Recreational Disturbance

What is wildlife disturbance?

We know that being outdoors benefits our physical and mental health and our overall wellbeing. From coasts to forests to wetlands and uplands, these environments offer some of the most scenic outdoor environments for us to enjoy. Part of this enjoyment comes from the sights and sounds of our native wildlife. However, many of our most treasured landscapes are sensitive habitats for a variety of wildlife and birds which can be negatively impacted when human activity alters wildlife’s natural behaviour. Over time, repeated disturbance can reduce breeding success and survival rates.

“Wildlife disturbance refers to any human-induced activity that causes an animal to change its natural behaviour, feel threatened, or experience physiological stress”.

It may not be intentional but your presence alone can cause a disturbance, this risk increases with addition of dogs, increasing group size or excessive noise. One thing we can do to help nature in NI is to consider our impact whilst out enjoying the countryside. Any recreational activities can cause disturbance if at wrong time in the wrong place. Walking, cycling, photography, drones, climbing, paddle boarding, canoeing, etc.

Your impact will depend on season, location, why that environment is considered sensitive and the species actually present. Spring/Summer breeding season for birds and seals is particularly sensitive. However our Autumn/Winter foreshores are feeding zones for thousands of shorebirds urgently foraging during short days, easily chased or harassed by walkers and dogs.

How does human disturbance affect nesting birds and other wildlife?

•Prevent settlement (early season)

•Flush laying or incubating adults

•Attracts predators to nest location

•Prevent adults from protecting nest from predators

•Cause chicks to fall from nest cup

•Trample ground nest eggs / small chicks

•Disruption of feeding patterns

•Damage rare plants and vegetation

•Disrupts rest

Physical injury e.g., seals or birds in uplands with fencing, young falling from cliff ledges.

Look out for tell tale signs

Recognising disturbance isn’t always easy! Reactions to disturbance vary between species and between individuals. With birds whether at nest as colony or a pair. Signals can be very subtle e.g. increased vigilance, or can be completely overlooked

•Alarm calling

•Alarm behaviour

•Silenced flushing

•Leaving the nest site - obvious at a colony

•Circling over-head

•Dive bombing

•Flying repeatedly around a particular area, aiming to land but aborting at the last minute

•Mobbing of nesting species (flushed) by corvids

•Increased vigilance

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How outdoor recreation can impact wildlife

Presence of people

Walking, hiking, cycling and climbing can scare animals away from feeding or resting areas. Especially vulnerable during nesting season, which is typically early March to mid-August but varies with species. Ground-nesting birds such as hen harriers, curlews, lapwings and oystercatchers are especially vulnerable because their nests are hard to see and adult birds can be flushed or nests trampled or disturbed by dogs off leash. Although most birds don’t tend to nest immediately adjacent to the main paths, some, like hen harriers, will scare from a huge distance. Colony nesters are also easily disturbed at cliff side sites – you will typically smell or hear these birds before you see them. They tend to nest on high cliffs so common sense keeps most people at a distance but climbing routes in the breeding season need to be carefully considered.

Dogs

Uncontrolled dogs are one of the biggest sources of disturbance as they can chase birds and mammals. Even on leads, dogs can cause stress to wildlife by their presence, but its less damaging than free running. Coastal and wetland birds are particularly sensitive to dogs during breeding and their presence during the winter can seriously disrupt large groups of feeding shorebirds, leading to wasted energy as they take flight or stop feeding.

Water-based activities

Kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing and jet-skiing can disturb seals resting on rocks or sandbanks, wintering birds feeding on mudflats and breeding birds along shorelines and islands.

Off-road activities

Activity in dunes can damage habitats directly, destroy nests and vegetation and cause long-lasting disturbance in fragile ecosystems.

Noise and crowds

Large scale events, group activities, temporary infrastructure facilities, drones and loud activities can cause wildlife to become stressed, less resilient and abandon areas altogether.

Planning ahead - especially if you are running an event.

Seasonal issues are something that PAW NI have noted impacting a range of species, below the table indicating terrestrial pressures. We can add marine species to this with summer pupping harbour and autumn pupping grey seals. Plus the risk of general disturbance to coastal regions on and off the water during periods of good weather.

Some risks are year round - livestock can be outside all year and vulnerable to dog attack, gates being left open and litter ingestion. Or habitat damage through erosion when people tramp through fragile environs.

Balancing outdoor recreation and wildlife protection

The outdoors is a powerful tool for improving health, strengthening communities, supporting our local economy, and, if managed correctly, outdoor recreation can actually help protect wildlife by building public support for nature conservation.

•Careful planning is key.

