Atlantic Technological University
Save Our Swifts
Finalist, Nature Positive
About
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Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Mayo “Save Our Swifts” is our longest running Green Campus(GC) project (pre- 2022 GMIT). Swifts are red-listed bird of conservation concern due to dramatic population decline, mainly due to loss of breeding sites. Swifts mostly nest in nooks/crannies in old urban buildings which when renovated/demolition destroys nest sites leaving Swifts homeless. To reverse the decline, in 2012 ATU Mayo- GC established a long-term conservation project installing nestboxes, initially 12 nesting compartments expanding to 18 in 2019. The first public Swift nestbox project in Ireland. It is now home to 14 breeding pairs. Cameras are installed in each nest to stream and record 24/7 the breeding behaviour and facilitate research. The first MSc research project on breeding behaviour of Swifts in Ireland was conducted at ATU Mayo using |
Top three learnings
1. We can make a difference
2. Education is crucial – if you show people how to help a red-listed species they will respond.
3. This model has and can be further implemented across other counties
SDGs
15- Life on land
What it means to win
Great prestige to be linked with the Green Gown Awards UK and Ireland and a recognition of the great work done by the institute saving our swifts.
| 2026 | |
| Nature Positive | |
| Finalist, UK and Ireland |
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Green Gown Award Regions
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