Join us for a post-conference field tour: Aquatic Environments and Invasion Threats around Strangford Lough
Date: Friday, Aug. 28
Time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Cost: £45 + VAT
Following the ICAIS sessions at Queen’s University Belfast, delegates are invited to a full-day conference coach tour with stops focused on practical conservation, research activities, and continued education. The itinerary centres on Strangford Lough, one of the most ecologically significant and invasion-sensitive aquatic inlets in the region, exemplifying both local and global issues.
Stop 1: Castle Espie Wetland Centre
Overlooking the northern shore of Strangford Lough, Castle Espie offers a close look at managed and natural wetlands linked to the wider lough ecosystem. A guided walk will highlight habitat restoration, waterfowl conservation, and the invasive species challenges posed by non-native species within this internationally important site and wider ecosystem.
Stop 2: Queen’s Marine Laboratory
Located directly on Strangford Lough’s edge in Portaferry, Queen’s Marine Laboratory is a longstanding, multidisciplinary facility that accommodates researchers working within and between fields such as biology, engineering, and chemistry, having recently celebrated its 80th anniversary. A guided tour of the lab’s unique facilities, including a wave tank, aquaculture laboratories, and experimental mesocosms, will provide an overview of the breadth of research concerning invasive species and other interlinked areas. Lunch will be provided.
Stop 3: Echlinville Distillery
Delegates will visit Echlinville Distillery on the Ards Peninsula, known for crafting premium Irish whiskey, gin, vodka, and poitín from barley grown, harvested, and malted on a family farm. The distillery sources local ingredients, such as barley, making it a strong example of sustainable industrial practices, including reducing the risk of introducing non-native species that can occur through international trade pathways of introduction. A ‘tour and tipple’ of the distillery will offer a relaxed setting for delegates to continue building collaborations while providing a first-hand experience of the importance of protecting communities from the impacts of invasive species.
Register
Registration details coming soon!
