Pollinator-friendly planting on one of the roundabouts in Portlaoise

LAOIS is about to get its first biodiversity officer, whose role will be to protect wildlife and nature across the county.

The job will involve developing a Biodiversity Plan and advising the county council on biodiversity-related issues, as well the authority’s obligations in relation to protecting biodiversity.

The officer will also help local authorities to integrate biodiversity conservation into all of their policies, plans and actions, through training and provision of expert advice.

Laois is among 11 counties to get their first biodiversity officer under funding announced last week, with all expected to be appointed by next September.

The appointments will bring to 25 the total number of biodiversity officers in local authorities across Ireland. A full national rollout is expected to be completed within the next two years.

The new was welcomed by Laois County Council chief executive John Mulholland. Speaking in his capacity as chairperson of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) Rural Development, Community, Culture and Heritage (RCCH) Committee, he said: “The CCMA is delighted to support this important Biodiversity Officer Programme. The expertise of biodiversity officers strengthens significantly our efforts at local authority level to protect and encourage appreciation of biodiversity in our areas.

“Already biodiversity officers are making a marked difference in their local authority areas. This additional resource commitment will further assist the local government sector to build on our ambition to integrate biodiversity considerations across all of our operations and strengthen our capability to address biodiversity loss and promote climate action in our work and in our communities.”