An extra injection of funding has been made into the curlew conversation programme to recruit 30 field officers to start work on the project immediately.

The positions have been advertised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) under the remit of Minister Malcom Noonan.

The extra injection of funding that will allow the officers to be put into place earlier than would have otherwise been the case will come from the Department of Agriculture.

Referring to the immediate recruitment drive, Minister Pippa Hackett said: “The pre-season period from mid-January to March is crucial and this early hiring means that in advance of the breeding season, field officers will be able to come on board and lay the foundations for the year ahead with local landowners and communities.”

Decline

Minister Noonan added: “The situation for the curlew is one of the most difficult and pressing conservation concerns of our time. We’ve seen a 96% decline of breeding curlew since the late 1980s and early 1990s, and it is now threatened with extinction.

“I’m heartened to see early signs that the vital collaboration between the curlew action teams, local farmers and communities is already benefitting its conservation.

"This funding will allow us to strengthen that collaboration and work together to protect this iconic and much-loved bird.”

Applications

The curlew conservation programme, which finds and supports curlew to rear their young chicks, is now in its fifth season, having been established by the NPWS in 2017. The Department joined as partners in 2020.

Those interested in positions on curlew action teams can find details on the NPWS website at www.npws.ie or by emailing Agri.Ecology@chg.gov.ie.

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