MKO recently sponsored and presented at the iGEO 2024/2025 conference hosted by the University of Galway’s Geography Department. Saoirse Fitzsimons, LVIA Specialist, and Pietro Salvagno, Project Environmental Scientist, presented Ireland’s current Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and how we measure impacts on ecological and biological systems. They shared examples of cutting-edge remote sensing applications to support our research and development of projects to improve Ireland’s environment, such as mapping abandoned mines and invasive plant species, identifying endangered bird nests and inspecting solar farms to ensure optimal operation capacity. Research presented at the conference gave us insight into sociological trends in geography and European marine management practice, as well as palaeoclimate studies of the Irish landscape revealing important behavioural trends of climate warming that mirror today’s climate patterns and drive the need to maintain sustainability of Ireland’s future developments, especially renewable energy. Our Landscape and Visual team is delighted to engage with students and researchers in measuring the changing trends of Ireland’s landscapes and ecosystems, ensuring that our Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments (LVIAs) are well-informed from the integrated aspects of social, ecological and physical science.
