Two funding schemes for Biodiversity Recording have been announced by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Royal Irish Academy. Both schemes provide an opportunity for experienced Dragonfly and Damselfly recorders to target specific habitats or species for recording. The Dragonfly Ireland Project Steering Group have identified the following habitats and species as priorities for recording:
- Small water bodies – e.g. on farms, golf courses etc.
- Turloughs
- Maerl Lakes
- Fire Dams or similar water bodies in forestry areas.
- Priority areas identified during 2000 – 2003 Dragonfly Ireland survey (click here for list).
- Irish Damselfly.
- Northern Emerald Dragonfly
- Downy Emerald Dragonfly
- Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly
- Scarce Emerald Damselfly
If you or your group are considering applying for one of the grants below and would like to discuss Dragonfly and Damselfly survey strategies and priorities, please email dwall@biodiversityireland.ie or call 086 6051702
NPWS Grants for small recording projects (Deadline – 5pm on 15th April 2020)
This scheme offers volunteer, unpaid recorders, or groups, societies and associations of recorders small grants of up to €5,000 to cover costs associated with recording such as:
- Fieldwork expenses (travel and subsistence) – normally be within Ireland
- Purchase of specialist fieldwork equipment, books and keys
- Costs of running workshops and training courses
- Costs of attending specialist training courses
- Costs of visits to museums to research collections
- Publication of atlases, field guides or keys
- Websites and online databases
- Discrete elements of larger projects
The grants will not cover assets such as computer hardware, binoculars or cameras; conservation management work; any aspect of professional employment; academic research; work that is covered by other grants i.e. any duplicate funding.
For more information and an application form, please see the NPWS website.
Praeger Grants in Natural History (Deadline – 5pm on 14 April 2020)
The purpose of these grants is to provide support for the costs of carrying out field study in the areas of Ireland’s geology, flora and fauna up to a maximum of €2,000. Projects which are eligible are:
- Proposals for a new, clearly defined piece of fieldwork with a distinct objective and defined outcome to be carried out in 2020.
- Funding for additional elements of the overall project may be sought elsewhere.
- The only expenses payable are the costs directly related to the research being carried out, up to a
maximum of €2,000
An application cannot be accepted if the applicant has a report outstanding on a previous RIA grant. The purchase of large items of equipment are not considered eligible costs. Grants cannot be made in support of undergraduate or postgraduate student programmes, for second level education projects or for any part of the applicants’ professional work.
For more information and an application form, please see the RIA website.
