Dromahair biodiversity efforts get major boost with new grant

Dromahair Development Association/Tidy Towns has secured a significant grant to support local efforts in protecting and promoting biodiversity in the area.

The funding, awarded through Community Foundation Ireland in partnership with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, will go toward developing and implementing a local Biodiversity Action Plan. The initiative will focus on safeguarding native plants, wildlife, and habitats, with guidance from expert ecologists.

Welcoming the news, Margaret Sharkey, Chair of Dromahair Development Association/Tidy Towns, highlighted the importance of the grant for tackling a key environmental concern in the village.

“We are so pleased to have been successful in our application for funding from Community Foundation Ireland to prepare and deliver a four-year programme for the treatment and management of Japanese Knotweed through the village of Dromahair, all along the banks of the River Bonet,” she said.

The River Bonet, which runs through Dromahair, is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and is protected under European legislation. It has been rated as having ‘High’ water quality under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and has earned the status of a ‘Blue Dot Catchment’ — placing it among the top tier of Ireland’s river systems.

The grant will enable the community to take informed and strategic action over the next four years, contributing to both environmental protection and the enhancement of local biodiversity.

This initiative aligns with growing national and international efforts to combat biodiversity loss and invasive species, while empowering local communities to be part of the solution.

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