It is with a heavy heart the members and staff of An Fóram Uisce I the Water Forum are announcing the departure of our esteemed colleague, Dr Alec Rolston. Alec has been with An Fóram for 20 months but in that period has made a considerable contribution to its work. Leading the research programme, Alec has managed diverse projects including optimising water quality returns from the Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, the soon to be released research on optimising water quality returns from peatlands management and has initiated research into how improvements can be achieved in the management and control of Invasive species in Ireland. He also initiated a number of Early Career Research projects that promise to make a significant contribution to An Fóram’s research output in 2021.
Before coming to An Fóram, Alec had already carved out an impressive career in water management in Ireland. Exemplified in his work at the Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies at Dundalk Institute of Technology where he delivered on many national and international research projects including the Tellus Border project, Source Protection evaluations for the National Federation of Group Water Schemes (@nfgws) and the EU funded Mantel project (@MANTEL_ITN), amongst many others. He was the lead author on the EPA funded Research Reports: Towards Integrated Water Management (TIMe) and Developing the Concept of Catchment Services for Progress Towards Integrated Water Management (Extra TIMe) exploring catchment ecosystem services and the importance of integrated catchment-based water management to identify benefits not only for water but for climate and biodiversity. This work provided the foundation for some of An Fóram’s most important submissions to water policy included the recent Significant Water Management Submission.
Alec’s expertise will not be lost as he is taking up a role as Research Project Manager, with the Goyder Institute of Water Research through the University of Adelaide. Ireland’s loss is Australia’s gain in this instance.
The Members of An Fóram and the team would like to wish Alec and his family good health and happiness in their new endeavour.
