The Parks and Landscape Section of the Community and Cultural Department are running a grant scheme in 2021 aimed at facilitating communities to improve biodiversity at local level in terms of native woodland planting, Small Community Orchard planting, improving conditions for pollinator species and facilitating the appreciation of our local environment.
The projects which will be given consideration must fit into one of the following categories:
1.Tiny Forests -Creation of a small native woodland in the Community – Click
HERE to see Appendix 1 for Specification. Max grant for largest area €2,500
2. Small Community Orchard– Click
HERE to see Appendix 2 for Specification. Max Grant €250
3. Pollinator Flower Areas: Perennial planting to increase biodiversity – this may be planting at an entrance to the estate or wide verge where appropriate or a new perennial area in an open space. Applications must include a plant list which must be perennial in nature, be supportive of pollinators and be of a size suited to the location. Refer to
https://pollinators.ie/communities/ for guidance.
Grant to cover costs of mulch and plants up to a maximum value of €600. The ongoing upkeep of the planted areas will be the responsibility of the community.
4 Successional bulb planting – this will be considered for areas which are not maintained by the Council such as margins/verges which are looked after by the residents themselves. School Grounds which are publicly accessible and visible to the wider community will also be considered.
There are lots of examples of large versions of this throughout the county – where the period of flowering ranges from February to June. These areas also facilitate the slow to mow principal where the areas are uncut for long periods possibly up to 7/8 months thus contributing to increased biodiversity. This grant will enable this concept to be further developed at a smaller scale within communities on lands not currently being managed by DLR Co. Co. to improve biodiversity. Refer to
https://pollinators.ie/communities/ for guidance. Applications must include a species list containing several varieties which support pollinators. A max grant of €500 is available. The ongoing upkeep of the planted areas will be the responsibility of the community.
5. Grant to fund a consultant ecologist (must be a member of CIEEM) to:
· Carry out a walkover of the local area/park,
· Identify the main habitats, flora and species of the area
· Provide a biodiversity map and small report of their area and identify areas they can enhance for biodiversity
· Ecologist to provide two workshops about the area/park to local residents
· Grant of €2,300 to fund the appointment of an ecologist (By the group) to deliver the above and spending of €300-500 of the grant on enhancements identified by the ecologist for the residents to carry out e.g. pollinator bulbs/tree planting
· Application to include programme agreed with the Consultant Ecologist – the enhancements proposed to be submitted once they are drafted for final agreement
6. There will be a maximum of 10 park benches available for communities who have no benches and put forward the best case for a bench in their area
Grant Specific Eligibility
- Applicants must be from a residents’ association, tidy towns or tidy district group.
- Applicants must be registered with the Public Participation Network and have a PPN number.
- Applicants can apply for 100% of the total project cost.
- This grant cannot fund the hire of contractors (e.g. landscapers, arborist, horticultural professions) to complete works. Additionally, this grant cannot be used to substitute general estate management fees. Skip hire is not funded under this grant scheme.
- The project must be based within the public realm, for the benefit of all. There must be support from the community at large for the project being proposed and evidence of this included.
- All Project proposals must include a map of the intended project area – specify the size of the area on the map and in writing.
- Evidence of detailed costings for all aspects of the project.
- The Community group must implement the projects, the grant will not fund contractors doing the work.
- Plant passports are required for all plant material and this information should be recorded along with the number of each species, nursery of origin and location where planted within community - this information should be provided to the Parks and Landscape Section of dlr as this is an essential part of our biosecurity protocol. This will be required on completion of planting. (Applies to all projects involving planting),
- Wildflower seed sowing will not be funded under this grant.
- All ongoing maintenance of the projects will be the responsibility of the community,
- No spraying of chemicals or herbicides permitted
Grant Specific Award Criteria
Funding available under this scheme is limited. Funding will be distributed fairly and transparently in line with the grant specific award criteria and scoring system.
- Group and population size will be considered. Applicants must outline the number of households for a residents’ association or population for a larger tidy town or tidy district group.
- Completion reports with receipts of expenditure are required to ensure transparency and accountability of public funds. Failure to supply dlr with evidence of previous expenditure will be a consideration of this grant and future funding decisions.
- There will be a maximum of 10 park benches available for communities who have no benches and put forward the best case for a bench in their area.
- Eligible applications that have met all grant criteria will be assessed and evaluated against the following general award criteria which will with the following scoring system; population size, demonstrate clear environmental benefits and a positive response to improving biodiversity and feasibility and timescale of the project.
- Grants will be awarded, subject to funding, on a prioritised basis in accordance with score. dlr reserves the right to award as many or as few grants as are deemed suitable.
- It is anticipated the final decisions on applications will be notified to applicants in August 2021.
- Drawdown of a grant is dependent on the above conditions being fully and satisfactorily completed.
- Grants will be paid in arrears on vouched expenditure. A single payment will be made on completion of the project. Payment will be subject to submission of invoices and other necessary documentation by the deadline given in the letter of offer. Payment will be made by electronic transfer.