Applications are now open for a grant scheme providing up to €5,000 to support Ireland’s biodiversity and nature recording community. The venture is run by The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). All recorded data is utilised by the NPWS to generate information on species and habitats while providing advice on nature conservation objectives and measures to protect biodiversity.
Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, announced the start of scheme saying, “I hope, given the increased time people have spent engaging with nature over the past two years during periods of lockdown, that more nature enthusiasts will apply for this funding and join this vibrant network.”
Grants provided under the scheme are targeted at volunteer or unpaid recorders, groups, societies and associations of recorders who have limited or no access to financial supports for their efforts.
To date, the scheme has supported over 30 projects spanning the range of natural history in Ireland. Minister Noonan said that “we’ve seen some great work done in local communities through this scheme”. These include projects recording many biological groups such as moths, other terrestrial invertebrates, bats, plants and marine organisms. The grants also contributed to the purchase of specialist equipment to track bird movements.
The number of grants awarded will be assessed by the total budget and quality of applications. Projects covering all areas of Irish natural history are welcome.
Costs covered include
– Purchase of specialist fieldwork equipment, books, keys
– Costs of running workshops, training courses
– Costs of attending specialist training courses
– Costs of visits to museums to do research in collections
– Publication of atlases, field guides or keys
– Websites and online databases
– Discrete elements of larger projects
– Fieldwork expenses within Ireland
The application deadline is 13 April 2022.
LSL News.