Gormley publishes biodiversity guide

The high levels of construction activity and intensive farming which characterise Ireland's recent prosperity are putting significant strain on the island's biodiversity, the Minister for the Environment John Gormley warned today.

"Much of our biodiversity is and can be damaged due to the location or activity of different types of business, by tourism activities and the various stages of construction," Mr Gormley said.

Unveiling a series of guidelines for the protection of biodiversity, Mr Gormley called on the construction, tourism and business sectors to protect and preserve Ireland's wealth of flora, fauna and habitats when carrying out their work activities.

His department has published three sets of guidelines - one for each of the construction, business and tourism sectors which are available from local authorities, the Construction Industry Federation, Chambers Ireland and Fáilte Ireland and on the Notice Nature website at www.noticenature.ie.

The guidelines suggest businesses should adopt a biodiversity action plan tailored to each premises or site.

This plan should consider the impact on the local environment, such as surrounding rivers, lakes, sea, forests, green spaces and take action to ensure that you do not pollute or adversely affect the surroundings.

The guidelines also recommend avoiding the removal of tress and hedges if they can instead be incorporated into the development or moved.

The company should also evaluate it operations such as its procurement policy, to consider possible impacts on biodiversity, for instance, assessing whether the timber being provided is from a sustainable forest.

They also advise businesses to know where their waste and recycling is being taken to for disposal and to ensure that it is legally disposed of.

"These Guidelines offer simple steps that individual businesses and organisations can and should take to limit the damage done to their surrounding environment and to enhance the wildlife that flourishes there," Mr Gormley said.

''Whether you are part of a multinational organisation or a family business, you can play you part in protecting biodiversity.

These Guidelines are not just about long-term planning and strategy. Right now, today, every business in Ireland could do something to protect our biodiversity through examining and amending the management practices on their sites and in their operations," he said.