If you get around to doing one or two of the following suggestions, it would be a great start to the year. Bearing in mind that such resolutions often fall by the wayside early on, please make an effort to start now.

The current wet and windy weather offers a great opportunity to work indoors. Making nest boxes will help while away the hours. Small bird boxes are easy to make and demand less space and carpentry skills. Nest boxes for barn owls and kestrels are much in need and while they can be bought are reasonably doable and cheaper to make at home. Designs for both can be found online.

Plant trees this New Year

The New Year is a good time to plant trees. Not only do they enhance the landscape, they are also an effective carbon sink. The location needs to be considered carefully. Allow for the future growth of the tree species and consider the rate of growth as some trees are fast growers. For best results wait until the ground is dry enough.

Trees that can be coppiced are ideal for shelter and if getting unruly can be cut back to near ground level. The hazel and willow are both suitable examples. Most non-evergreen trees can cope with being cut back if necessary and will spring into new life again.

Remember that larger-scale plantings may be entitled to receive grant aid.

Hedgerow management

The active management and protection of our native hedgerows is a vital task. It is a great bit of exercise and fun on a cold winters day.

Cutting back is ideally done on a three- or four-year rotation to ensure sufficient flowering and berry formation.

This rotation has been specified in REPS and other schemes. We hope to run one or possibly two events here at Jamestown Nature Reserve. As in previous years the one-day course will be given by a highly qualified hedge cutter. Please watch my

Finally a couple of other ideas that would allow us all to contribute in a personal way to the goals of the Paris Summit on global warming

Avoid spreading fertilizer by the calendar. Instead look for a window of extended dry weather. This will increase the effectiveness of the fertilizer, reduce waste and avoid damage from run off into streams and rivers.

Why not consider making some grassland permanent? This is an easy no-cost option on many farms and gardens.

Plus, the All-Ireland Pollination Plan is now in place. Everyone can participate, even on a small scale.

My own resolution for 2016? To plant some trees near the road for a future house plot for when I can not live any longer so far down a long lane near the river. Watch this space…

Hope you will be inspired to try some of these suggestions. Happy New Year!