Through participation on the Interreg Europe PROGRESS project, EMRA has developed a range of resources to support the implementation of RSES objectives for ecosystem services and green infrastructure. These include a green infrastructure and ecosystem services mapping methodology, policy briefs which include ‘how to’ recommendations, good practice handbooks, and infographics.
Download: Interreg PROGRESS Action Plan
Ecosystem services and green infrastructure mapping methodology
In cooperation with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the Ecological Research and Forestry Applications Centre, Barcelona, Spain, EMRA secured Interreg Europe funding to test a Green Infrastructure Decision Support Mapping Approach for Ecosystem Services. This involved developing and testing a mapping methodology to contribute to enhanced decision-making for Green Infrastructure by scoring and mapping ecosystem services for the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council administrative area. In Q4 2021 and Q1 2022, a methodology was developed and criteria were established to transfer the SITxell conceptual model and methodology.
A range of ecosystem services were mapped based on three contrasting perspectives: 1) Intrinsic value, 2) Functional value, and 3) Leisure/Cultural value. The Pilot Action also tested whether these three dimensions might be combined in order to identify the areas maximising the sum and the diversity of values.
The Mapping Approach was evaluated by target users at dedicated workshops in January 2022 and it was determined that the methodology and mapping approach was both effective and appropriate to contribute to the development of a coordinated approach for Green Infrastructure and Ecosystem Services Mapping in the Dublin Metropolitan Area. The technical report outlining the methodology of the mapping approach was launched by Councillor Lettie McCarthy, Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown on the 13th of June 2022. The successful completion of this Pilot Action has improved the implementation of ten RPOs of the RSES pertaining to green infrastructure and ecosystem services and has advanced MASP objectives for strategic green infrastructure.
Download: Pilot Action Technical Report
After completion of the Pilot Action, which was Action 1 of the PROGRESS project Action Plan, Action 2 involved advancing the coordination of a standardised Ecosystem Services and Green Infrastructure Mapping Approach through engagement with regional stakeholders. A workshop was held on 12th December 2022 to support the further development of Green Infrastructure policies and coordinate the mapping of strategic Green Infrastructure in the EMRA Region. In attendance were 25 stakeholders including Planners, Biodiversity Officers, and other experts from across 12 local authorities, representatives from relevant government departments, state agencies, the Office of the Planning Regulator and academia. As outlined in the summary document below, issues of financial and human resourcing for the development of a standardised mapping approach and the need for enhanced GI mapping at all levels emerged as key themes from the meeting.
Download: Workshop Summary Document
The second key meeting took place on 7th March 2023 with the Implementation Group for the Dublin Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan. In attendance were twenty stakeholders including Senior Planners from the seven local authorities in the Dublin Metropolitan Area as well as representatives from relevant government departments and state agencies. At this meeting, it was agreed that green infrastructure scoring is not currently undertaken using a common evidence base or methodology and that the good practice as tested through the Pilot Action provides a suitable methodology to address this. This demonstrated the leading role that EMRA has taken in relation to the promotion of improved governance of ecosystem services in the region.
Policy Briefs, Good Practice Handbooks and Infographics
Theme 1: Measuring the costs and benefits of ecosystem services derived from land use.
Irish good practices include the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and the NPWS National Ecosystem and Ecosystem Service Mapping Pilot for a Suite of Prioritised Services.
EMRA is responsible for Action 31 of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan 2021-2025 which recognises the role of regional structures to support implementation with local government, and also to promote the plan to local, regional and national stakeholders through involvement with EU projects. The action directly facilitates the implementation of key RSES Regional Planning Objectives relating to biodiversity, green infrastructure and ecosystem services.
Theme 2: Suporting the integration of ecosystem concerns into sectoral policies and plans.
Irish good practices include the Dublin Mountains Makeover.
In June 2022, Coillte Nature hosted representatives from EMRA and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, with PROGRESS project partners from Italy, Spain, Latvia, Romania and Hungary to see the Dublin Mountains Makeover at first hand.
Theme 3: Exploring innovative finacial and marketing mechanisms for payment for ecosystem services.
Irish good practices include the Protecting Farmland Pollinators EIP-Agri project and Natural Capital Ireland.
In June 2023, following engagement with Natural Capital Ireland through the PROGRESS project, EMRA was invited to participate in the NESC Roundtable on Accounting for Nature in Ireland: Operational Challenges in Natural Capital Accounts. This roundtable focused on the development of natural capital accounts in Ireland and what is required to enable further progress, as well as identifying opportunities and enablers for future utilisation of accounts in decision-making and the enabling policy framework that is required to maximise its potential.
Theme 4: Improving landscape governance for economic and environmental sustainability.
Irish good practices include the Environmental Sensitivity Mapping (ESM) Webtool.
EMRA is represented on the project Steering Committee for the ESM Webtool which is currently funded by the EPA and the Office of the Planning Regulator. The steering committee meets every 6 months and EMRA has actively assisted in promoting the webtool across the region and internationally.