Shannon Airport launches cattle-grazing initiative
Shannon Airport Group has began grazing cattle on airport-owned land as part of its Farmand Biodiversity Enhancement Project.
The airport has announced the move to mark National Biodiversity Week, which runs from Friday, May 16 to Saturday, May 25.
The cattle are located at Thady's Hill, a 10ac site near Shannon Airport that hosts a habitat of 'national and international importance'.
The site features a number of rare and endangered species of native grasses and flowers such as bee and pyramidal orchids.
After scrub clearance on the site in early 2024 by a team from Shannon Airport, traditional Droimeann cattle – recently recognised as a native rare breed in Ireland – were introduced for conservation grazing during the non-growing season
These cattle are considered ideal for the sensitive habitat due to their ability to thrive on rough pasture and their minimal impact on soil compaction.
The project is led by the Shannon Airport Group Biodiversity team, and supported by local farmer John Quinlivan and botanist Phoebe O'Brien.
According to Shannon Airport Group, the project is already making strides in restoring and protecting the rare habitat of Thady's Hill and its unique plant species.
Shannon Airport
This initiative is part of the group's wider 2023-2027 Biodiversity Action Plan and was developed with the support of Flynn Furney Environmental Consultants.
The head of sustainability at Shannon Airport Group, Sinead Murphy said: 'This project not only demonstrates our commitment to protect and enhance biodiversity through the restoration and management of an ecologically important site, but also highlights the power of collaboration.
'We are grateful to all stakeholders, including John Quinlivan and Phoebe O'Brien, for their expertise and dedication, as well as to our sustainability specialist, Arek Gdulinski and all the wider Shannon Airport Group teams involved. We look forward to the next phase of this important project,' Murphy added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
31-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Community Biodiversity Action Plan launched for Kingdom of Kerry Greenway
The plan, or CBAP, which was funded by Community Foundation Ireland, was informed by an ecologist-led survey of the flora and fauna of the route. A series of community engagement workshops and survey supported by MTU Business students also contributed to the plan which sets out recommendations to protect and enhance the biodiversity along the Greenway. The plan is accessible from the national website. The local efforts of Tralee Tidy Towns to protect and promote nature and wildlife habitats have now also been recognised with a strategic grant by Community Foundation Ireland in partnership with NPWS to implement the CBAP. The grant will ensure that the next steps to protect local biodiversity along the Greenway will be guided by the expert knowledge of ecologists. Martha Farrell of Tralee Tidy Towns said: 'We are thrilled to launch our CBAP during National Biodiversity Week and we're delighted that our work to protect and promote biodiversity has been acknowledged by the granting of a further €11,590 for the implementation of the plan. We thank Community Foundation Ireland, NPWS, Kerry County Council, MTU, Irish Wildlife Trust, Transition Kerry, Crainn Chiarraí and the many other NGOs who engaged, for their support of this project.' 'We look forward to working with stakeholders, groups and individuals who are interested in this implementation project. We will focus on creative and expert-led community engagement and awareness of biodiversity; recording of wildlife species, addition of supplementary wildlife habitat for species such as swifts and swallows; recording and control of invasive species; and an overall enhancement of the biodiversity along the Greenway route,' she continued. 'We also hope that skills acquired by community members through this project can lead to a long-term volunteer support of the habitats in the Tralee area. Anyone who would like to register interest in getting involved in this project can simply send us an email on tidytownstralee@ she added. Congratulating Tralee Tidy Towns, Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland had the following to say: 'We are particularly proud that local efforts to protect habitats, plants and wildlife are increasingly growing into a national movement. The fact that this current grant round is impacting in every county shows the groundswell of support for biodiversity action. The partnership of the Foundation, its philanthropists and community partners together with the National Parks and Wildlife Service is effective and works. Our natural heritage is being protected for generations to come.'
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- RTÉ News
Cattle now grazing on airport-owned land
Agriculture Correspondent Aengus Cox reports on the announcement of the completion of the initial phase of Shannon Airport Group's Farmland Biodiversity Enhancement Project.
Agriland
17-05-2025
- Agriland
Shannon Airport launches cattle-grazing initiative
Shannon Airport Group has began grazing cattle on airport-owned land as part of its Farmand Biodiversity Enhancement Project. The airport has announced the move to mark National Biodiversity Week, which runs from Friday, May 16 to Saturday, May 25. The cattle are located at Thady's Hill, a 10ac site near Shannon Airport that hosts a habitat of 'national and international importance'. The site features a number of rare and endangered species of native grasses and flowers such as bee and pyramidal orchids. After scrub clearance on the site in early 2024 by a team from Shannon Airport, traditional Droimeann cattle – recently recognised as a native rare breed in Ireland – were introduced for conservation grazing during the non-growing season These cattle are considered ideal for the sensitive habitat due to their ability to thrive on rough pasture and their minimal impact on soil compaction. The project is led by the Shannon Airport Group Biodiversity team, and supported by local farmer John Quinlivan and botanist Phoebe O'Brien. According to Shannon Airport Group, the project is already making strides in restoring and protecting the rare habitat of Thady's Hill and its unique plant species. Shannon Airport This initiative is part of the group's wider 2023-2027 Biodiversity Action Plan and was developed with the support of Flynn Furney Environmental Consultants. The head of sustainability at Shannon Airport Group, Sinead Murphy said: 'This project not only demonstrates our commitment to protect and enhance biodiversity through the restoration and management of an ecologically important site, but also highlights the power of collaboration. 'We are grateful to all stakeholders, including John Quinlivan and Phoebe O'Brien, for their expertise and dedication, as well as to our sustainability specialist, Arek Gdulinski and all the wider Shannon Airport Group teams involved. We look forward to the next phase of this important project,' Murphy added.
