Volunteers sought for plant survey

The Ring of Gullion team are looking for volunteers to take part in the National Plant Monitoring Scheme 2016. Designed by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Plantlife and the Join Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the scheme will help provide an annual indication of changes in plant abundance and biodiversity.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, through the Ring of Gullion AONB and Landscape Partnership Scheme is offering volunteers training to take part in this great initiative The training will take place in the Pastoral Centre, Jonesborough on Thursday 28 April starting at 10.00am. Spaces can be booked on the Ring of Gullion website www.ringofgullion.org . 

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Mickey Ruane said “Plants are the foundations of habitats and ecosystems, but we are currently lacking valuable information about changes in plants across the country and especially the Ring of Gullion.”

Cllr Ruane continued, “The survey will help to provide robust evidence regarding which widespread plants are increasing or declining, and where. This is where the public comes in. We are looking for volunteers to carry out surveys in different parts of the Ring of Gullion.” 

This scheme is a newly developed habitat-based, volunteer-lead plant monitoring scheme. The aim is to collect data yearly and volunteers are randomly allocated a reasonably local 1km square to visit. For more information on the National Plant Monitoring Scheme in Northern Ireland, visit nmni.com/cedar/surveys/NPMS

This training is free and supported by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Ring of Gullion Landscape Partnership, the Heritage Lottery Fund and CEDaR Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (http://www2.habitas.org.uk/records/). 

If you would like to get involved in the training, book your place through the website www.ringofgullion.org or call into the office in Crossmaglen Community Centre, O'Fiaich Square, Crossmaglen, BT35 9AA Tel:-(028) 3082 8590.