Council supporting National Biodiversity Week

Clare County Council is marking National Biodiversity Week 2014, which runs until Saturday, with the official launch of a new strategy aimed at promoting, protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of the county.

The Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-17, approved by the council, has identified how biodiversity can boost tourism, enhance the local environment, and assist organisations and individuals working in the area of conservation and heritage.

Key objectives of the Plan include supporting the recording of biodiversity across County Clare and to submit all biodiversity records to the National Biodiversity Database Centre; raising awareness of the role of biodiversity in climate change and the importance of wetland management in preventing flooding, and encouraging proposals relating to the positive management and additional planting of native tree species.

Among the agencies that have contributed to the preparation and delivery of the plan is Clare County Council, the Clare Biodiversity Group, Coillte, Burren LIFE, Burrenbeo Trust, County Clare Bat Group, Celt, the Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation and Irish Seed Savers Association.
Clare Biodiversity Officer Shane Casey is hosting a number of illustrative talks on the Plan this week. The events, entitled Explore the Biodiversity of County Clare are being held at the public libraries in Scariff on Tuesday at 6.30pm, Ennistymon on Wednesday at at 7pm, Ennis on Thursday at 12 noon, Kilkee on Monday next at 6.30pm and Shannon on Tuesday, 27 at 6.30pm.