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Initiative encourages knowledge sharing between scientists and local communities to protect coastal tourism and heritage sites from climate change

Geological Survey Ireland is one of the two Irish partners in an exciting new European funded cross-border project: CHERISH (Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands).

Using the latest geoscience technology and expertise, CHERISH partners will perform collaborative research in marine mapping, landscape modelling, excavation and environmental studies. Most importantly, they will work with coastal communities to develop mutual understanding of climate risk to local heritage assets and reduce the impact of climate change on local economies.

“Geological Survey Ireland and its partners are attuned to the importance of this project as a social and economic mission, as well as a scientific one,”said Sean Kyne, Minister of State for Communications, Climate Action and Environment. “It is my aim that this project will serve as a stimulus for climate knowledge growth, wellbeing and prosperity in the local communities it serves, as well as throughout coastal Ireland.”

The Irish component of the project will focus on five coastal communities around Ireland: Glascarrig Motte, Co. Wexford; Skellig Michael, Co. Kerry; Saltee Islands, Co. Wexford; Skerries Islands, Co. Dublin and Dalkey Island, Co. Dublin.

Minister Kyne will officially launch the CHERISH project at 09.30am, Thursday 23rd March 2017 at the Commissioner of Irish Lights building in Dun Laoghaire.


Background information on the CHERISH project

CHERISH (Climate, Heritage and Environments of Reefs, Islands and Headlands) – Climate Change and Coastal Heritage – is an exciting, new European-funded operation (project) led by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (‘Royal Commission’), in partnership with the Discovery Programme Ireland, Aberystwyth University: Department of Geography and Earth Sciences and Geological Survey, Ireland. The operation is funded by Europe through the Ireland Wales Co-operation Programme 2014-2020, Priority Axis 2 – Adaptation of the Irish Sea and Coastal Communities to Climate Change. In addition to €4.1m of EU funds, CHERISH has been co-financed by €1.1m from the participating organisations.

The key objective of CHERISH is to increase cross-border knowledge and understanding of the impacts (past, present and near-future) of climate change, increased storminess and extreme weather events on the cultural heritage of reefs, islands and headlands of the Welsh and Irish regional seas. The project will target data and management knowledge gaps, employing innovative techniques to discover, assess, map and monitor heritage assets on land and beneath the sea, widely disseminating the results and developing best practice for future climate change adaptation.