LIMERICK City and County Council has been asked to apply for a share of this year’s €1.5 million Local Biodiversity Action Fund to support locally-led projects that align with actions under the National Biodiversity Action Plan.
The funding is intended to help local groups address biodiversity loss in their area by helping to create new habitats, restoring existing ones and by tackling invasive alien species.
The funding will be made available, in line with a grant application and award process, to local authorities’ biodiversity and heritage officers, subject to certain criteria.
Operated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, the scheme has proven hugely popular, with all 31 local authorities seeking funding in 2021. A wide variety of projects were financed, ranging from the surveying of breeding birds and the creation of pollinator-friendly initiatives, to projects raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity.
Minister of State for Local Government Malcolm Noonan said that action for nature at local level was critical and greater funding will allow people to be more ambitious in their efforts to reverse biodiversity loss.
“Local authorities and communities are a huge part of the biodiversity solution and I’d encourage everyone to see what can be done in their community, engage with their local Heritage and Biodiversity Officers, and get their applications in.”
