The Irish government has announced that it will fund 78 local plans across Ireland to protect Biodiversity. €376,090 will be provided to fund projects across all counties. This grant will engage local communities, ecologists and scientific experts to help conserve wildlife and habitat diversity across the country.
On the 27th of February 2024, the Nature Restoration Law was passed in the European parliament. By 2030, this law aims to restore 20% of the sea and land habitats across the EU. In Ireland, the Irish government made the National Biodiversity Action Plan for 2023 to 2030. Under this plan, an action was announced on the 4th of March, to fund local biodiversity action plans across Ireland.
The chosen community plans will receive grants from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the Community Foundation Ireland. Projects will be a collaborative effort between volunteers, scientists, farmers, landowners and organisations such as the Rivers Trust, to protect biodiversity. The setting of these plans will be in both urban and rural environments. A wide range of projects are proposed across the 78 action plans.
One example of a local biodiversity action plan is the corncrake project on the Aran Islands. Corncrake is an endangered bird listed on the red list. This plan aims to provide habitats across the island for corncrakes and will involve landowners and the organisation, Comharchumann Fuinnimh Oileáin Árann Teoranta. Another large project will involve the improvement of an 11-acre island on the River Nore at Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny and will involve the Rivers Trust and local communities. Other plans such as sand dune habitat protection in Wicklow, Tree planting In Trim Co. Meath, putting up swift nest boxes in Co. Carlow, the creation of a sand martin nest wall in Portlaoise, Japanese knotweed removal in Leitrim, and the creation of bat shelters and pocket forests in Dublin and are some examples of the many different projects receiving funding (Link provided below for the full list of funded projects).
These local biodiversity action plans are important when global biodiversity is decreasing at such an accelerating pace. One in every fifth species assessed in Ireland is in danger of becoming extinct. Therefore, this is a positive and proactive step for biodiversity conservation. Data collected from these projects will be given to the national biodiversity data centre, further contributing to science. Finally, the engagement of local people with nature, creating more of an understanding and appreciation for biodiversity, is another positive result from these projects which cannot be underestimated.
Citations:
Birdwatch Ireland. 2023. Wigeon information page. Online, available at: https://birdwatchireland.ie/birds/wigeon/. Accessed 12/06/2023.
1. Community Foundation Ireland. 2023. Biodiversity Boost. Online, available at: https://www.communityfoundation.ie/newsroom/biodiversity-boost/. Accessed 06/03/2024
2. Community Foundation Ireland. 2024. Community Foundation Ireland Biodiversity Fund 2023. Online, available at: https://www.communityfoundation.ie/wp-content/uploads/Biodiversity-Fund-2023-Final-list-1.pdf. Accessed 06/03/2024
3. Gov.ie. 2024. Minister Noonan announces 78 Community biodiversity Grants. Online, available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/5b818-minister-noonan-announces-78-community-biodiversity-grants/. Accessed 06/03/2024
4. National Biodiversity Data Centre. (n.d.) IPBES and Ireland’s biodiversity crisis. Online, available at: https://biodiversityireland.ie/ipbes-irelands-biodiversity-crisis/. Accessed 06/03/2024
5. Siliconrepublic. 2024. Fresh funds for 78 biodiversity plans across Ireland. Online, available at: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/biodiversity-fund-grants-ireland-community-projects. Accessed 06/03/2024.
6. Siliconrepublic. 2024 EU passes ‘weakened’ Nature Restoration Law. Online, available at: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/eu-nature-restoration-law-europe-biodiversity-farmers-climate. Accessed 06/03/2024
7. The Irish Times. 2024. Corncrakes and bats to benefit from bniodiversity grants. Online, available at: https://www.irishtimes.com/environment/2024/03/04/corncrakes-and-bats-to-benefit-from-biodiversity-grants/. Accessed 06/03/2024