Work starting on biodiversity plan for Mayo

A biodiversity action plan is to be compiled for County Mayo.

There will be public consultation in drafting the plan, and moves to establish a council led working group are getting underway this month.

Sheila Murphy was appointed Mayo biodiversity officer seven months ago, with similar roles also being set up in each of the country's local authorities.

She updated Mayo County Council's planning and corporate development strategic policy committee on how all local authorities have to have a biodiversity action plan in place by 2026.

Feedback from the public consultation - to take place this summer - will come back to the working group, which will include council departments, elected representatives, government and state agencies, NGOs and academia.

Ireland faces significant biodiversity challenges.

Over half of native Irish plant species have declined in range and/or abundance, Ms. Murphy set out in her presentation. Some 26% of 211 bird species are on the Red list.

Over half of our 100 bee species are in decline, with 30% threatened with extinction.

A total of 85% of Ireland's habitats are in 'unfavourable' status.

Threats to biodiversity include invasive species, overgrazing and also undergrazing, land abandonment, water and air pollution, habitat loss – altering and removing habitats such as hedgerows, climate change and recreation – human pressure on habitats.

Both Councillor Donna Sheridan and Cyril Burke stressed the importance of the farming community being involved in the action plan.