Breeding Waders EIP is once again breaking new ground by employing the first female Nest Protection Officers in Ireland. The project began its seasonal Nest Protection Officer recruitment in December 2024. One of the main aims of the recruitment drive was to recruit female Nest Protection Officers and pave the way toward improved gender balance in what has traditionally been a male-dominated sector.
As of February 3rd 2025, Breeding Waders EIP has contracted 30 Nest Protection Officers, and are delighted to announce that they have hired not one but two female Nest Protection Officers. Molly O’Grady and Dana Kneale are now working alongside the rest of their new colleagues ahead of the upcoming season to prepare for the important task of protecting ground nesting birds.
One of the biggest threats to the endangered, ground nesting birds is predation. The Breeding Waders EIP is at the forefront in developing new innovative, ethical and humane techniques for improving the outcomes for ground-nesting birds in Ireland. They are also developing a certified training course for Nest Protection Officer in Ireland to enhance capacity within the sector.
The Breeding Waders EIP initiative is co-funded by the European Commission and the Irish Government under the CAP Strategic Plan. In this case, both the National Parks & Wildlife Service and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will fund agri-environmental actions, while the National Parks and Wildlife Service will also fund the Operational Group’s administrative costs.
The Breeding Waders EIP Operational Group includes: Irish Rural Link in partnership with Michael Martyn Agri-Environment, Irish Wildlife Services, Hen Harrier Project, Atlantic Technological University, University College Dublin, Fota Wildlife Park and Dublin Zoo.
For more information about Breeding Waders EIP project, click here.
To learn more about the European Innovation Partnership for Agriculture (EIP-AGRI) in Ireland, click here.
