Life Paf Wild Tender

Duration 01-JAN-2020 to 31-DEC -2028Total budget 20623808.00 EU contribution 12374285.00 Project descriptionBackgroundThe project is taking place in the west and north-west of Ireland focussing on 24 Natura 2000 sites SACs and will target the Annex I Habitats Directive habitat type Blanket bog. The overall status of blanket bog has been assessed as Unfavourable-Bad in both the 2007 and 2013 Article 17 conservation status reports. The major causes of deterioration in conservation condition is centuries of peat cutting reclamation burning drainage invasive species. In more recent decades afforestation over or under grazing recreation and infrastructural developments have depleted the area of healthy blanket bog. There are also a number of obstacles gaps and shortcomings which are currently preventing the full implementation of the Prioritised Action Framework PAFfor Natura 2000. Cultural obstacles include low awareness among the general public of the existence or value of the Natura 2000 network low levels of public appreciation of the ecological value of natural habitats and in particular the climate change importance of peatlands an underdeveloped sense of community ownership or custodianship towards local peatlands. Organisational gaps and shortcomings include absence of national plans or strategies for protected habitats insufficient ecological data absence of a national blanket bog SAC management plan and inadequate communication and cooperation by key stakeholders in policy and governance coupled with insufficient integration in the mobilisation of complementary funding such as agri-environmental schemes.ObjectivesThe LIFE-IP PAF Wild Atlantic Nature project aims to address the identified obstacles gaps and shortcomings that currently prevent the full implementation of the PAF for Natura 2000 on 24 SACs with respect to Irelands blanket bogs in the Northern and Western Region. The national level objectives are in decreasing order of importance to improve stakeholders communication and cooperation in the policy and governance of Natura 2000 improve the insufficient integration and coordination in the mobilisation of complementary funding by maximising synergies with the relevant State and European Structural Investment Funds ESIF particularly agri-environment schemes under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development EAFRD increase general public awareness of the Natura 2000 network nationally improve education and appreciation of the ecological value of the Natura 2000 network nationally and in particular the climate change importance of peatlands and build capacities by addressing key staffing shortages and meeting key training and guidance requirements. The regional level objectives are to develop a sense of community ownership towards local peatlands in the Northern and Western Region secure local community involvement and s