Protecting Restoring Ireland Tender

Start Date 01022022End Date 31012028Total Budget 7402299 EU Contribution 5551724 PROJECT DESCRIPTIONBACKGROUNDThe LIFE on Machair project is taking place within 9 SACs 4 SPAs in the west and north-west of Ireland and aims to protect and restore the priority Annex I habitat Machair 21AO as well as associated coastal habitats and the species they support. The conservation status was assessed as Unfavourable Bad a habitat in serious danger of disappearing at least regionally in Irelands 2019 Habitats Directive reporting and further evidence suggests there has been further degradation since 2013. Additionally machair forms a complex with the priority Annex I habitat 2130 Fixed dunes which was also assessed as unfavourable - bad in 2019. This project aims to address the primary pressures negatively impacting machair systems unsustainable agricultural and recreationaltourism activities. Agriculture pressures include inappropriate stocking levels and timing of grazing and interference with the machair physical structure. Inappropriate grazing reduces the diversity of vegetation structure and plant communities diminishing floral resources for pollinators and producing a sward structure that is not suitable for nesting waders. OBJECTIVESThe overall objective of the LIFE on Machair project is to improve the conservation condition of Irelands Machairs habitat and the ecological conditions for breeding waders and pollinators within project sites. The project will employ an integrated management approach provide education guidance and informed management policies for stakeholders and deliver concrete conservation actions within a network of machair and wader Natura 2000 sites.The specific objectives of the project are to Work with farmers to develop and roll out agricultural management agreements on project sites that incentivise and reward farmers for improving habitat functioning and delivering ecological resources for breeding waders and pollinators in the long term Work with landowners to implement site-specific conservation interventions e.g. revegetation predator control to address acute threats to the targeted habitats and species Provide opportunities and support for local farmers and communities to engage in capacity building and knowledge sharing on the sustainable management of machair sites Reduce the negative impacts of recreational users on popular sites by developing a sustainable tourism model for machair sites Develop a strategy to ensure replication and transfer of project results in the context of the After- LIFE Plan.The project will contribute to the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030 the Habitats Directive and Birds Directive and the development of Irelands Prioritised Action Framework PAF for Natura 2000 including results-based agri-environmental agreements. It will contribute to the EU Pollinators Initiative