Draft Biodiversity Action Plan adopted for Mayo town

The Draft Biodiversity Action Plan for Ballina provides advice and guidance on 'practical and meaningful actions' which can be taken by the local authority, community groups and individuals to protect and promote biodiversity in the Ballina area.

It was adopted at a meeting of Ballina Municipal District this week after Deirdre Cunningham, heritage office with Mayo County Council, presented the final draft to members.

The plan, she explained, is about making more space for and encouraging engagement with nature in the town.

The aims of the plan include providing information on habitats in the town and on protected and important biodiversity sites as well as giving recommendations on habitat management and proposals for suitable biodiversity-focused projects for local groups.

It outlines biodiversity-focused learning opportunities for locals and visitors, emphasises the importance of gardens and private land for local biodiversity, and provides guidance on how this land can be managed in a wildlife-friendly way.

A big part of the plan is raising awareness through education and identifying funding programmes to implement proposals.

Ms. Cunningham said a public consultation on the plan attracted around 20 submissions which were 'overwhelmingly positive' in support of it and would welcome its adoption for Ballina.

After adoption, the next step is to set up a local implementation group and then start to implement it. The group will have representation from all relevant stakeholders.

The six Ballina MD councillors all welcomed the plan, though some suggested that 'nice and gentle' was the way to go in implementing it in order to bring the public along.

With regard to queries over the use of weedkiller in future, Ms. Cunningham said that Mayo County Council has singed up to the All Ireland Pollinator Plan and so is committed to the reducing the use of herbicide/pesticide as an authority. Awareness of this will raised through the plan.

“It's up to the Municipal District or the council in general if it wants to have a policy to eliminate it insofar as it's possible. In this plan we are saying we would like to eliminate or reduce it. We have run training courses with various groups on how they can eliminate weeds (without the use of pesticide). That is why awareness and training is so important.”

Declan Turnbull, head of Ballina MD, said it was great to have a plan. “Bit by bit we're getting to where we need to be and I'm delighted to have this plan for Ballina.”