•Whilst planning the other aspects of your event or gathering e.g., route, equipment health and safety, etc. also consider the wildlife and habitats in the area and how you will mitigate any disturbance to wildlife and damage to the area.

Some good practice includes:

For individuals/groups:

Consider planned break or lunch spots it may be nice beside the lake but are there nesting birds just inside the reeds?
Keep dogs on leads in wildlife areas, especially during breeding season – the mere presence of the dog causes alarm it doesn’t have to chase anything.
Keep to marked trails and paths
Avoid sensitive areas at critical times (spring nesting, winter feeding)
Keep noise low
Do not use drones near wildlife
Observe animals from a distance
Take all waste home
Be fire aware, no campfires, safe use and disposal of BBQ/hot ash.

For landowners:

Zoning: separating high-recreation areas from sensitive wildlife zones

Seasonal restrictions or trail diversions
Clear signage (seasonal) explaining why protection is needed
Education campaigns linking recreation to conservation
Providing sustainable trails and boardwalks to reduce habitat damage

Of course most activities and events will cause very little harm, but it can be a case of death by a thousand cuts as one group followed by and another, and another come tramping down the same path which happens to be chosen nest site of a buzzard or within 200m of a hen harrier nest site.

There are some fantastic resources for event planning produced by our partners at Outscape NI readily available. There is a very comprehensive 'Good Practice Toolkit'. This toolkit helps not only with environmental factors but multiple other planning considerations including Health & Safety.

The Toolkit for Responsible and Sustainable Outdoor Challenge Events is simple and straight forward to use. It follows three key stages to assist you in planning a responsible and sustainable outdoor challenge event.
Stage 1 – Research & Planning
Stage 2 – Development
Stage 3 – Restoration and Review

How do I know where the sensitive wildlife is?

• Much of our coastline has been designated for its special scientific interest (ASSIs), and majority of these zones have wintering shorebird protected as a feature. Coastal sites such as Strangford Lough, Carlingford Lough and Lough Foyle are internationally important (SACs & SPAs) for wintering birds and are sensitive to disturbance from walkers, dogs and water sports.

• Upland areas like the Antrim hills, Sliabh Beagh and the Sperrins support rare breeding birds and fragile vegetation that can be damaged by heavy footfall and are vulnerable to fire damage.

• Scarce breeding birds such as hen harrier and merlin nest within the upland areas. Hen harrier nest in scrubby vegetation in open uplands, including mature heather and young forestry plots on the edge of the moors. Although nest site locations can vary each year, the birds are fairly loyal to general areas. They are especially susceptible to human disturbances requiring significant buffers, particularly from repeated disturbances or larger events. If you are organising an event between March and late August of more than 20 people in the Antrim hills, Sliabh Beagh and the Sperrins uplands please contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) for advice email: bcsgeneral@daera-ni.gov.uk. Smaller parties should stick to existing paths and don’t loiter if hen harrier or merlin are spotted.

• Northern Ireland’s wetlands and river networks are important for fish, birds and invertebrates, and are vulnerable to boating disturbance, pollution, invasive species introduction and habitat degradation.

Peatland habitats are found across Northern Ireland in the form of raised or lowland bogs and upland blanket bogs, andare fragile habitats easily damaged by fire and erosion.Bogs support a wide range of plants and animals which are easily impacted by trampling or vehicles.

Additional resources worth a look:

Climbing access and nesting birds - Mountaineering Scotland

For many species of bird, the crag/cliff is their home. Climbers generally coexist without detriment to the birds’ breeding success, and it is egg collectors, chick thieves, those intent on doing damage, over-zealous birdwatchers and photographers who cause the greatest harm.

However, without care, climbers may inadvertently contravene parts of the law, particularly regarding rarer birds such as peregrine falcons and eagles, which benefit from special protection.

Leave No Trace Ireland

Leave No Trace Ireland offers a range of educational opportunities through workshops, certified training courses, events and schools programmes all based upon the 7 Principles.

The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace provide an easily understood framework of minimum impact practices for anyone visiting the outdoors. Although Leave No Trace has its roots in the countryside, the Principles have been adapted so that they can be applied anywhere — from remote areas, to local parks and even in your own neighbourhood. They also apply to almost every recreational activity. Each Principle covers a specific topic and provides detailed information for minimising impacts.

The 7 Principles are:

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Be Considerate of Others
Respect Farm Animals and Wildlife
Travel and Camp Responsibly
Leave What You Find
Dispose of Waste Properly
Protect Nature From Fire

Practising a Leave No trace ethic is very simple: Make it hard for others to see or hear you and LEAVE NO TRACE of your visit.

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