Tender – RFT 233986 – Community led Rhodo control – Coordination of pilot community-led peatland restoration programme with a focus on rhododendron in Connemara and southwest Mayo

https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicPurchase/235143/1

LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature are developing a multi-actor community-led pilot project, which seeks to develop local capacity to implement habitat restoration actions in and adjacent to three SACs in counties Mayo and Galway. It builds on a successful preliminary project based in the Bundorragha catchment in Co. Mayo in 2022. Although the primary focus will be rhododendron control, a training module for further peatland restoration methods will also be developed.
This request for tender seeks a suitable contractor to run the community-led project. It aims to extend the current rhododendron control programme within the Mweelrea/Sheeffry/Erriff Complex SAC to the greater SAC and to targeted areas within the Connemara Bog Complex SAC and the Twelve Bens and Garraun Complex SAC. It also seeks to expand local capacity to implement other peatland restoration actions such as fencing, drain management and conifer removal.


Collaboration with the local community and relevant stakeholders, is an integral part of the proposal as well as collaboration with the other working groups of similar projects throughout the region.

A key remit of LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature is to source complementary funding outside of this core project budget and in the context of this request for tender, these works are being funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Tenders are invited for a suitable contractor to deliver all aspects of this project over the course of the next year.

Risk assessments of Sika deer (Cervus nippon)

ISEIA protocol. Guidelines for environmental impact assessment and list classification for non-native organisms in Belgium.

Click to access ISEIA_protocol.pdf

Risk assessment of Sika deer Cervus nippon in the Netherlands

UK Non-native Species Risk Assessment

Belgium: Risk analysis of the sika deer Cervus nippon (Linnaeus 1758)

Risk assessment for Sika deer (Cervus nippon): risk assessment developed under the “Study on Invasive Alien Species – Development of risk assessments to tackle priority species and enhance prevention”

IAS Workshop

Ireland (risk assessment is understood to be ongoing)

Risk Assessments

Irish risk assessments for other deer are here:

Notes

Common misconceptions about risk assessments:


To address a number of common misconceptions about non-native species risk assessments, the following points should be noted:

– Risk assessments consider only the risks posed by a species. They do not consider the practicalities, impacts or other issues relating to the management of the species. They therefore cannot on their own be used to determine what, if any, management response should be undertaken.

– Risk assessments are advisory and therefore are part of the suite of information on which policy decisions are based.

– Completed risk assessments are not final and absolute. They are an assessment based on the evidence available at that time. Substantive new scientific evidence may prompt a re-evaluation of the risks and/or a change of policy.

Standard Operating Procedures for Control of American Mink (Neovison vison)

Northern Ireland Environment Agency

American mink (Neovision vison) are an invasive non-native species (INNS) that were introduced to Northern Ireland for commercial fur farming in the 1950s, the first documented escape occurred in 1961 when 30 mink escaped from a fur farm near Omagh (Deane & O’Gorman, 1969). By 2003, when fur farming was banned, mink had become wildly established throughout Northern Ireland.

EU Regulation on Invasive Alien Species

Some of the core provisions of EU Regulation 1143/2014 which deal with, among other things, bringing into the territory of the Union, keeping, breeding, transporting and placing on the market, species included on the list of invasive alien species of Union concern ( the “Union list” ) come into force on the 3rd August, 2016.

The first “Union list” of 37 species consisting of 23 animals and 14 plants came into force, following the publication of the Commission Implementing Regulation (2016/1141), in the Official Journal of the Union on the 14 July, 2016.

(Since 2016), legislation is being prepared in Ireland to deal with issues, such as penalties for breaches of the Regulation, which are a matter for each Member State

Enquiries on the Regulation should be sent to biodiversitypolicy@ahg.gov.ie

The ‘Union list’ comprises species whose potential adverse impacts across the European Union are such that concerted action across Member States is required:


PLANTS
American skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus
Asiatic tearthumb Persicaria perfoliata (Polygonum perfoliatum)
Curly waterweed Lagarosiphon major
Eastern Baccharis Baccharis halimifolia
Floating pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides
Floating primrose willow Ludwigia peploides
Green cabomba Cabomba caroliniana
Kudzu vine Pueraria lobata
Parrot’s feather Myriophyllum aquaticum
Persian hogweed Heracleum persicum
Sosnowski’s hogweed Heracleum sosnowskyi
Water hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes
Water primrose Ludwigia grandiflora
Whitetop weed Parthenium hysterophorus


