive species, particularly predators of ground-nesting birds. Irish Lights provide high-quality technological navigation and environmental monitoring solutions around the coast and at many offshore island locations. Technological advances have resulted in the automation and decommissioning of lighthouse infrastructure, leading to surplus ancillary property and a lower environmental footprint. This has enhanced the conservation potential of some sites. The responsible withdrawal of obsolete lighthouse infrastructure from uninhabited offshore islands will remove potentially hazardous and polluting materials and opens avenues for collecting essential scientific baseline data from previously unstudied offshore islands and is unlocking innovative conservation opportunities. The project will initially focus on a subset of offshore islands and properties owned by Irish Lights (Bull Rock, Inishtrahull, Inishtearaght, Mew Island, Rockabill, Slyne Head). State-of-art geospatial techniques, creative conservation solutions for built heritage, tracking reclamation by nature and monitoring of seabird responses and will be conducted alongside the curated withdrawal of lighthouse heritage infrastructure. The project will improve knowledge of offshore island environmental and habitat biodiversity by collecting, collating, and analysing existing and new geospatial and biodiversity data on selected offshore islands. This includes (i) reviewing historical archived seabird data collected by Irish Lights lighthouse keepers and existing seabird inventories to determine changes in species over time and facilitate the maintenance of new species lists, (ii) understanding the ecosystem service value of offshore islands by examining potential options for existing wildlife sites, enhancement of existing infrastructural features and piloting the valuation of island ecosystem services, and (iii) exploring the impact of lighthouse infrastructure withdrawal by documenting the built heritage infrastructure and any planned changes, assessing the current status of the surrounding habitat, and observing subsequent natural reclamation. This examination of remote islands will provide insights into long-term climate-induced pressures and vulnerable biodiversity, as well as natural and cultural heritage. Utilising state-of-the-art geospatial techniques, creative conservation solutions for built heritage, and surveys of biodiversity responses, the project aims to valorise island wildernesses. This endeavour and has few models in an Irish context and no precedent in terms of using island lighthouse infrastructure for biodiversity. The subset of islands will serve as a pilot for future upscaling to other Irish Lights sites and internationally. Additionally, it will inform policy for all coastal settings, contributing to national policies, targets, and actions to protect, value, monitor, and adapt heritage sites in response to climate change, ocean stressors, and biodiversity crises.

Grant Approved

643500.71

Research Hub

Protecting and Restoring Our Natural Environment

Research Theme

Implementing effective protect and restore solutions

Start Date

01/09/2025

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/08/2029