Public views sought as work starts on Offaly Biodiversity Action Plan

Offaly County Council is seeking input from the public on its Local Authority Biodiversity Action Plan 2025–2030.

Offaly County Council is seeking submissions to the pre-draft phase of public consultation.

Biodiversity directly affects our daily lives by providing us with clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and by pollinating our crops. It is widely acknowledged as hugely important for our wellbeing through our interactions with nature. The term “biodiversity” refers to all living things on the planet, from tiny insects to great Oak trees. It means all things within “nature” and the protection and celebration of all wild things and important places for wildlife from our gardens to our rivers, forests, bogs and mountains.

Submissions are being sought from the public, groups and organisations during this first phase of the preparation of the plan The deadline for submissions is by close of business on April 24.

Under the National Biodiversity Action Plan, the Government requires all Local Authorities and Government departments to have Biodiversity Action Plans (LABAP) in place by the end of 2026. Offaly County Council has commenced the process and plans to finalise the plan by the end of 2024.

The LABAP is designed to provide a structured approach to biodiversity conservation at the local authority level. It outlines the objectives, strategies, and actions needed to protect and enhance biodiversity within respective local authority areas.

Up until 2024, a range of actions for biodiversity have been incorporated in Offaly Heritage Plans. The Offaly Heritage Plan 2023-2027 looked forward to the appointment of the Biodiversity Officer and states that the plan will be revisited and expanded with their arrival. Now with a full-time Biodiversity Officer in place since March 2023; increased financial and staff resources and focus on the biodiversity crisis, a more in-depth plan is being prepared.

A LABAP is developed over a series of stages to ensure it fulfils its brief. A Biodiversity Working Group has been formed (a subcommittee of Offaly Heritage Forum) to inform and steer the process. Consultation with the public and other appropriate stakeholders will take place at both pre-draft and draft stages. The plan must also align with other national, regional and local policies such as the County Development Plan, which all takes time to consider and carryout.

The Offaly Biodiversity Working Group met in early February to draft a working list of key strategic objectives to be included in the Offaly LABAP. This list includes surveys and monitoring, action for biodiversity, alien invasive species, building resilience, awareness + engagement. Actions, projects, and ideas that make the plan will be included under one or more of these headings.

It is important for the public to share their views on what is important in terms of local biodiversity. Ricky Whelan, Biodiversity Officer with Offaly County Council added: “By participating in the pre-draft consultation phase, it will help identify local issues and needs and will help create and develop the actions required to protect and enhance biodiversity in County Offaly. Don’t assume someone else has put forward a proposed action. Recurrent submission on topics can also further demonstrate the want and need for certain actions to be included in the draft plan.”

There are several ways that you can share your views or make a submission at the pre-draft phase of the LABAP development. You can call into one of the public walk-in events in a library near you - Birr Library (March 19 from 14:30-17:00), Edenderry Library (March 20 from 16:00 to 18:00) and Tullamore Library (March 21 from 11:00 – 13:00). There will also be an online information meeting on March 21 at 19:00, the link for which together with full details of how and where to share your views can be found on the public consultation section on the Offaly County Council website here