Offaly Biodiversity Conference

Caroline Lalor from Wetland Surveys Ireland was delighted to be part of the launch of Offaly's first standalone Biodiversity Action Plan 2025-2030 at the recent Offaly Biodiversity Conference on Friday 21st March in Tullamore. This was a very informative conference with a great turnout from locals and experts interested in learning more about biodiversity actions already taking place in the county and the plans for the future.

WSI will be undertaking a County Wetland Survey for County Offaly in 2025 in order that the county can be in a better position to offer protection to these important habitats. We will be keeping an eye out for the invasive Alpine Newt, which Rob Gandola informed the conference has taken residence in the Faithful County. We will send any records we may find of this invasive species to the The Herpetological Society of Ireland and National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) - Biodiversity Ireland. Sending biodiversity records to the NBDC was something that Rachel McKenna, Senior Executive in Offaly County Council encouraged attendees to do.

Congratulations to Offaly County Council on their first BAP, a milestone in the journey of commitment to protection of the county's wonderful natural heritage.