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February 2nd 2022 marks World Wetlands Day 2022, and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan T.D. is launching a promotional video to raise public awareness of the value of peatlands as key ecosystems, providing socio-economic and environmental benefits as well as being large, long-term carbon stores with unique biodiversity.
Since 2018, with increased funding and resources, the National Parks and Wildlife Service of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has restored or is actively restoring over 5,000 ha of protected raised bogs. This year will see the conclusion of the LIFE ‘Living Bog’ project which restored 12 raised bogs designated as Natura 2000 sites (SACs) in the Midlands region.
In addition to increased Government action and policy measures, community-led projects are a key component to the conservation and restoration of wetlands. The Minister said:
“On World Wetlands Day, I’d like to commend the great work being done in communities across the country at a local level to enhance our appreciation of wetlands. Since 2018, my Department’s Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme has provided funding to enable local groups to raise awareness, restore and bring communities together to celebrate our peatlands. This year’s scheme, launched in January 2022 has the largest funding allocation to date of €500,000.”
The Minister has also announced that his Department’s Local Biodiversity Action Fund is now open to applications from Local Authorities. The fund increased to €1.5m in 2022 and supports locally-led projects that align with actions under the National Biodiversity Action Plan. One such project funded under the scheme in 2021 is Galway County Council’s “Wetlands of North East Galway” StoryMap, also launching today.
The Minister said:
“The rich heritage and biodiversity of the wetlands of North East Galway will be promoted using StoryMap and leading-edge geospatial technology. The story map features a wide range of information about the wetlands found in North East County Galway, their importance to our wildlife and the environmental and health benefits they provide.”
First launched in 2018, the re-named Local Biodiversity Action Fund offers funding to assist local authorities in the implementation of actions in the National Biodiversity Action Plan. Local authorities play a vital role in addressing the biodiversity emergency. This funding stream enables them to develop projects that address biodiversity loss in their localities by helping to create new habitats, restoring existing ones and by tackling invasive alien species.
Funding to this scheme has increased by 200% since 2019. The funding will be made available, in line with a grant application and award process, to local authorities’ biodiversity officers in the counties that have them, and heritage officers, subject to certain criteria*.
The scheme, operated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service has proven hugely popular, with all 31 local authorities seeking funding in 2021. A wide variety of projects were financed, ranging from the surveying of breeding birds and the creation of pollinator-friendly initiatives, to projects raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity to our well-being.
Commenting on the initiative, Minister Noonan said:
“I’m delighted that funding to this popular scheme has increased by 200% since 2019 and congratulate the Local Authorities on the many excellent projects that have been delivered under this funding to date. Greater funding allows us to be increasingly ambitious in our efforts to reverse biodiversity loss. Action for nature at the local level is critical. Local Authorities and communities are a huge part of the biodiversity solution and I’d encourage everyone to see what can be done in their community, engage with their local Heritage and Biodiversity Officers, and get their applications in.”
See note below for more information on the scheme and on wetlands.
ENDS
a. Subject to provision of an agreed level of co-funding from the local authority’s own resources;
b. spent on a project directly related to one or more actions of the National Biodiversity Action Plan or targeting Invasive Alien Species projects, including species which are included on the on EU IAS list of Union concern;
c. The project outputs must be reported to the Department before the end of the year.
Targeted project areas include:
• Wetland Restoration
• Lesser Horseshoe Bat
• Coastal Amenities
• Dunes
• Biodiversity Land banks
• Ecological and Landscape features
• Grasslands
• IAS
The National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2021 and its Interim Review are available here
Work on drafting Ireland’s 4th NBAP is underway and it will go for public consultation and launch in 2022.
For further information, queries can be sent to biodiversitypolicy@housing.gov.ie
Wetlands have a significant role to play in the solution to climate change. A restored bog, for example, can actively sequester carbon and once restored it locks in the large carbon store beneath the surface. NPWS are currently undertaking restoration programmes and participating in projects such as LIFE Wild Atlantic Nature, Farm Peat, LIFE Peatlands and People, which all support the revitalisation of Ireland’s peatlands.
The LIFE Wild Atlantic Nature Project recently commissioned research to establish a baseline reference for the level of general public awareness and appreciation of the Natura 2000 network nationally and within and around Natura 2000 sites. Natura 2000 is a network of designated sites stretching across Europe, which host rare and threatened species, and natural habitat types which are protected in their own right. The results have found that the vast majority of the population (>90%) see Natura 2000 sites as being important for nature conservation and protection of the environment and a large majority (90%) also feel Natura 2000 is important for increasing quality of life. Half of the population are interested in becoming involved in nature conservation.