Mountmellick is buzzing with biodiversity grant

MOUNTMELLICK is buzzing with a grant of €6,000 to boost nature and biodiversity in the town.

The funding awarded jointly to Mountmellick Women’s Shed and Mountmellick Tidy Towns will see the development of a Community Biodiversity Action Plan for the Smiths Field area, including parts of nearby housing estates.

Ecologist Dr Catherine O’Connell has already carried out surveys and will draw up a plan to increase biodiversity around the Smiths Field, Cullenbeg and Kirwan Park areas.

The project will collaborate with residents’ associations, schools and volunteer groups to co-design and deliver biodiversity actions.

Cllr Paddy Bracken, who walks the area every day, fully supports the project and observed: “Some people think that they have to drive out of the town to walk in nature. There is a lovely nature walk here already and planting some native trees and shrubs in the right place will enhance it even further.” 

The groups point out that frequent contact with nature is proven to support mental and physical wellbeing, while preserving and enhancing the wonderful biodiversity that is already in place will be at the heart of the plan.

A recent assessment of the habitats and species in the study area found 130 different plants, birds and invertebrates across seven different habitats.

Members of both the Women’s Shed and Tidy Towns accompanied the ecologist on one of her surveys and witnessed a wonderful mass emergence of six-spot Burnet moths from their yellow cocoons.

These beautiful moths fly in the daytime and need bird's-foot-trefoil for the caterpillars to feed on, strong grass stems for the cocoons and purple wildflowers such as knapweed or thistle to provide the adults with nectar. All of these wild plants are currently abundantly available in the wild area near Smiths Field.

Women’s Shed chairperson Anne Payne said the grant would bring "a much-needed boost to nature" and to the enjoyment and wellbeing of residents and visitors.

Aware of future plans for the area, Anne said: “Mountmellick welcomes the flood relief plan and additional housing in this area and these developments can be mindful of retaining and protecting all of the wonderful wild species that we have here.

“The proposed masterplan for Smiths Field need not mean the eradication of wildlife from this area, which is rich in biodiversity.” 

Kitty Creighton from the Tidy Towns group added: “For years I have been feeding and supporting the hedgehogs that live in the lovely old hedges in this area. Hedgehogs are in serious decline all over Europe, with up to 75 per cent decline in rural England.

“It will be important that new developments retain this essential hedgerow or our hedgehogs will not survive.” 

Laois Co Council’s biodiversity officer Lisa Doyle is excited to see the project underway, noting that it will ‘facilitate awareness of the rich biodiversity in the town and improve access to it’ and help to enhance the habitat of the adjacent Special Conservation Area (SAC) along the Owenass River.

The Women’s Shed and Tidy Towns would welcome involvement from local people in promoting and supporting biodiversity in the area.

The grant was awarded by Community Foundation Ireland, a registered charity, with support from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. An application for further funding to implement the plan can be made at a later date.