Species Action Plans

In NI a number of plants and animals are under threat and require conservation action. These have been identified as Priority Species. A list of NI priority species was published in 2004 and forms the basis for selecting species requiring NI Species Action Plans. One of the first NI Species Action Plans published in 2000 was for the Irish Hare (.PDF 1.33Mb).

Irish Hare are content to live in the vicinity of Belfast International Airport .

The list of species with NI Action Plans includes the red squirrel, marsh fritillary, meadow cranesbill and skylark. There are also species such as the Pollan (.PDF 86Kb) with an All-Ireland Species Action Plan.

These action plans assist those involved in the conservation of biodiversity by guiding decisions on where to target action and invest resources.

While Government and Non-Governmental Organisations e.g. the UWT and RSPB have an important lead in implementing the action plans there is a role for individuals, community groups, landowners and companies in the conservation of priority species through habitat improvement projects or species recording.

The Action Plan for Barn Owl is led by the UWT

At HabitasOnline (The web site of the Ulster Museum Sciences Division) you will find useful information on Northern Ireland Priority species.