Grassland habitat ‘shown greatest decline in biodiversity'
Biodiversity plays a vital role in nature-based solutions, contributing to key areas such as climate regulation, water quality, carbon sequestration, and flood mitigation according to Teagasc.
These key areas also greatly impact agriculture, highlighting the vulnerable inter-dependent relationship between both.
To raise awareness about this the Heritage Council and Teagasc co-hosted a landmark event in Birr, Co. Offaly (June 12), celebrating the biodiversity and cultural heritage of Ireland's extensive grasslands.
Virginia Teehan, chief executive of the Heritage Council, highlighted the importance of collaboration in protecting Ireland's natural heritage said: 'Extensive grasslands are shaped by long-standing relationships between people, place, and nature.'
'They hold enormous biodiversity value, especially for pollinators, ground-nesting birds, and wildflowers, but they are also deeply rooted in Ireland's rural heritage'.
The event also featured a keynote address by Dr. John Feehan and a series of expert talks on grassland management, biodiversity monitoring, and agri-environment schemes.
One of the highlights of the day was the launch of the reprinted edition of The Grasses of Ireland book, a foundational guide for grassland identification and conservation, originally published by Teagasc and UCD and now reissued with support from the Heritage Council.
Biodiversity
Speaking at the event, Dr. John Feehan, former senior lecturer in UCD's School of Agriculture and Food Science, outlined that 'the habitat that has shown the greatest decline in biodiversity is grassland'.
Dr. Feehan said: 'We are near the bottom of the table when it comes to biodiversity in overall terms. A recent survey ranked Ireland 13th from the bottom for biodiversity intactness out of 240 countries.'
'Over the last 90 years the number of 10km2 occupied by native species has decline by 56%.'
The afternoon field session, held in the meadows of Birr Castle Demesne, offered hands-on demonstrations of species identification, habitat scoring, and biodiversity monitoring, led by Teagasc advisors and local authority biodiversity officers.
Prof. Frank O'Mara, director of Teagasc, praised the partnership and the practical outcomes of the event: 'This event is a testament to the power of partnership.
'By bringing together scientific expertise, local knowledge, and policy support, we are building a stronger foundation for biodiversity conservation in Ireland's farmland'.
According to Teagasc the Extensive Grassland event builds on the success of last year's Farmland Biodiversity Day and 'reflects the growing momentum behind community-led and science-informed conservation efforts across Ireland'.
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