Closing date: Friday, July 16, 2021 at 12:00 PM
The Parks and Landscape Section of the Community and Cultural Department are running a grant scheme in 2021 aimed at facilitating communities to improve biodiversity at local level in terms of native woodland planting, Small Community Orchard planting, improving conditions for pollinator species and facilitating the appreciation of our local environment.
The projects which will be given consideration must fit into one of the following categories:
1.Tiny Forests -Creation of a small native woodland in the Community – Click HERE to see Appendix 1 for Specification. Max grant for largest area €2,500
2. Small Community Orchard– Click HERE to see Appendix 2 for Specification. Max Grant €250
3. Pollinator Flower Areas: Perennial planting to increase biodiversity – this may be planting at an entrance to the estate or wide verge where appropriate or a new perennial area in an open space. Applications must include a plant list which must be perennial in nature, be supportive of pollinators and be of a size suited to the location. Refer to https://pollinators.ie/communities/ for guidance.Grant to cover costs of mulch and plants up to a maximum value of €600. The ongoing upkeep of the planted areas will be the responsibility of the community.
4 Successional bulb planting – this will be considered for areas that are not maintained by the Council such as margins/verges which are looked after by the residents themselves. School Grounds which are publicly accessible and visible to the wider community will also be considered. There are lots of examples of large versions of this throughout the county – where the period of flowering ranges from February to June. These areas also facilitate the slow to mow principal where the areas are uncut for long periods possibly up to 7/8 months thus contributing to increased biodiversity. This grant will enable this concept to be further developed at a smaller scale within communities on lands not currently being managed by DLR Co. Co. to improve biodiversity. Refer to https://pollinators.ie/communities/ for guidance. Applications must include a species list containing several varieties which support pollinators. A max grant of €500 is available. The ongoing upkeep of the planted areas will be the responsibility of the community.
5. Grant to fund a consultant ecologist (must be a member of CIEEM) to · Carry out a walkover of the local area/park,· Identify the main habitats, flora and species of the area· Provide a biodiversity map and small report of their area and identify areas they can enhance for biodiversity· Ecologist to provide two workshops about the area/park to local residents· Grant of €2,300 to fund the appointment of an ecologist (By the group) to deliver the above and spending of €300-500 of the grant on enhancements identified by the ecologist for the residents to carry out e.g. pollinator bulbs/tree planting· Application to include programme agreed with the Consultant Ecologist – the enhancements proposed to be submitted once they are drafted for final agreement
https://events.cieem.net/MembersDirectory/Members-Directory.aspx
6. There will be a maximum of 10 park benches available for communities who have no benches and put forward the best case for a bench in their area.