National Fen Survey

Description

The role of National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Housing, Local Government and Heritage is to make the necessary arrangements for the implementation of national and European Union (EU) legislation and policies and a range of international Conventions and Agreements relating to nature conservation in Ireland. This includes, among other things, securing the conservation of a representative range of habitats in Ireland through survey and designation of sites to protect habitats, flora and fauna. Fens cover a wide biogeographical gradient in Ireland, from coastal to upland areas, and are found across all regions in the Irish landscape. They range in size from small flushes of only a few square metres to extensive floodplain fens. Fens support a rich and diverse array of plants and animals. They contain a rich flora, ranging from species tolerant of acidic, low-nutrient status to those characteristic of nutrient-rich, alkaline environments. Their rich variety of vegetation communities is reflected in the extensive range of fauna, especially invertebrates. The purpose of the National Fen Survey is to establish a comprehensive understanding of the full fen resource within Ireland. The methodology will be largely based on the report of the Scoping Study and Pilot Fen Survey (Appendix I) and the recommendations therein. This RfT and the following information relates to the proposal to complete the full national survey in 4 years so as to inform Ireland’s Article 17 report to the EU for 2025. A full list of tasks for this contract are outlined in section 3.2 of the RfT Document.