How long have you been in Trinity and what is your role?

I stepped down from my role as Ecology Team Manger in Bord na Móna in May 2019, and within a week I started working with Prof Jane Stout in the School of Natural Sciences on the INCASE project (Irish Natural Capital Accounting for Sustainable Environments, EPA funded). While I was sorry to say goodbye to the great communities that I was working with on peatland sites across Ireland - like Abbeyleix Bog, Ballydangan Bog and Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park – it was the right time to take my insights from having worked as an ecology practitioner (over two decades), to focus on how to scale up restoration in Ireland and the EU. Natural Capital Accounting or Ecosystem Accounting is an approach pioneered by the UN Statistical Division and piloted at a number of scales in Ireland now (mostly through research led by Professor Stout in Trinity). Through INCASE, I worked on the first pilot of the approach (at catchment level). We’re building on the learnings from that work now through another project - ReFarm – which focuses on how to map, track, and finance restoration actions at farm level in Ireland. Through ReFarm we’re working alongside finance experts and farm engagement groups, taking inter-disciplinary to a whole new level.

What do you like best about your research?

All the research that I’ve been involved with (past peatlands-related research, and present research on the barriers to / enablers of nature restoration in a broader context), has been inter and trans-disciplinary, with a strong focus on the outcomes being practicable and actionable either at policy or site level. While working across disciplines can be challenging (we often use very different languages, and we always have different perspectives), it’s great to be working with colleagues in Trinity Business School and beyond to help deliver for nature and its stewards (mainly community groups and farmers). Given the need for, as well as the potential impact of, the research which traverses exploring finance mechanisms and engaging with corporates, to measuring biodiversity at field level – it’s always super engaging!

Can you describe biodiversity in one sentence?

To me, biodiversity is the gel that brings all aspects of our living and non-living worlds together: the diverse array of species that have existed (past and present), have created ecosystems; in turn, ecosystems support the living conditions that are ‘just right’ for humans. Biodiversity is an incredible expression of the forces of nature, and to me - studying nature’s interactions is both captivating and essential to our human understanding. We can’t sustain human society unless we can live in harmony with the rest of planet Earth’s biodiversity. There’s an expression as Gaeilge – Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine - or ‘we live in each other’s shadows’. I feel this extends to us as humans, living alongside other species and reliant on natural systems for our climate, air, water, food and ultimately our very existence.

What would people be surprised to know about your research?

I think they might be surprised by how diverse it is. Just this month Professor Stout and myself worked with BiOrbic colleagues in UCD and Maynooth on a wonderful comic – Beo, Raja and The Butterfly Effect. It was taking mutual interests and very different insights and skills to highlight the interconnectedness of nature and humanity. And great fun at the same time. We always have so much to learn from each other.

Have you had any weird or interesting jobs in the past?

I’ve had lots of roles as an ecologist – some of the most interesting ones have been where I have been working in remote places. One of my jobs when I started restoring bogs in in Mayo was to collect water samples to show the impacts of the restoration at a local catchment level; the sample point was a stream’s entry point to a beautiful lake (Lough Dahybaun) which turned out to be a nesting site for a pair of aggressive sea gulls. The gulls had a habit of swooping down and attacking me when I went to sample (even though I steered clear of their nest!) so I started wearing a motorbike helmet when collecting the samples to avoid getting spat at by seagulls! Thankfully, it was a very remote part of a bog in Mayo….

What are your plans for the summer?

This summer I intend to write up all the exciting research to date on ReFarm. I am also looking forward to re-connecting with colleagues working on gathering biodiversity data from machair and peatland sites in Ireland. One of my highlights so far was joining a BioBlitz on the Mullet peninsula – the weather was glorious and we found so many bumblebees, moths, butterflies and plants, many of which are found only on machair or on the Mullet. And great company with locals and visiting specialists. I got to bring my 9-year old son, and we spent time surveying the dunes and bogs together which was such a welcome escape from writing academic papers.

How could staff or students interested in your field get involved?

This year I managed to bring students from our new module The Business of Nature Positive, on a Trinity campus walk. The students had their first introduction to nature on campus, and the different species and habitats that could be found, even within an urban setting. I think everyone on campus could take time to notice nature on their walks in Trinity: at different times of the year, we find different species taking centre stage – bees in spring, wonderful flowers through the summer and great displays of turning leaves in autumn. One of my favourites is the Magnolia that blooms in March in Trinity’s Front Square. It’s a real delight to watch.

Anything else you want to share?

This Semester we’ll be looking for businesses to work with the Trinity Business School senior sophister year students as part of our 2024 developed capstone (The Business of Nature Positive). I would encourage anyone reading this article with a business enterprise and/or a family / friend with a business (no business too small or too large!) to get involved. The students worked to unravel emerging sustainability reporting obligations for each participating business and helped with identifying pathways towards nature positive. It was a great experience in spring 2025, for students and businesses alike –  if businesses are interested they can read more about the engagement here or contact me on my email: farrec23@tcd.ie