Mayo biodiversity projects receive State funding
Michael Ring TD has said the commitment of the local groups to protect and enhance biodiversity is key to protecting the health of the environment in Mayo.
Four community groups across Mayo are to receive funding to bolster local biodiversity initiatives. The grants, which total €34,500, are being allocated as part of a joint initiative between the Community Foundation Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
River Moy Search and Rescue in Ballina are to receive a total of €17,000, of which €11,000 is to improve biodiversity and work with the farming community, while €6,000 is to erect fencing, develop hedgerows, grow trees and wildflowers, and install a water dispenser for cattle – all recommendations of the Community Biodiversity Action Plan (CBAP).
Ballycroy’s Tidy Towns and Community Council have been approved €5,500 for its plan to increase biodiversity in the Ballycroy community for future generations while the Parke and Crimlin Area Development Association will receive €4,000 to partner with two local schools and deliver actions that include the construction and installation of nesting sites for birds, bats, hedgehogs, and ducks. There is also €3,000 for Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns to engage the local community in ‘Community Biodiversity Days’ and implement actions in the Friarsground such as improving grassland biodiversity, setting native plants and trees, creating insects, bats and birds habitats, and increasing biodiversity awareness.
Mayo TD Michael Ring, who confirmed the funding, said the commitment of the local groups to protect and enhance biodiversity was key to protecting the health of the environment in Mayo.
“Each local project will be receiving access to experts to either develop a new Community Biodiversity Action Plan or support to implement measures from an existing plan.
“These projects are uniquely impactful because they connect community groups with scientific expertise, helping them to better understand their local biodiversity. The preservation and enhancement of our local biodiversity is crucial to the health of our environment,” concluded Deputy Ring.
