Local Action
Inaugural Local Action Group Workshop 2026
The inaugural Local Action Group workshop, held under the Shared Island Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative, took place on Tuesday 24th-Wednesday 25th of March 2026 at Waterways Ireland Headquarters, Enniskillen.
The programme from the day is available here: Inaugural Local Action Group Workshop 2026
The workshop brought together local communities and projects from across the island of Ireland who are working to remove and manage invasive species. The workshop focused on sharing good practice, discussing common challenges, hearing project updates and creating opportunities to engage with others involved in tackling invasive species removal. Invasive species do not respect borders and that is why cross-border collaboration is not just valuable, but essential.
The two-day programme featured a rich mix of expert presentations, interactive breakout sessions and open feedback sessions. An opening address was given by Eamonn Horgan, Senior Environment and Heritage Officer, Waterways Ireland.
By bringing dedicated groups together around the challenge of invasive species, we hope to strengthen coordination, support better strategic decision making and create more opportunities for communities to get involved in meaningful, on-the-ground action. We hope building on momentum of this workshop we can help shape a more resilient and connected future for our shared island. The programme from the workshop is available here:
A summary of the Inaugural Local Action Group Workshop 2026 is available below, along with links to presentations and workshop notes.
Presentations
- A Tale of Two Species: Community action against cherry laurel and Nuttall’s waterweed (Eoghan Connaughton, Gaelic Woodland Project)
- An introduction into the CALM Project and Engagement (Jack Porter, Loughs Agency)
- Natural Extractives from Invasive Species: A citizen science approach” (Via Narasimhan, Atlantic Technological University, Sligo)
- An introduction to Local Action Groups in Great Britain (Ben Francis, APHA)
- Invasive species prevention and management work with anglers and wildfowlers– Michael Stinson (Rossinver Fishery & Lough Erne Wildfowlers)
- Developing a classification system for our long standing and large-scale invasive plant control programmes (Callum Sinclair, Nature Scot)
- Shoreline and Islands Team (Peter Kearns, Lough Neagh Partnership)
- Actions Against Invasives (Trish Murphy, Inishowen Rivers Trust)
- Removal on invasive cord grass around the Strangford Lough (Tomasz Ciesielski, National Trust)
- How community led grey squirrel control works in NI – what works, what doesn’t (Dr Jon Lees, Northern Ireland Squirrel Group)
- Incorporating landscape action into a national agri-environment scheme: Lessons from ACRES (Julien Carlier, ACRES)
- Northern Ireland’s agri-enviornment scheme (Rose Muir, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA))
- The Midlands Mink Eradication Programme (Owen Murphy, Breeding Waders EIP)
- Leave No Trace Introduction (Aoibhín Ryan, Leave No Trace)
Breakout Sessions
During the two-day workshop delegates had several opportunities to participate in some varied breakout sessions.
1. Assessing stakeholder needs for invasive species management
(Chantel Carr, National Biodiversity Data Centre)
2. Rhododendron control
Chair: Kate Moore Rapporteur: Mollie Bullock
3. Managing widely spread species- The Pros and Cons
Chair: Rose Muir Rapporteur: Rachel Hamill
4. Key components of invasive species timeline management
Chair: Callum Sinclair Rapporteur: John Kelly
5. Empowering communities through volunteering & behavioural change in responsible recreation
(Aoibhín Ryan, Leave No Trace)
6. Predator control- Trap setting and placement with an introduction to Conservation Detection Dog’s(Owen Murphy, Breeding Waders EIP)
Exhibits
- Citizen Science: Recording invasives and how sightings assist with monitoring, managing and tracking (Kate Moore, National Biodiversity Data Centre and Amy Laird, National Museum NI)
- Biosecurity: Biosecurity kits, made simple and accessible (Chantel Carr, National Biodiversity Data Centre)
- Island Biosecurity and Eradication: Prints and poo (Charlotte Bosanquet, RSPB)
- LAWPRO (Luke Kenny, Local Authority Water Programme)
- Grey squirrel control (Dr Jon Lees Northern Ireland Environment Agency)
Delegate list
For networking purposes, a list of the delegates that attended the Workshop may found here.