Biodiversity action plan for Mayo gets public endorsement

Following months of work, public consultation and constructive feedback, the Mayo Biodiversity Action Plan is almost complete.

Mayo County Council's biodiversity officer Sheila Murphy told a recent meeting of the council's strategic policy committee (SPC) for environment and climate change that the plan has been put together with the help of a working group of 16 people and stakeholders under the Mayo Heritage Forum.

Last April, a pre-draft five-week public consultation programme was launched, which generated 60 submissions and included 41 in-person consultations, with additional stakeholder feedback bringing the overall total of responses to 140.

Ms Murphy stated: “We got a lot of constructive feedback around threats to biodiversity, as well as pointers in relation to opportunities and actions to take. These centred around tackling lack of awareness, access to information, habitat loss, species invasion and pesticide use.” 

She welcomed the enthusiastic input from communities around Mayo into the plan and all the local land and area assets highlighted, adding that there are now many opportunities moving forward to address the education of biodiversity in schools, habitat management, enforcement of laws and greater protection around ecosystems in general.

She said two main public concerns are loss of habitats and species decline, and what was wanted in the plan was action around education and awareness, then promotion and celebration of biodiversity in Mayo.

She told the forum that each action is guided by a key performance indicator that will be kept track of and monitored by both the Heritage Council and National Parks and Wildlife Service, which are funding the plan.

“We do this because biodiversity is at risk and we are in the middle of a biodiversity crisis," she added.

The presentation was welcomed by SPC members, with Cathaoirleach Cllr Gerry Murray agreeing there is a “huge crisis in biodiversity and hopefully through public awareness we can row back on it" He referred to the dangers of various pesticides in the market that “lobbyists in Brussels are trying to make sure stay on the shelves”, adding: “People don’t realise the crisis that is out there and what happens if certain species are taken out of the chain. For example, in California, they are experiencing a rise in the Pine Beetle, which is eating through the forest, because the insect keeping them at bay has been killed off with pesticides.” 

Cllr Peter Flynn agreed, saying he welcomed all the hard work that had gone into the action plan, and how fantastic it was so see so many members of the public engaging with it. He added: “The hard work is yet to come but we now have a great framework to work on.” 

Cllr Sean Carey said biodiversity is so important now, especially in relation to farming, and welcomed the fact that so many farmers are getting actively involved. 

“The proof is that whatever farming schemes come up in regard to the environment, there is a big take-up in Mayo. There are so many schemes going on in Belmullet that recognise the important of the flora and fauna, with programmes around endangered species such as the corncrake, leading to the numbers having almost quadrupled. Farmers are also accommodating breeding waders by leaving vacant ground during the year. There is just so much interest in it and it is great to see. In the circle of life, all these plants and insects have to be there. This Biodiversity Action Plan will highlight all these things and get even more people involved. Securing our biodiversity is the way we have to go.” 

The plan was approved by the forum and will now go before a full council meeting for adoption.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.