Environment Minister Sammy Wilson welcomed the contract between Queen’s University and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to conserve and protect the province’s marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.
The Minister said: “Not only will this contract inform government policy in conserving and protecting species such as the Irish hare and habitats such as threatened coastal sand dunes, it will also generate new jobs within the environmental and academic sectors.
“We have great natural habitats in Northern Ireland and any initiative which contributes to keeping them wonderful must be welcomed.”
Following EU-wide tendering, the Natural Heritage Research Partnership (NHRP) was awarded to Quercus, Queen’s Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency as part of its research programme.
The research programme will include work on species such as the corncrake but will also focus on habitats including threatened coastal sand dunes, marine protected areas and the Lough Neagh ecosystem.
It will also break fresh ground within the relatively new discipline of environmental economics which values ecosystem services in financial terms, for example, the value of natural habitats such as woodland or bog in carbon storage or the value of bees for crop pollination.
The partnership will provide scientific evidence on which governmental decisions will be based on the conservation and protection of marine, freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems including habitats and species of local, UK and European conservation concern.
Dr Neil Reid, Quercus Manager, said: “We have been enormously successful in attracting external funding to expand our work in the environmental sector. The Natural Heritage Research Partnership is Quercus’ most valued collaboration; such a direct link between government and academia is rare.”
Professor Howard Platt, NIEA Director of Conservation Science, said the research would also tackle other important issues.
He said: “These will include the management of designated sites such as Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs), the monitoring of designated features such as rare species and the implications of climate change on our own doorstep.”
Quercus
has also launched a new website to provide more information about the partnership.
Notes to Editors:
- The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) was formerly the Environment and Heritage Service and was relaunched by Minister for the Department of the Environment Sammy Wilson in July 2008.
- The Natural Heritage Research Partnership (NHRP) contract was awarded during June 2008. The first six months were used to establish the terms of reference, setup operations and develop a programme of work for the next four years.
- Quercus is not an acronym, it is taken from the generic name of the oak tree whose biodiversity and strength symbolise the ethos of the research centre.
- The NHRP aims to forge partnerships including academic collaborations with other Universities, national and international governmental bodies, conservation organisations, charities and commercial environmental consultants. Recent partners include the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Ulster Wildlife Trust (UWT).
- Quercus is based in well-equipped office and laboratory facilities in the School of Biological Sciences at the Medical Biology Centre on Lisburn Road, Belfast. It also has the use of Queen’s Marine Laboratory at Portaferry.
- For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office tel. 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
