The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has acquired and begun establishing a new nature reserve at Inishcreenry on Upper Lough Erne, the charity's senior site manager for the west of Northern Ireland has confirmed.

Nancy Reed, who has worked in conservation for 23 years, described the site as having significant potential. She told the Northern Ireland Digest that being involved from the start of the project was a career highlight.

The new reserve forms part of the RSPB's efforts to protect wildlife in the region amid what Reed said were growing pressures from pollution, recreational use and development. Climate change was having an increasingly large impact, she noted.

Reed said she had seen changes in the distribution of species such as butterflies and dragonflies. The shifting timing of insect availability was also affecting birds like blue tits, which rely on certain insects to feed their chicks.

Extreme weather was complicating reserve management. Winter flooding sometimes prevented essential work such as rush cutting, which helps maintain habitat for breeding waders. Those species are already under pressure, Reed said.

Public engagement with conservation had grown, partly because of the Covid-19 lockdown and television programmes that showcased wildlife. Technology was playing a greater role in the RSPB's work, with apps used to record nesting locations and sort images from trail cameras.

Volunteers were crucial to the charity's operations, Reed said, adding that opportunities were available for people aged from eight to 80. For those with less time, small actions such as planting nectar-rich flowers or buying peat-free compost could also make a difference.

Reed encouraged young people considering a conservation career to gain practical experience and work on their wildlife identification skills.