1. Green Infrastructure Policy and Planning in Ireland BIODIVERSITY ECO-SYSTEM SERVICES GREEN INFRA- STRUCTURE CLIMATE CHANGE Dr Shane Colgan 27 th November 2012

2. What Does Biodiversity Mean…? “…biodiversity can be somewhat of a ‘poor relation’ among environmental topics; highlighting the particular need for mainstreaming of the subject”

3. Delivering Benefits… Infrastructure Green Infrastructure delivers for… Tourism AgriFood Health Quality of Life FDI …

4. Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan 1. Mainstream biodiversity in the decision making process across all sectors 2. Substantially strengthen the knowledge base for conservation, management and sustainable use of biodiversity 3. Increase awareness and appreciation of biodiversity and ecosystems services 4. Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside 5. Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the marine environment 6. Expand and improve on the management of protected areas and legally protected species 7. Strengthen the effectiveness of international governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services

5. Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan 1. Mainstream biodiversity in the decision making process across all sectors 2. Substantially strengthen the knowledge base for conservation, management and sustainable use of biodiversity 3. Increase awareness and appreciation of biodiversity and ecosystems services 4. Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside 5. Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the marine environment 6. Expand and improve on the management of protected areas and legally protected species 7. Strengthen the effectiveness of international governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services

6. Green Infrastructure & Policy - IE Our Sustainable Future – Priorities for Action: Protecting and enhancing Ireland’s green infrastructure Delivering Our Green Potential – Strengths: An outstanding natural environment and rich biodiversity; Excellent natural resources – clear link between the protection of Ireland’s biodiversity and the benefit to the economy. Ireland’s Environment 2012 – EcoSystem Services & Health Climate Adaptation Framework Planning ---- >

7. Green Infrastructure & Policy - EU EU 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.

8. EU Biodiv Strategy: Targets for 2020 1.Full implementation of EU Nature legislation 2.Maintain & restore ecosystems & their services 3.Increase the contribution of agriculture and forestry to biodiversity 4.Sustainable use of fisheries resources 5.Control Invasive Alien species 6.Tackle the global biodiversity crisis

9. EU Biodiv Strategy: Target-2 Actions 2.Maintain & restore ecosystems & their services – Improve knowledge of ecosystems and their services in the EU – Set priorities to restore and promote the use of green infrastructure – Ensure no net loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services

10. 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.

11. Who 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 1995 National Parks and Wildlife Service - regional and local scale habitat surveys of SAC’s and other important habitat areas Local authorities have also produced local scale habitat maps in conjunction with NPWS and the Heritage Council

12. EPA & Landcover Mapping in Ireland Key data source for meeting legislative requirements – e.g. Water Framework Directive, Kyoto Protocol No mandated authority on landcover mapping Teagasc, NPWS, Heritage Council, Local Authorities… EPA Plays a central role… – Irish National Focal Point and Reference Centre for EEA and GMES related Land monitoring activities – Produced CORINE 2000 & 2006 for Ireland – Currently working on CORINE 2012 (Complete 2014)

13. CORINE - Applications & Limitations CORINE: 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 situation Dedicated national landcover dataset would be far more appropriate. Products… – High resolution Land-Cover and Land-Use dataset (1ha) – ‘EEA’ dataset,

14. CORINE - Applications & Limitations CORINE 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 studies

15. National Landcover Working Group Investigating different production models and data sources for a national landcover map series OSi’s 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.

16. Pilot study: Co Roscommon Enhanced Spatial Accuracy Improved Thematic Classifications Future national roll-out – pilot to be released early 2013 More: Kevin Lydon, EPA

17. EPA-STRIVE Research Programme Climate Change :: Water :: Sustainable Environment Identifying pressures :: Informing Policy :: Developing Solutions Urban Environment Project – Green City Guidelines AGBIOTA, BIOCHANGE, BOGLAND National Platform for Biodiversity Research – Defining national biodiversity research needs – Info exchange: research community  policy makers – Linkages with EPBRS and IPBES Developing an Ecosystem approach to the integration of the concept of green infrastructure in spatial plans. NEW!

18. Integrating ecosystem approaches, green infrastructure and spatial planning ECO-PLAN Dr. Mark Scott (PI), Dr. Marcus Collier UCD School of Geography, Planning & Environmental Policy Dr. Karen Foley UCD School of Architecture (Landscape)

19. Current GPEP Research EU: –TURaS – transitioning towards resilience with Landscape Architecture –OPERAs – operationalising ecosystem services –COST Action – ecosystem services and well being Ireland –EPA – STRIVE – Eco-Plan, ADAPT and Eco-Risk –DRA – regional development needs –IRCHSS – European Social Survey

20. Why ECO-PLAN? Gap in ecosystem management and built environment planning processes –GI is a key linking concept One 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 infrastructure –resilience theory –spatial planning

21. ECO-PLAN Aims Potential of the GI concept and an integrative policy tool Identify the international frameworks Baseline study of current practice Stakeholder based approach Guidelines and tools

22. ECO-PLAN Outputs State of knowledge / literature review Annotated bibliography Policy briefs Reports: on national practice One day workshop CPD workshops (4)