Uploaded on 2017-03-04 by Jack Hyland

What ecosystem services do you have in and around your living area? Give at least one example for each of the four types of ecosystem services. Provisioning services I live in Dublin city, Ireland, where fresh water is supplied via a network of reservoirs around Dublin county. My neighbourhood is part of Zone 1 Ballymore Eustace. However, the supply and source of water can vary, depending on demand. Noting that the volume of water supplied to the Dublin area’s growing population is not sustainable so a water pipeline from Dublin to the River Shannon, about 100km away, is currently at being planned, at a projected cost of €1 billion. Regulating services Dublin’s waste water is largely treated in treated at a plant near the mouth of the River Liffey. The capacity of this plant has not been able to cope with Dublin’s growth and has a track record of breaching the European Union’s waste water treatment directive standard. A second treatment is being planned for North County Dublin. Habitat or Supporting services Bull Island, near my neighbourhood, is a designated nature reserve. As well as rabbits, mice, seals, and hedgehogs, the island is a sanctuary for migrating birds, including brent geese from Greenland and Canada. The island formed from the 18th Century as a result of a sea wall created at the mouth of the river, designed to prevent the river from silting up. Cultural services The services supporting recreation and mental and physical health in my wider neighbourhood in North Dublin include: Parks, including Fairview Park (image of this park included) and Saint Anne’s Park. Clontarf Promenade, running along the seafront, and built from reclaimed land in the 1920s. It is popular for walking, running, cycling and watersports. Croke Park, a major stadium mainly used for Ireland traditional Gaelic sports and also for concerts.