Laois Tidy Towns groups to receive community biodiversity grants

Two Laois-based Tidy Towns groups will receive funding under a community biodiversity grants scheme announced by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan this morning.

Portlaoise Tidy Towns will receive €6,000 for the development of a specially designed Sand Martin nest wall in the People’s Park, Portlaoise with the aim of increasing the number of birds on the River Triogue. The Sand Martin is currently an amber-listed bird of conservation concern. The project will include local awareness raising with signage and locally organised talks.

Meanwhile, Abbeyleix Tidy Towns will receive €6,000 for the greening of Abbeyleix town through the planned programme of native tree and pollinator friendly planting. 

Each local project will be receiving access to experts to either develop a new Community Biodiversity Action Plan (CBAP) or support to implement measures from an existing plan.

The grants are the latest in a joint Biodiversity Fund, an initiative of the Community Foundation Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. 

Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State Seán Fleming welcomed the money.

"This is very welcome news for both towns. It is important that we support local communities to help restore nature in local areas. I want to thank both of these local groups and all of the Tidy Towns groups in Laois for their hard work," he said.

Nationally €376,000 has been allocated to support communities in every part of the country in both rural and urban areas. 

Minister Noonan TD, said: “These grants are uniquely impactful because they connect community groups with scientific expertise, helping them to better understand their local biodiversity. Successful grantees work with ecologists to create a Community Biodiversity Action Plan and can then seek funding to implement it. All of the data they collect is shared with the National Biodiversity Data Centre, making a valuable contribution to citizen science in Ireland.

“This partnership between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Community Foundation Ireland began as a ‘Seed for Nature’ at the 2019 National Biodiversity Conference, so it’s particularly special to see it flourish and deliver so much impact all across the country, with 213 CBAPs in place and more to come. 

“It’s vital that we empower communities to restore nature at grassroots level, especially as the National Biodiversity Action Plan takes root. Over the coming years, Local Authorities will also be developing Local Biodiversity Action Plans. Active, informed and engaged communities will help us ensure that policy-making for biodiversity is a two way street: top down and bottom up.”