Objectives of LIFE Strategic Nature

To deliver a project of such scale and technical complexity, firm project management structures are required. The NPWS will coordinate using vast experience of successfully managing LIFE projects over three decades. This will be supplemented by the hiring of dedicated Project Management, Adminstrative and Technical officers.  Overall, this is bundled into three distinct areas of work:

1. Project Management and coordination (including impact monitoring and evaluation)
2. Coordination and building up of strategic capacities among the competent authorities and data holders and other stakeholders
3. Project communication and outreach

Work Package 2 focuses on the delivery of an Integrated Data Platform. This will enable a coordinated, standardised national approach to the prioritisation, planning, monitoring and reporting of conservation measures in Ireland across a number of different organisations and stakeholders. Given the complex nature of this work, it will involve eight defined work streams:

1. Requirements analysis
2. Data analysis and data management plan
3. Filling data gaps
4. Develop indicators and metrics for prioritisation, monitoring and reporting
5. Integrated Data Platform design
6. Integrated Data Platform development and testing
7. Change management, learning and adoption plan and rollout
8. Support and Maintenance

This work package implements Pillar 2 and comprises three components;

1. National Coastal Lagoons restoration strategy, focussing initial efforts of Lady’s Island and Tacumshin lagoons, Co. Wexford
2. Afforested peatlands restoration on the Coillte estate, totalling 500ha, mainly in the West.
3. Strategic interventions on other lands of high conservation and restoration priority, up to 1,000ha

This work package implements Pillar 3 and is dedicated to the mainstreaming of nature and biodiversity into funding programmes and (2) the coordination and mobilisation of funding for complementary actions.
Key tasks include:

1. Review existing key national and EU funding programmes
2. Shortlist potential public and private funding sources
3. Pursue specific complementary funding opportunities from the short list
4. Initiate stakeholder engagement to identify/recruit potential project partners
5. Develop a schedule for the preparation of prioritised complementary funding project
6. Prepare and submit complementary funding proposals
7. Coordinate the finalisation and drawdown of funds
8. Collaborate with other SNaPs (e.g. Belgium) who share a focus on mobilising complementary funding

This work package will build on the work of a pilot monitoring scheme by establishing and operating a National Pollinator Monitoring Programme to track changes in wild pollinators across Ireland. Key tasks include:

1. Preparations for management of the national pollinator monitoring programme
2. Establishment of the monitoring network
3. Implementation of the pollinator monitoring scheme
4. Implementation of associated public awareness actions.

This work package supports all three Pillars. Key tasks include:

1. Develop Strategy to ensure continuation of project results
2. Develop Strategy to promote replication/transfer of project results in Ireland and other Member States
3. Develop Strategy to ensure exploitation of project results.