The National Biodiversity Data Centre is a national organisation that collates, manages, analyses, and disseminates information on Ireland’s biodiversity. Biodiversity data gives us greater insight into how we benefit from, and impact on, the ecosystem goods and services provided by biological diversity; a national asset that contributes at least €2.6 billion to the Irish economy each year.
An exciting initiative, the National Biodiversity Data Centre has responsibility for the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025. It is a voluntary initiative that aims to address the ongoing decline of Ireland’s pollinators. Our bees, bumblebees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects have suffered huge declines in recent decades with many now at risk of extinction.
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan is a shared initiative with over 80 partner organisations which aims to work with every sector, from farmers to councils, businesses, local communities, schools, universities, gardeners, and transport authorities to create sustainable pollinator-friendly habitats across all landscapes. The project is co-funded by Bord Bia and the Heritage Council who support the role of a dedicated project officer.
In 2016, in collaboration with Origin Green, the National Biodiversity Data Centre launched the Businesses: Actions to Help Pollinators guide. The framework offers 18 practical pollinator friendly actions that can be implemented in outdoor and indoor spaces.
In 2017, straightforward evidence-based actions were published to help farmers support pollinators. Bord Bia is currently working with the National Biodiversity Data Centre to incorporate elements of these into their recently launched Sustainable Quality Assurance Schemes. Actions to help pollinators will contribute to the sustainability criteria required by the scheme.
Ireland’s green image is hugely important to farmers, manufacturers and customers at home and abroad. These guidelines offer easy, zero-cost, actions that will make a real difference for bees. The National Biodiversity Data Centre looks forward to working with Origin Green into the future to make this a reality at farm-level.
For more information watch the Farmland Actions to Help Pollinators video at the top of this page – the video was created by The National Biodiversity Data Centre.
Other Origin Green Partners
The Green Business Initiative
Origin Green collaborates with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Business Initiative on the TREE tool. The EPA’s Tool for REsource Efficiency (TREE) is a free online resource to help SMEs identify areas where savings can be made through improved environmental practices.
Fairtrade Ireland
Fairtrade Ireland is the Irish member of Fairtrade International. Fairtrade works with farmers and workers in the Global South: Latin America and the Caribbean Africa and the Middle East, along with Asia and Pacific, to promote fair and sustainable trading practices in developing countries.