Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns Biodiversity Action Plan 2019-2023 Actions for biodiversity in Ballyfarnon Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns Biodiversity Action Plan 2019-2023 Ballyfarnon Community Biodiversity Plan This plan has been compiled to the guide the work of Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns for the next 3 years. The plan was drawn up following consultation with members of the Tidy Towns group through a number of workshops and meetings held during the summer of 2019. The plan does not set out to include all of the excellent work carried out by Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns Group but rather, to provide direction for the group over the next number of years. The first section of the plan is a general introduction to this Roscommon LEADER Partnership funded project and some general biodiversity basics. Next, an outline of some of the identifiedKey Biodiversity Projects is provided. Finally, there is a schedule of projects that we suggest that the group would undertake over the next three years, the timeframe of this plan. Ballyfarnon Main Street Acknowledgements Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns would like to This Community Biodiversity Action thank all of their members and Plan was created by Seán Meehan for volunteers for their tireless work in Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns. Seán would helping to promote biodiversity, like to thank the members of the group sustainable living and an attractive for their participation and enthusiasm environment in Ballyfarnon . throughout this project. Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns Biodiversity Action Plan 2019-2023 1. INTRODUCTION: The Roscommon Biodiversity Training Project About this biodiversity been completed and this phase project now looks to build on this knowledge by providing a plan for Ecologists Deborah D’Arcy, Seán biodiversity in each of the Meehan and Billy Flynn were participating communities. As commissioned by Roscommon well as including detailed LEADER Partnership to work information on how to carry out with communities in County projects, the plans will also be Roscommon to provide useful in raising awareness of how biodiversity training and to biodiversity is considered in these facilitate the development of local communities. This statement of biodiversity plans. The principal best practice for biodiversity will aim of this LEADER initiative also be useful to groups seeking was to increase awareness of the financial or material support for importance of biodiversity to future projects. communities but also to empower individuals and groups to make This biodiversity plan was drawn positive contributions for the do in their localities. This project up following a series of benefit of both wildlife and will help groups to incorporate workshops in each of the people. biodiversity matters into their participating communities which present and future projects, included field trips, review of It is to the credit of the participant maximising the benefits for past, present and proposed communities that biodiversity has wildlife as well as people. The community projects and meetings become such a part of what they training element of the project has with the organising committees. What is Biodiversity? destination, a place to live and do business depends to a large extent on the rich biodiversity of the county. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth. It Our country’s natural heritage contributes to the includes all living things (organisms) that make up the attractiveness of landscapes, villages and urban natural world (including humans). Biodiversity also centres. refers to the places where animals and plants live (habitats) and the complex interactions between living What's the Local Biodiversity things and their environment which we call ecosystems. Action Plan For? The purpose of a Local Biodiversity Action Plan Why is Biodiversity Important? (LBAP) is to set out appropriate locally based actions for the conservation, management and/or Humans are a component of biodiversity and we are enhancement of habitats for the benefit of native dependent on biodiversity to provide a range of species. This local biodiversity action plan: ecosystem services. Human activities such as agriculture, forestry and fishing depend on services • Makes recommendations for the conservation of provided by biodiversity. We rely on biodiversity for biodiversity through appropriate actions for the the provision of clean air and water, food and protection, management or appreciation of an area of medicines, natural landscapes, flood control, noise high ecological value. pollution control and much more A healthy environment is important for human health and well- • Identifies actions to improve or enhance local areas being. Biodiversity provides us with natural amenities so as to increase their value as habitats for species. to enjoy, parks and green spaces, wildlife and • Encourages actions to raise awareness of the landscapes to admire and thus improves our quality of importance of biodiversity and its conservation. life. The attractiveness of our country as a tourist Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns Biodiversity Action Plan 2019-2023 2. Key actions for biodiversity In this Section, we set out some of the actions that will be common to all of the participating groups and indeed all community groups interested in biodiversity. We also outline some of the guidelines that are accepted as best practice for biodiversity at local or wider levels. 2.1 habitat creation and management Habitat creation is one way to the build-up of nutrients in the increase the diversity of habitats soil. Wildflowers flourish in a and enhance an area for nutrient poor soil where they can biodiversity. Examples of small- compete successfully with the scale habitat creation that may be more competitive grasses. appropriate and practical for Gradually over the years the community groups, schools and number and diversity of residents to undertake include wildflowers within the meadow managing an area as meadow Hedgerows are wildlife corridors will increase. It may take several grassland or wildflower lawn, years before you see an increase. planting hedgerows, treelines or Meadow grasslands and Avoid using commercially groves of trees or creating a pond. wildflower lawns available wildflower mixes to enhance your meadow. These Habitat creation should only be The traditional hay meadows once mixes often contain species that attempted in an area that is widespread in Ireland are now are not native to Ireland and are currently of low biodiversity very scarce due to changes in really only suitable for gardening value such as amenity grassland. farming practices. Meadows are a and not for creating natural Introducing a habitat uncommon haven for wildlife in summer, habitats such as meadows. In in an area such as a pond may be being rich in wildflowers and the addition, some species in these of more benefit than planting insects, birds and bats that depend mixes are plants of disturbed more trees in an area that already on them. Managing little used ground or arable fields and are has good tree cover. Creating a grassland areas as a meadow is unlikely to thrive in a meadow small complex of habitats such as one way to increase the resources grassland. a small woodland or grove of trees available to wildlife. This allows along with some meadow the growth of wildflowers which Pollinator Friendly Planting grassland around the edges to provide essential pollen for our create a collection of semi-natural pollinating insects. Long grass Much is spoken about the habitats will be of more benefit to also hosts a variety of other importance of pollinators these biodiversity as it will provide insects and invertebrates and days, and rightly so. These are resources for a greater number of produce seed, both important food hugely important species for not species. sources for birds. Bat species will only our wildflowers and trees but forage over a meadow grassland also for many of the plants on Tree and Hedgerow Planting rich in insect life. Long grass also which we depend for food. Any biodiversity plan should have a Planting native hedgerows, trees provides cover and nesting habitat for birds and small mammals. strong focus on plants for and woodlands provide food, pollinators. shelter and niche habitats for a Making Meadows: Where and range of plant and animal life and How to Encourage Wildflowers While native plants are best for is one of the easiest ways of Naturally wildlife and should only be increasing the biodiversity value planted in wild areas, there are a of an area. Native trees and shrubs Meadow grassland can be wide range of both native and are best for wildlife. These species established in parkland areas or non-native garden plants which colonised Ireland naturally and along grass verges. In general provide food for pollinating have adapted to the environmental areas of meadow grassland or insects which can be used in conditions here and other plant long grassy verges should be cut gardens and formal plantings. and animal life have adapted to once a year in autumn and the However, some garden plants are co-exist with them. cuttings removed. Removing the not suitable for pollinators. cuttings is important to prevent Planting a range of pollinator Ballyfarnon Tidy Towns Biodiversity Action Plan 2019-2023 friendly plants which flower at waysides or wild areas. Grass any earth banks or stony banks to different times throughout year cuttings disposed of in waysides provide nest sites for solitary will provide an important source and other wild places smothers bees. Scrape back to bare soil of pollen and nectar for wildflowers. Beside watercourses, annually during October to pollinating insects throughout the grass cuttings can pollute water February to create bare ground for spring, summer and autumn. and even kill fish. Garden plants solitary bees to burrow into. which are disposed of outside Plants for Pollinators: garden areas can take root and Cavity nesting bees make their Naturally Native spread. Some garden plants can nests in south/east facing stonewalls, masonry, cavities in Here are some common (and become very invasive and spread to wild areas outcompeting our wood or dead plant stems.