PowerPoint Presentation

Green Infrastructure Policy and Planning in Ireland

Dr Shane Colgan27th November 2012What Does Biodiversity Mean?

biodiversity can be somewhat of a poor relation among environmental topics; highlighting the particular need for mainstreaming of the subject

Delivering BenefitsInfrastructure

Green Infrastructure

delivers forTourismAgriFoodHealthQuality of Life FDI

Irelands National Biodiversity Plan Mainstream biodiversity in the decision making process across all sectors Substantially strengthen the knowledge base for conservation, management and sustainable use of biodiversity Increase awareness and appreciation of biodiversity and ecosystems services Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the marine environment Expand and improve on the management of protected areas and legally protected species Strengthen the effectiveness of international governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Irelands National Biodiversity Plan Mainstream biodiversity in the decision making process across all sectors Substantially strengthen the knowledge base for conservation, management and sustainable use of biodiversity Increase awareness and appreciation of biodiversity and ecosystems services Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the marine environment Expand and improve on the management of protected areas and legally protected species Strengthen the effectiveness of international governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Green Infrastructure & Policy - IEOur Sustainable FuturePriorities for Action: Protecting and enhancing Irelands green infrastructureDelivering Our Green PotentialStrengths: An outstanding natural environment and rich biodiversity; Excellent natural resourcesclear link between the protection of Irelands biodiversity and the benefit to the economy.Irelands Environment 2012EcoSystem Services & HealthClimate Adaptation FrameworkPlanning ---- >

Green Infrastructure & Policy - EUEU 2020 Biodiversity Policy (and planned Green Infrastructure Strategy);Habitats and Birds Directives; Water Framework Directive, Floods Directive, Marine Strategy Framework Directive; EIA and SEA Directives;Ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation.EU Biodiv Strategy: Targets for 2020Full implementation of EU Nature legislationMaintain & restore ecosystems & their servicesIncrease the contribution of agriculture and forestry to biodiversitySustainable use of fisheries resourcesControl Invasive Alien speciesTackle the global biodiversity crisis

EU Biodiv Strategy: Target-2 ActionsMaintain & restore ecosystems & their servicesImprove knowledge of ecosystems and their services in the EUSet priorities to restore and promote the use of green infrastructureEnsure no net loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services

Landuse, Landcover & Habitat mapping Landcover maps describe bio-geographical features of the landscape Grasslands, Woodlands, Wetlands, etc.Landuse describes the anthropogenic usage of an area of land Pasture, Arable, Forestry, Reservoir, etc.Habitat maps describe in finer detail the vegetation assemblages present on the ground Dry calcareous grasslands, Riparian woodlands, Mesotrophic lakes.Traditional method of producing these maps is by ground survey, being replaced by remote sensing techniques where specialised software programs are trained to interpret and classify satellite imagery.Landcover, Landuse and Habitat mapping are often interconnected but also separate activities.Landcover Bio-geographical i.e. based on vegetation and geological characteristics of the landscape10Who is involved in LULC and Habitat mapping in Ireland?There is no mandated authority on landcover mapping in Ireland.Teagasc - involved in mapping agricultural landuse patterns. Produced the first nationwide landcover map in 1995National Parks and Wildlife Service - regional and local scale habitat surveys of SACs and other important habitat areasLocal authorities have also produced local scale habitat maps in conjunction with NPWS and the Heritage Council

Take a look at who is involved in landcover mapping in IRLAlong e.g. the national survey of Upland Habitats and Native Woodlands. with the EPA there are 4 or 5 main agencies involved over the last 20 years.11EPA & Landcover Mapping in IrelandKey data source for meeting legislative requirements e.g. Water Framework Directive, Kyoto ProtocolNo mandated authority on landcover mappingTeagasc, NPWS, Heritage Council, Local AuthoritiesEPA Plays a central roleIrish National Focal Point and Reference Centre for EEA and GMES related Land monitoring activitiesProduced CORINE 2000 & 2006 for IrelandCurrently working on CORINE 2012 (Complete 2014)12CORINE - Applications & LimitationsCORINE: only continuous, up-to date national landcover dataset. Limitations:Pan-European dataset: Classification is designed on central and southern European environments not Irish / North Atlantic climatic zone => Insufficient mapping of Irish grassland, upland and peatland types.Coarse spatial resolution: Smaller landscape features are omitted. In particular, hedgerows, river channels, houses and transport infrastructure are not mapped.Relying on Corine for national reporting and assessment purposes is not an ideal situationDedicated national landcover dataset would be far more appropriate. ProductsHigh resolution Land-Cover and Land-Use dataset (1ha)EEA dataset,13CORINE - Applications & LimitationsCORINE is the only continuous, up-to date national landcover dataset.Used widely as a core source of data for various reporting, assessment and research purposes:

Limitations:Pan-European dataset. Classification is designed on central and southern European environments not Irish / North Atlantic climatic zone => Insufficient mapping of Irish grassland, upland and peatland types.Coarse spatial resolution (25ha) Any landscape features smaller than this are omitted. In particular, hedgerows, river channels, houses and transport infrastructure are not mapped.

Relying on Corine for National reporting and assessment purposes is not an ideal situation, a dedicated national Land Cover dataset would be far more appropriate for these applications.National GHG and carbon stock reportingStrategic Environmental Assessment Local Authority development planningWildlife and Habitat Conservation Catchment based risk assessment studies14National Landcover Working GroupInvestigating different production models and data sources for a national landcover map series OSis new Prime2 spatial boundary database used as the data baselayer.Prime2 populated by existing national datasets such as LPIS and NFI The remaining areas the data gaps mapped using Remote sensing techniques to interpret satellite imagery.A draft national landcover classification schema was devised to accurately describe and account for the Irish landscape.

Pilot study: Co Roscommon

Enhanced Spatial AccuracyImproved Thematic ClassificationsFuture national roll-out pilot to be released early 2013More: Kevin Lydon, EPAEPA-STRIVE Research ProgrammeClimate Change :: Water :: Sustainable Environment

Identifying pressures :: Informing Policy :: Developing Solutions

Urban Environment Project Green City GuidelinesAGBIOTA, BIOCHANGE, BOGLAND

National Platform for Biodiversity ResearchDefining national biodiversity research needsInfo exchange: research community policy makersLinkages with EPBRS and IPBES

Developing an Ecosystem approach to the integration of the concept of green infrastructure in spatial plans. NEW!Integrating ecosystem approaches, green infrastructure and spatial planningECO-PLANDr. Mark Scott (PI), Dr. Marcus CollierUCD School of Geography, Planning & Environmental PolicyDr. Karen FoleyUCD School of Architecture (Landscape)

Current GPEP ResearchEU:TURaS transitioning towards resiliencewith Landscape ArchitectureOPERAs operationalising ecosystem servicesCOST Action ecosystem services and well beingIrelandEPA STRIVE Eco-Plan, ADAPT and Eco-RiskDRA regional development needsIRCHSS European Social Survey

Why ECO-PLAN?Gap in ecosystem management and built environment planning processesGI is a key linking conceptOne year post doctoral project to:assess and identify suitable methodologies, guidelines and policy tools / instruments for the development of an ecosystem approach to the integration of the concept of green infrastructure in spatial planning. Addressing the need to operationalise emerging research in:green infrastructureresilience theoryspatial planningECO-PLAN AimsPotential of the GI concept and an integrative policy toolIdentify the international frameworksBaseline study of current practiceStakeholder based approachGuidelines and tools21ECO-PLAN OutputsState of knowledge / literature reviewAnnotated bibliographyPolicy briefsReports: on national practiceOne day workshopCPD workshops (4)