ANIMALS
Amur sleeper Perccottus glenii
Asian hornet Vespa velutina
Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis
Coypu Myocastor coypus
Fox squirrel Sciurus niger
Grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis
Indian house crow Corvus splendens
Marbled crayfish Procambarus spp.
Muntjac deer Muntiacus reevesii
North american bullfrog Lithobates (Rana) catesbeianus
Pallas’s squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus
Raccoon Procyon lotor
Red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii
Red-eared terrapin/slider Trachemys scripta elegans
Ruddy duck Oxyura jamaicensis
Sacred ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
Siberian chipmunk Tamias sibiricus
Signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus
Small Asian mongoose Herpestes javanicus
South American coati Nasua nasua
Spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus
Topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva
Virile crayfish Orconectes virilis

FAQs

Note:

NPWS are to finalise legislation for the implementation of the EU IAS Regulation
NPWS are to prepare draft management plans and priority pathway action plans for priority invasive species.

Owenriff Priority Area for Action Desktop Report

Jan 2020

LAWPRO

The main pressure in this waterbody is hydromorphology from channelisation, which changing the hydrological and morphological dynamics of the river.

In terms of hydro morphology, there are historic OPW arterial drainage schemes, liaising with the OPW will be required to determine how to restore the waterbodies affected in the Owenriff PAA to their natural habitat. There are also historic land drains leading into the four river waterbodies in the PAA that maybe transporting volumes of sediment to the waterbodies, drain blocking will be required in these cases.

Forestry and peat extraction

INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THEIR MANAGEMENT

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) provide a threat globally to the environment, to native biodiversity, biosecurity, the economy, animal, plant and human health. Recognising these threats, the Water Forum commissioned a scoping study to provide strategic guidance on the management of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Ireland.

The research aimed to provide insight into how IAS establishment and spread might be restricted and what actions are required to improve the management of established IAS.

The research states that many of the most problematic IAS have been introduced to Ireland in the past 20 years and that a significant number of high impact IAS are predicted to arrive in Ireland in the next 10 years resulting in devastating environmental consequences.

The authors highlight the changes in governance and policy that are needed to improve IAS management
on the island of Ireland and to significantly reduce future invasions and potential economic costs.

Report on the management of Invasive Alien Species in Ireland with key policy recommendations

The Water Forum recently commissioned a scoping study to provide strategic guidance on the management of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in Ireland. The research aimed to provide insight into how IAS establishment and spread might be restricted  and what actions are required to improve the management of established IAS.

The report recommends changes in governance and policy, that has the potential to radically improve IAS management on the island of Ireland and to significantly reduce the forecasted economic costs of treating established IAS on the island.

The report states that many of the most problematic IAS have been introduced to Ireland in the past 20 years and that a significant number of high impact IAS are predicted to arrive in Ireland in the next 10 years resulting in devastating environmental consequences.

Recommendations highlights the need for national IAS legislation coming into force in 2021, which must be implemented, enforced and resourced, preferably by one responsible agency. A key challenge to IAS management is fragmented and uncoordinated action. The research recommends the establishment of a single lead division with overall responsibility for IAS management who would oversee an All-island Strategy for IAS Management and a National Biosecurity Programme.

There is also a need to develop education and awareness programmes with key messages relating to IAS management and the implementation of good biosecurity practice. A range of training courses dedicated to specific stakeholders (Gov. agencies, garden centres, pet shops, retailers) should be delivered.

The full report is available here

The policy recommendations are here

Rhododendron Ponticum: Removal (Groundwork, Ireland)

Groundwork’s focus has been on the removal of the invasive Rhododendron Ponticum from Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry

Other projects have been tackled including rhododendron clearance work in Glenveagh National Park, Co. Donegal and drain blocking on bogs in the midlands of Ireland.

Letter to European Commission regarding Groundwork/NPWS meeting May 2018

Appraisal of Killarney National Park UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Review January 2018

Groundwork appraisal of NPWS submissions to European Commission January 2017

Groundwork Woodland Survey – May 2018

Updated Overview of Groundwork Woods – June 2017

[19/06/2014] – Updated Groundwork Woodland Survey – Summer 2014
[14/01/2014] – Groundwork Woodland Survey – Summer 2013