Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the word used to describe all living things on earth – plants, animals, humans and habitats and the links and relationships between them.

Gardening for Wildlife

We’ve made a series of films on how to improve your garden for wildlife – click below for one and see the rest on our Youtube channel.

Biodiversity is vital to life on earth. The variety of life provides us with food, clothes, medicines, places to live as well as contributing to our quality of life through recreation and tourism.

International Day for Biodiversity takes place on 22nd May each year. In Ireland, the week leading up to May 22nd is celebrated as Biodiversity Week.

Insects, such as this peacock butterfly, are a vital part of the biodiversity of Laois

The biodiversity of Laois is just as crucial to all of our lives as the rainforests of tropical lands, or the lions and elephants of the African plains. Maybe even more so, as the biodiversity on our doorstep or in our backyard is available for us to see, hear and smell directly, for our children to experience for themselves.

These pages contain information on the species and habitats of importance to biodiversity in Laois, as well as some of the actions that Laois Heritage Office is taking, in partnership with other groups locally and nationally, to protect biodiversity.

One of the projects that we have worked on recently with Laois Federation of Tidy Towns and with the assistance of the Heritage Council, has resulted in the publication of 5 Local Biodiversity Action Plans for communities across Laois. With the 7 produced earlier with the help of Laois Partnership, these will be implemented by local communities in the coming years.