| Introduction
Clare is one of the
first counties in Ireland to start the process of implementing a Local
Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP). The National Biodiversity Plan requires
each county to produce a Local Biodiversity Action Plan. The main functions
of a Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) are to translate Irish and
international policies and legislation into effective local action on
the ground and to raise public awareness of and involvement in the conservation
of biodiversity. The LBAP process will identify all the habitats and species
present in Clare and prioritise the vital actions necessary to conserve
biodiversity of both national and local importance.
What
is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is an abbreviation for biological diversity. Biological diversity
is the variety of all life, the variety of plants and animals and the
range of areas where they live. Biodiversity includes habitats, species
and genetic diversity. Biodiversity is not just wildlife, it is the variety
of all life including domestic animals and crops and even humans.
Why
is Biodiversity Important?
Biodiversity provides many services and products which are necessary for
human life. Products include food such as fish, meat and vegetables. Biodiversity
provides us with fuel and building materials from wood, peat and coal.
All medicines are derived from extracts of plants or animals. Biodiversity
also provides us with land and seascapes which are both aesthetically
pleasing and posses uses for recreation. Some of the many functions biodiversity
provides include air and water purification, control of pests and diseases,
pollination of crops and soil stabilisation. The balance of nature has
developed over millennia as a very intricate system. Each organism has
its role to play in ensuring the well being of the natural system. To
try to manufacture the products and services biodiversity provides would
be extremely expensive and often not even possible.
Biodiversity
is disappearing at an alarming rate worldwide, primarily due to the loss
of habitats. Therefore it is very important that we protect the biodiversity
locally and nationally.
Biodiversity
in County Clare
Clare hosts
a wide range of animal and plant species as well as some of the best examples
of threatened habitats in Europe. This publication highlights just a few
of the thousands of animal and plant species living in Clare. There are
about 55 mammals (land and sea), 780 higher plant species, 400 seaweed
species and 21 freshwater fish species (10 native, 11 introduced) which
occur in the wild in County Clare. Some of the many important habitats
in the County are also highlighted. The Burren is of high biodiversity
interest and value primarily due to the variety and combination of plants
in the area. The Shannon estuary is the most important site in Ireland
for over-wintering wildfowl and waders and home to the only known resident
group of Bottlenose dolphins in Ireland. Clare is internationally notable
for habitats such as turloughs, limestone pavement and orchid-rich grassland
and for many species such as Pine martens, butterflies, moths and Lesser
horseshoe bats. |
