11 local authorities have been awarded funding to appoint biodiversity officers to drive local action for biodiversity conservation.
This will bring to 25 the total number of biodiversity officers in local authorities across Ireland, following last year’s approval for the appointment of a further ten officers.
The programme is being delivered by the Heritage Council and the County and City Management Association (CCMA) with the support of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
The new biodiversity officers will have a wide variety of responsibilities. Among other things, they will be required to:
- Develop and implement a county biodiversity plan.
- Advise the local authority on biodiversity related issues and the authority’s obligations in relation to protecting biodiversity.
- Assist local authority departments in integrating biodiversity into their actions and policies through training and provision of expert advice.
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