4. Nature and Biodiversity in your Locality
Doing our best to enhance and support our community includes looking after our wildlife, flora, and fauna.
Our Goals
2019 to 2022/23
Expand each section to read more.
Competition Guide Notes:
Show your understanding and awareness of nature and biodiversity in your locality. This may include protected areas and/or areas important for conservation e.g. waterways, field boundaries, coastal features etc. Show an appreciation of how your local species and habitats should be best managed and protected. Evidence of co-operation with expert groups and relevant authorities, especially in carrying out work in sensitive areas is desirable.
- Trees
2023
Engage with Wild About Navan for a Navan wide tree identifying project and create information boards/ QR codes for tree signs
Identify any trends from the Johnstown Tree Survey
Potential for a tree identification walking trail.
2022
Continue recording, commence evaluating information and the habitats they provide. ✔️
Implemented 2 pilot sites with Wild About Navan and their Dispersed Urban Orchard Project. ✔️
Planted 50 native tree species in collaboration with MCC ✔️
2021
Continue recording, commence evaluating information and the habitats they provide. ✔️
Engage with Wild About Navan and their Urban Orchard Project. ✔️
Continue tree planting projects. ✔️
2020
Identify supporting groups, potential for consultant specialist, initiate online survey. ✔️
Engage with a tree planting project. ✔️
2019
Commerce basic survey to identify what we host and how best to capture and record. ✔️
2. Hedgerows
2023
Identify supporting groups, potential for consultant specialist,
Initiate further survey work to identify locations.
Begin identifying any trends and create information boards/ QR codes for tree label signs. Potential for identification walking trail.
2022
Undertake basic survey to identify what we host.✔️
2021
Research how best to capture and record.✔️
3. Planting beds and displays
2023
Aim to develop the Sunflower Trail planting sites into longer term planting.
Opportunity for Information boards/ QR code. ✔️
2022
Develop formal and 'wild' planting displays. ✔️
Extended the Athlumney Hall Wall Fruit and Herb verge.✔️
Engaged CnaMi TY students in planting at the school roundabout. ✔️
2021
Engaged CnaMi TY students in planting at the school roundabout. ✔️
Implement a Planting trail project. ✔️
Bridge display planters to be Pollinator friendly with a large percentage to be reusable.✔️
Extended the Athlumney Hall Wall Fruit and Herb verge.✔️
Engage with residents to donate garden plants to public areas. ✔️
2020
Carry out basic survey, identify high profile potential sites, implement a 'quick' publicity project to engage public. ✔️
4. Grass Lawns
2023
Repeat lawn maintenance initiatives that promote biodiversity.
2022
Promote Delayed estate lawn cutting, 'No Mow May' and 'Don't Mow' Yet initiatives.✔️
Promote and develop summer meadows to replace traditional estate lawns. ✔️
Increase the number of summer meadows / six-week cut pilot sites.✔️
2021
Establish pilot areas and promote more sustainable, reduced cost, biodiversity friendly maintenance regime. ✔️
Promote 'No Mow May' with Wild About Navan group. ✔️
2020
Research alternative maintenance regimes and identify potential hosts. ✔️
2019
Establish the amount of green lawn spaces, their uses and maintenance providers ✔️
5. Waterways
2023
Map Streams
Trails
Implement River Experience
2022
Research and propose an opportunity to provide school education about
River safety with Meath River Rescue. ✔️
River ecology with MCC environment department.✔️
Towpath cycling with Navan Cycling Initiative✔️
Riverside History with Navan History and the Ramparts groups✔️
2019 to 2021
Promote the Athlumney Riverside Trail ✔️
6. Wild Birds
2023
Build Bird Boxes
2021
Promote 'Year of the Swift' with Wild About Navan group. ✔️
2020
Create a survey to identify local garden wild birds ✔️
7. Bats
2022 & 23
Engage with the community to record Bat sightings.
Opportunity to engage with a specialist.
8. Pollinators : Bees, Butterflies and other insects
2023
Continue. Evaluate opportunities for intervention / support.
2022
Promote Lawn, Tree and Hedge management. ✔️
Promote Actions for Pollinators ✔️
Only implement suitable planting ✔️
Promote Pollinators.ie and citizen Science.✔️
Implemented the Sunflower Trail 2022 ✔️
2021
Implement pilot display projects to engage the public. ✔️
Attend workshops, online courses, and promote pollinator friendly actions ✔️
Record areas on National Pollinator Map. Identify areas missing from the 'Corridors'. ✔️
2020
Research current best practice. Identify a project to engage the community in hosting pollinator friendly planting. ✔️
2019
Introduced Pollinator friendly plants to St Martha's Bridge flower display ✔️
Introduced wildflower seeds to Athlumney Hall verge. ✔️
Introduced wildflower seeds and pollinator friendly climbers to former petrol station. ✔️
9. IDA Land
2023
Engage directly with businesses to survey and establish opportunities within land under their ownership.✔️
2022
Engage with maintenance contractor to identify pilot project areas to re wild verges and roundabouts, and to stop weedkiller use. ✔️
Engage IDA with the Sunflower Trail. ✔️
2021
Engage the maintenance department with an introduction pilot project. ✔️
10. Air Pollution
2022 & 23
Work with Navan Cycling Initiative to review Car emissions during peak times.
11. Light Pollution
2022 & 23
Engage with Drone owners to survey street lighting and its impact on nocturnal wildlife ✔️
2020
Identify Dark Spots for a suitable lighting feature. ✔️
12. Herbicide and Pesticides
2023
Implement 'Stop Weedkiller Action Plan' in Residential Estates
2022
Proposed, and applied for Community Capital Grant to utilise Foamstream as an alternative to weedkiller.✔️
Carried out survey of weedkiller usage by estate groups.✔️
2021
Raise awareness of its dangers via social media and articles ✔️
Implemented 'Stop Weedkiller Action Plan' in public areas controlled by MCC.✔️
2020
Identify alternatives to weed killer use ✔️
2019
Identify 'worst offending' areas under Council Ownership. ✔️