I did not realise that there was so much wild life around Waterford Port at Belview until I met Gerard O’Donnell. he is the Marine Officer at the Port and has been focused on mammals, birds an insects around the port complex.
He has produced a booklet ‘Wild Waterford’ with impressive photography of birds, wetland and non-wetland and mammals.
David Sinnott, who is Chief Executive of the Port, in an introduction to the booklet says: “All the species can be seen within the estuary and the surrounding lands and, using this booklet as a guide, anyone should be able to identify the local wildife.”
There are two Special Areas of Conversation (SACs) in the Waterford Estuary – the Lower River Suir SAC and the River Barrow and Rivr Nore SAC, downstream from Waterford City and Belview Port.
“Recognising the importance of local wildlife, Waterford Port has spent three years working with expert ecologists, studying the river, shore and land around Belview and found an abundance of wildlife living in harmony with the Port’s operation,” Gerard O’Donnell told me. I will be interviewing him about his work during the 11:11 Podcast series which I am presenting on the history of Waterford Port.
