Pictured admiring the wildlife at Sandymount Strand to mark the launch of Dublin City Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan 2008-2012 are Cllr Paddy Bourke, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr John Gormley, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage & Local Government and Mairead Stack, Biodiversity Officer, Dublin City Council.

“Biodiversity is vital to our existence; it provides us with food, clean air and fresh water. Biodiversity also makes the world around us interesting and beautiful. The majority of people don’t realise how easy it is to play their part in helping give biodiversity a boost in the city,” says Cllr. Paddy Bourke, Lord Mayor of Dublin.

“Over a million people enjoy biodiversity in Dublin every day, simply by spending time in their own gardens, walking in their local park, woodland or along the sea front and watching wildfowl swimming in the local pond. This plan is a reminder of how delicate the nature around us is and how much we need to do to ensure its survival,” says Cllr Bourke.

Dublin City Council is the first city in Ireland to produce a Biodiversity Action Plan and this is a rounded approach by all relevant departments including Planning, Parks, Engineering, Drainage and Architecture. Production of the Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan has been funded by The Heritage Council and Dublin City Council.