A funding boost of nearly €40,000 has been announced for biodiversity projects in Tipperary.
They are among 128 community projects across the country who are sharing a total fund of €1.4 million as part of the National Biodiversity Action Plan.
The various projects across the countries 31 local authorities include restoration, invasive species management, surveys, education and awareness projects.
Locally the majority of the funds allocated are to continue a Wetlands Survey with over €27,000 euro provided.
More than €4,000 is going towards a project aimed at increasing awareness of native plant diversity at a local level and counteract the use of non-native wildflower seed mixes.
The IAS Quagga Mussel project focuses on the high impact aquatic invasive alien species discovered in the Shannon in 2021 – just over €3,300 has been earmarked for this.
In a collaboration with Offaly County Council, €4,250 will help ongoing efforts to remove Himalayan Salt and Japanese Knotweed from the Little Brosna River.
IAS Himalayan Salt – €4,250
This will be the fourth year of collaborating with Offaly County Council to remove Himalayan Balsam from the Little Brosna River. As the criteria have expanded it also gives us scope to look at pockets of Japanese Knotweed on the Tipperary side. Collaboration across borders are vital on projects like this as a whole catchment approach is essential or else seeds will just come from upstream.
IAS Quagga Mussel- €3,371
The project focusses on the Quagga mussel, a high impact aquatic invasive alien species discovered in the Shannon in 2021 and aims to address several key knowledge gaps. The quagga mussel will outcompete the zebra mussel, establish higher biomass even on soft sediments to a depth far beyond 34m, effect the filtering rates of our lake and river water and threatens the provision of water as it will affect abstraction.
Biodiversity Awareness – €4,150
This project aims to increase awareness of native plant diversity at a local level and counteract the use of non-native wildflower seed mixes. The target audience can have a moderate to low knowledge of native plants and are often surprised to discover the variety of native wild plants in their area.
Wetlands Survey – €27,183
Phase 1 of the Wetlands Survey of the county was completed last year, the next key development step in the wetland map for Tipperary would be creating site boundaries (GIS) for all wetland sites outside of the NPWS designated network, so that the wetland extent in county and for the various sites that have not been surveyed/mapped can be ascertained.