Projects and Reports

County Meath Biodiversity Audit

Meath County Council commissioned a desk-based biodiversity audit in 2024 which helped to inform the preparation of the County Meath Biodiversity Action Plan.

It is crucial to have a thorough understanding of existing biodiversity within the local authority area before a plan is fully developed and finalised. Meath County Council has gained understanding with the assistance of external consultants, by completing this exercise which involved the collation and analysis of existing data on local flora, fauna, and ecosystems at landscape scale.

The collection and collation of the above information provides a useful starting point for a Local Biodiversity Action Plan with the ultimate aim being to establish a database at the local level on the state of knowledge of the local biological diversity. The audit contains information of relevance to the local area, and could be built upon and added to, as the amount of information at the local level increases.

Barn Owl Conservation Project

This project follows on from two successfully implemented Barn Owl surveys in County Meath in 2023 and 2024, which were both supported by the National Parks and Wildlife Service through the Local Biodiversity Action Fund and Meath County Council (reports and survey date provided to Meath County Council).

The studies show that Barn Owl populations in County Meath are showing tentative signs of recovery after a period of extensive declines

It remains imperative to continue taking action in an effort to ensure the health of the population in the long-term and to maximise the recent increase in numbers observed in the county.

There is significant merit in continuing monitoring activity of known barn owl sites, as well as sites where nest boxes have been installed. Support for this project will offer the opportunity for dedicated training to be provided, focusing on but not limited to best practice monitoring and recording methods with the aim of building capacity within the local Birdwatch Meath Branch to lead on monitoring efforts.