19786_WCC_Cover:WCC_BiodiversityCover 14/08/2008 12:45 Page 1 Waterford County Council, Comhairle Contae Phort Láirge, Civic Offices, Oifgí Cathartha, Dungarvan, Dún Garbhán, Conserving our Natural Heritage Co. Waterford. Co. Phort Láirge. Telephone: 058 22000 Guthán: 058 22000 County Waterford Local Biodiversity Action Plan Fax: 058 42911 Faics: 058 42911 www.waterfordcoco.ie Ag Sabháil ár nOidhreacht Nadúrtha Plean Bithéagsúlachta Chontae Phort Láirge ISBN 978-0-9532022-6-3 2008 - 2013 19786_WCC_Cover:WCC_BiodiversityCover 14/08/2008 12:45 Page 2 Acknowledgements Waterford County Council wishes to acknowledge the generous support of the Heritage Council in the preparation of the plan and also for provision of funding for the implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan in 2008. Publication compiled by Mieke Mullyaert and Dominic Berridge (former Heritage Officer) and edited by Bernadette Guest, Heritage Officer Use of images kindly permitted by Andrew Kelly, Mike Trewby, Brian White, Dr. Liam Lysaght, Dr. Peter Turner, Dr. Shelia Donegan, Dominic Berridge, Andrew Byrne, Catherine Keena, and Will Woodrow. Publication designed and produced by Intacta Print Ltd . For further information on the Waterford Biodiversity Plan and Biodiversity projects contact the heritage officer at
[email protected] or www.waterfordcoco.ie/heritage Cover photographs: Pair of Chough, Pine Marten (Andrew Kelly) Red Squirrel (Brian White), Coastal earth bank (Mike Trewby) Back cover photograph: Panorama of Dungarvan Bay (Bernadette Guest) 19786_WCCBio_Bro:WCC 14/08/2008 12:42 Page 1 Contents A vision for biodiversity in County Waterford 4 1. Introduction 5 The landscape of County Waterford 5 What is biodiversity? 5 Why is biodiversity important? 5 Why a biodiversity action plan? 6 The process by which the plan was developed 7 Plan structure 7 Who is the plan for? 7 2.