Biodiversity Action Plan Review Dec 2013

The Ecology Team of Bord na Móna carried out an annual review day of its Biodiversity Action Plan on December 11th 2013.

The venue was the Tullamore Court Hotel and 64 attendees were present during the day including consultees from a range of environmental organisations, community groups and state agencies.

The review day was divided into two sections with a series of seminars delivered during the morning and a visit to the Mountlucas Windfarm construction site in the afternoon.

Bord na Móna ecologists Mark McCorry and David Fallon updated attendees on a range of projects relating to biodiversity and rehabilitation that had been carried out during the year.

There were further presentations from invited speakers Dr David Wilson, Paddy Woodworth and Dr John Reilly (Head of Powergen).

Dr David Wilson discussed complex issues relating to the carbon balance of cutaway peatlands and whether we are creating carbon sinks or carbon sources in cutaway when peat production ceases.

Paddy Woodworth discussed a range of issues around ecological restoration including some examples from around the world.

He has recently published his book ‘Our once and future planet’, which describes several ecological restoration projects including the rehabilitation by Bord na Móna of cutaway peatlands at Bellacorick, Co. Mayo.

Dr John Reilly discussed issues around the development of Bord na Móna’s wind energy projects into the near future.

Individual presentations can be accessed here.