Kerry launches its biodiversity action plan

Co Kerry has launched a 4-year heritage and biodiversity plan. One of the objectives is to identify important unprotected or at-risk habitats, landscapes and archaeological sites.

Habitat of importance to Kerry’s biodiversity includes woodlands, aquatic ecosystems and rapidly declining hedgerows.

The Heritage Council has links to local county heritage plans.

Wildlife of urban parks in Dublin

South County Dublin contains around 16 square kilometers of public parks and open spaces. Not only enjoyed by people, these provide invaluable habitat and wildlife corridors for many fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, insects, plants, fungi...

Sightings include otters, foxes, herons, kingfishers, sparrowhawks, common frogs, smooth newts, red admiral butterflies and the now-scarce cowslip.

Ask About Ireland's report on the Wildlife and Parks of South Dublin County provides an overview of the wildlife that frequent the urban parkland of Dublin (and presumably, other cities) in Ireland. Habitats explored include the riparian - rivers, river bank, lakes and lakesides - grassland, hedgerows and woodlands.

Red Kite Reintroduction to Ireland

Red Kites are being reintroduced to Ireland. The reintroduction project will start in Co. Wicklow where thirty Kites will be released in 2007. This, once widespread, native bird of prey became extinct in Ireland in the eighteenth century, due to persecution, poisoning and woodland clearance.

The Red Kites are being sourced from Wales. After Wicklow, they will also be released in other locations in the east of Ireland. A similar project, planned for 2008, may reintroduce the birds to Northern Ireland.

Although the birds are natural scavengers, they feed extensively on earthworms, insects and small mammals such as rabbits. The Red Kite does not present any threat to livestock and may become a tourist attractions.

The Red Kite project is part of Ireland’s wider efforts to improve national Biodiversity. Ireland has the lowest range of birds of prey and owls in Europe.

The Wicklow Red Kite Project is a partnership between the Golden Eagle Trust, the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the Welsh Kite Trust. It is funded by grants from DEHLG and the Heritage Council.

Reducing farming's impact on biodiversity

A new three-year project called AG Baseline is exploring how farming is impacting Ireland's biodiversity and what practices could be adopted to minimise the damage.

The study will measure the presence and range of birds, bumblebees, parasitic wasps and water insects on a sample of farms including sheep and dairy. A previous project, Ag Biota, identified these four species groups as being the best indicators of general biodiversity in Irish farms and established possible links between intensive farming methods (such as those involving chemicals and habitat destruction) and loss of biodiversity.

The scientists behind the study hope to identify farming practices that sustain biodiversity without compromising the farm's productivity. According to Dr Gordon Purvis of UCD's School of Biological and Environmental Science, who is leading the project:

"Farmers are the custodians of the land and it should be seen as an aid to help them to continue in that role."

The €1 million project is being funded by Ireland's Department of Agriculture.

• Read more about Ag Biota - Biodiversity in the farmed landscape
• Department of Agriculture's Agri Environment page

Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan 2007-2010

The Biodiversity Action Plan for Dublin will aim to identify positive actions, improve quality of life and benefit both people and wildlife throughout the city.

Stakeholders have been invited to comment on the production and content of the Biodiversity Action Plan for Dublin city under a public consultation running from 27th November 2006 to Monday 15th January 2007. Stakeholders will then be invited to comment on a draft plan in the New Year, with a view to launching the final document in April 2007.

The preparation of the Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan is an objective of the Dublin City Development Plan 2006 – 2011. It is also an action under the Dublin City Heritage Plan 2002-2006 and is partially funded by the Heritage Council.

• Read about the Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan public consultation

Ireland’s First Local Biodiversity Plan

In May 2006 Clare County Council became the first local authority in Ireland to produce a Local Biodiversity Action Plan. The Plan was produced by the Clare Biodiversity Group, a voluntary group, whose members include Clare County Council, Irish Seed Savers Association, Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation, National Parks and Wildlife Service, IFA, and the Forest Service. According to the Group farmers have a very important role in the success of the Biodiversity Plan. Most farmers know what plants and animals are on their land and how best to maintain habitats on their land. A crucial source of information, their involvement is valued. All local authorities in Ireland are required to develop such a strategy, under the Government’s National Biodiversity Plan 2002.

• Copies of Clare's Plan and other biodiversity related publications and information are available at http://www.clarebiodiversity.ie
• Read the Heritage Council's Draft guidelines for the production of Local Biodiversity Action Plans (2003) (PDF, 35 pages, 460KB)
• Read Ireland's National Biodiversity Plan (PDF, 49 pages, 3.4MB)
• and the Interim Review of the National Implementation of the National Biodiversity Plan 2002-2006 (PDF, 80 pages, 1782KB)