Policy brief for biodiversity enhancement and restoration on onshore windfarms in Ireland

Through the development of sectoral guidelines and site-specific biodiversity action plans, the Nature+Energy Project identified both policy gaps and policy synergies for the protection and enhancement of biodiversity on Ireland’s windfarms. Gaps include a lack of uniformity in the biodiversity focus of regional policy contexts, outdated ecological guidelines for wind energy development, unstandardised and underutilised biodiversity data, and the absence of ecological guidance for biodiversity monitoring, restoration and enhancement during windfarm operation. New sectoral guidelines and site-specific biodiversity action plans developed by the Nature+Energy Project align with the action-based approaches to biodiversity protection, restoration and enhancement promoted in Ireland’s 4^th National Biodiversity Action Plan and in some County Development Plans, Local Authority Climate Action Plans and county-level Biodiversity Action Plans. Action-based plans are likely to be more effective in terms of biodiversity conservation, enhancement and restoration because they involve targeted and measurable interventions linked to specific biodiversity needs. Policy alignment between the Nature+Energy sectoral guidelines and site-specific biodiversity action plans has the potential to motivate industry to implement biodiversity actions even if not yet legally required to do so. Engaging with local socio-cultural contexts via a place-based and inclusive approach is a key pathway towards achieving biodiversity restoration and enhancement on Irish windfarms. Such engagement can help to inspire stewardship and a sense of connection with nature by reflecting the interconnections and relationships of mutual care between nature and people through the richness of both natural and cultural heritage.

This document is an output of the Nature+Energy Project, funded by Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland (12/RC/2302_P2), industry partners (NTR Foundation, ESB, SSE Renewables, Asper Investment Management, Ecopower, Energia, EnergyPro, Greencoat Renewables and Ørsted) and MaREI, the Research Ireland Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine. The project was based in Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University.