Last updated: November 2024
Booterstown Marsh, the only remaining saltmarsh on the south shore of Dublin Bay, plays a crucial role in the Dublin Bay Protection Plan. As part of South Dublin Bay's protected landscape, this unique 4.3-hectare brackish water marsh provides vital environmental and educational value within an urban setting. It supports three key habitats, ranging from freshwater to saltwater, creating essential feeding and roosting grounds for an array of migratory birds. The marsh attracts numerous bird species, including Moorhen, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler, Teal, Snipe, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Dunlin, and Brent Geese, establishing it as the only bird sanctuary in South Dublin Bay. Booterstown Marsh’s ecological significance is underscored by its inclusion in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2025: Nature Recovery, Restoration & Reconnection. Managed by the Biodiversity Section of the council, this initiative focuses on protecting and enhancing Booterstown Marsh as part of a broader effort to restore natural habitats across the area. The council’s project addresses key factors in biodiversity loss—such as land use pressures, climate change, and invasive species—by implementing an annual monitoring program to prevent deterioration of critical EU Annex habitats and species. An Taisce, a local NGO has managed the marsh reserve since the 1970s, dedicating efforts to conservation and public education. This habitat, along with other local ecosystems like the wetlands at Ballycorus and woodlands at Loughlinstown, serves as an essential natural defense against climate change, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and helping stabilize local landscapes by slowing floodwaters in catchment areas.(1-6)
Booterstown Marsh
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Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Coastal wetland, mangroves and salt marshes
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Soil quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Environmental education
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Invasive alien species
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Rapid urbanization
- Resource Scarcity and Competition
- Over-exploitation of natural resources (water resources, overgrazing, fisheries, mangroves, fore products)
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration), Social Justice and community
Focus
Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Ecological restoration of existing green spaces, Restoration and protection of ecosystems (including water ecosystems), Protection of natural ecosystems, Protecton and enhancement of wetlands (other types than peatlands and mangroves, e.g. seagrass), Habitat conservation, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Educational and awareness raising programs, Monitoring and maintenance of habitats and/or biodiversity, Clearing out invasive alien species and allow natural regeneration maintaining the functionality the ecosystem, Species-specific monitoring and conservation programs
Project objectives
To protect biodiversity and enhance resilience to climate change.
To safeguard important EU Annex habitats and species for long-term conservation.
To maintain Booterstown Marsh as a critical feeding and roosting area for local and migratory bird species.
To provide a refueling and resting spot for migrating birds, supporting essential migratory routes.
To offer three primary habitats, ranging from freshwater to saltwater, that support diverse species and ecological functions.
To mitigate the effects of climate change by capturing carbon dioxide, stabilizing soil, and reducing flood risks in the catchment area.
To raise awareness of biodiversity and ecosystem services through community engagement and educational initiatives.
To provide education and training for the public, local communities, and staff to foster environmental stewardship. (1-6)
Implementation activities
The implementation activities for the protection and enhancement of Booterstown Marsh, outlined in the Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2025, are primarily focused on safeguarding the marsh’s unique coastal ecosystem. A key activity is the annual monitoring program, developed and implemented by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), An Taisce, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Parks Department (DLR Parks), and the DLR Water and Drainage Department (6, p. 72). This program aims to protect the EU Annex habitats and species present at the marsh, including 68 protected plant species and various bird species, by preventing their deterioration and loss and implementing yearly clean up programmes, soil stabilization methods and clearing invasive species (1). The plan also involves providing education and raising awareness of biodiversity and ecosystem services among the public, decision-makers and educators through various activities such as bird watching, training and education programmes to promote appreciation of biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services. (1, 6)
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
- Restore mangroves, marshes, reefs and wetlands to dissipate the effects of storms and floodwaters
Climate change mitigation:
- Protect and restore coastal wetlands, mangroves and salt marshes, aiming at sequestering carbon dioxide and storing it in their soils
- Raise public awareness of behaviours, lifestyle and cultural changes with mitigation potential
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect species
- Control and clean invasive alien species
- Means for conservation governance
- Biodiversity offsets
- Raise public awareness
- Capacity building
Main beneficiaries
- Non-government organisation/Civil Society
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Dissemination of information and education
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The implementation of the Booterstown Marsh project is driven by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Parks Department (DLR Parks), and the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Water and Drainage Department (DLR Water and Drainage). Together, they are responsible for carrying out the Biodiversity Action Plan, which includes an annual monitoring program and several educational activities involving the community (6, p. 72). The community is involved in cleaning activities as well as educational ones through which people learn about the marshes and their benefits. (1, 2, 6)
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
(Natura 2000 (1))
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(Wildlife Act (Flora Protection Order of 1987) (1))
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2025 (6))
Type of enablers
NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Environmental quality
- Improved stability of slopes
- Expected improved stability of slopes
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Expected increased protection against flooding
- Enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Expected enhanced protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems
- Green space and habitat
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Expected reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Expected increased number of species present
Economic impacts
Socio-cultural impacts
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of natural heritage
- Expected protection of natural heritage
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Expected increased knowledge of locals about local nature
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
An Taisce (n.d.). Booterstown Marsh, Dublin. An Taisce, Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Ollerton, J. (n.d.). Is Booterstown Marsh the best small urban nature reserve in Europe?. Jeff Ollerton, Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Robinson, A. (2021). Booterstown Marsh – A unique Dublin Bay wetland. Coast Monkey, Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Kirby, A. (2023). Booterstown Marsh. Birdingplaces, Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
5.
South Dublin BWI (n.d.). Birdwatching Sites - South Dublin. South Dublin BWI , Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Comhairle Contae Country Council (n.d.). Biodiversity Action Plan 2021-2025. Comhairle Contae Country Council, Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Kelly, O. (2020). Booterstown marsh ‘biodiversity’ centre proposals ‘excessive’. The Irish Times, Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
8.
City Population (2023). Blackrock-Booterstown. City Population, Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (n.d.). Biodiversity Education Programme. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Accessed on September 26, 2024, [Source link];
Little Egret on Booterstown Marsh
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Flock of Brent Geese fly over the marsh
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Marsh
https://www.birdingplaces.eu/ru/birdingplaces/ireland/booterstown-marsh
Marsh
https://www.birdingplaces.eu/ru/birdingplaces/ireland/booterstown-marsh
Marsh
https://www.birdingplaces.eu/ru/birdingplaces/ireland/booterstown-marsh
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.