Fast Facts - General
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity literally means the whole variety of life on earth – from you to your back garden, from the rain forest to the desert, the ocean to the birds and the bees!
It also includes the genetic variety and the complex ‘world’ each creature lives in.
Why does it matter?
Every single plant and animal is precious – destroying one can have a huge impact on the other plants and animals that might depend on it. And that includes us too. Biodiversity is not just concerned with individual types of plants or animals, but with the connections and relationships between them. It takes in our whole natural world.
We need a rich biodiversity to keep our world healthy. There is agreement at an international level that we must do more to protect and preserve our natural world, for everyone’s sake.
What are the issues in Northern Ireland?
- in the past many local species depended on woodland to survive - today we have one of least wooded areas in Europe with only 6% of Northern Ireland covered by trees
- our coast is under pressure from property development, litter, pollution and over use by all of us
- our traditional peat bogs are disappearing with over grazing and the use of peat as a fuel
- with more people comes more housing and we need to ensure that our wildlife and unique land types are protected
- some of the species which have been introduced to Northern Ireland in recent years are actually threatening native plants and animals – like the grey squirrel which threatens the red squirrel’s survival
- there are currently 40 types of land or ‘habitats’ which have been identified for special protection and support – you can find out more about these by clicking here
- there are over 213 animals and plans which are under threat and also need special protection – you can find out more about these by clicking here
What can I do?
See our 10 top tips for making a difference!
Who is responsible for protecting our biodiversity?
All of us – we can all make a difference by doing small things in our own lives. At a government level, all the departments have some responsibility as part of the NI Biodiversity Strategy but there is also a dedicated Biodiversity Unit with the Environment & Heritage Service. Click here to visit their website.
As well as government agencies and departments, there are lots of charities and conservation organizations working to protect and preserve Northern Ireland’s biodiversity and many of them have been involved in this campaign. You can find out more about them by clicking here.
What is being done at a local level in Northern Ireland?
Depending on the type of animals and plants in your local area, you may find that you can see some of the hundreds of habitats and species identified as ‘priority’ species for Northern Ireland. You can find out more about them by clicking here.
Also, some areas in Northern Ireland have Local Biodiversity Action Plans. You can find out more about them by clicking here.
And there are lots of conservation organizations of all sizes working with communities and local neighbourhoods to make a difference to our biodiversity. Find out more about some of them by clicking here.
Who is responsible for this campaign?
This campaign has been developed by the Environment & Heritage Service in partnership with a range of conservation charities, government bodies and industry representatives.