What is Biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the shortened form of two words "biological" and "diversity". It refers to all the variety of life that can be found on Earth (plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms) as well as to the communities that they form and the habitats in which they live.

Biodiversity is important to us. It provides functioning ecosystems that supply oxygen, food, clean air and water, pollination of plants, pest control, wastewater treatment and many ecosystem services.

It also important to combat Climate change.

How is Kildare County Council Parks Section trying to manage and improve biodiversity in Kildare?

We are trying to improve biodiversity by

• Managing and increasing areas of wildflowers in our Parks and open spaces around the county
• Annual tree and hedgerow planting programme across the county to assist in increasing the number of trees and hedging we have across the county
• Implementing the actions of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan to help protect pollinating insects.
• Manage and protect trees & hedgerows in new developments
• Manage Leixlip Spa Special Amenity Area
• Increase biodiversity appropriate management techniques to the management of Parks and Open Spaces

Recent Biodiversity Actions

One of the most recent actions that we have engaged in is changing our mowing regime for grass verges around the county. We have trialled 20 sites across the county in 2020. Further details on this are available below.