Ireland receives €5.7million in EU funding to conserve unique machair habitats

Ireland has received €5.7million in EU LIFE funding to conserve and improve the condition of the country's machair habitats. 

Machair is a coastal habitat of lime-rich, wind-blown sand unique to the north and west of Ireland and Scotland, with terrain maintained by low-intensity grazing. 

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, today announced the approval by the European Commission for the project, called LIFE On Machair.  

The minister called the funding a very positive development in addressing "the urgent need for conservation and restoration of biodiversity" in coastal regions.

He said, "I am hopeful that this project will help conserve Ireland’s unique machair systems whilst also supporting coastal rural communities, providing employment opportunities and an important financial injection." 

The project will focus on nine Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and four Special Protection Areas in counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway.