Some time before this episode was released, Collie came across an amazing sight in his own Dublin suburb, Tallaght.

Over many years a former waste ground and dumpsite for silt dredged from local ponds had regenerated into a vibrant and multi-layered wetland ecosystem that was home to species such as newts, bats, frogs and the endangered European eel.

The site was included in the local council's Local Area Plan and Collie was looking forward to mapping the progress of this biodiversity hotpot for any years to come.

Unfortunately, less than a month before this episode was released in 2019, Collie popped by to look for newts and found that most of the the wetland area had been covered in a 1.5 m layer of silt. Everything that had lived and thrived there for so many years had been buried alive.

The Critter Shed visited the wetlands during the summer of 2019, before its destruction, and recorded this episode. We present it as a memorial to something wonderful and vibrant and vital that has been lost.

It's also a reminder that we should each treasure our piece of the planet and fight tooth and nail for its survival.

Music:

Podington Bear: Curious, Associations

Don't forget to hit us up on our various channels with questions, queries or things you'd like us to get nerdy about.

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Presented by Collie Ennis and Colette Kinsella.

Produced by Colette Kinsella for Red Hare Media.

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