Strategic Power Projects has sustainability at the core of our mission values. We believe that we can prioritise clean energy whilst safeguarding and increasing local biodiversity across the island of Ireland.
Each of our sites have ecological appraisals that evaluate habitat baselines, then, with unique consideration, we assess how we can achieve biodiversity gains.
Biodiversity is important across a spectrum of areas including cultural, ecological, recreational, economic and scientific fields. Diverse numbers of species and habitats have potential to boost ecosystem productivity, with biodiverse areas being more resilient to changes in the environment.
Biodiversity is particularly important in the wake of climate change. More diverse eco-systems are increasingly resilient to change. This means that by creating and establishing more biodiverse habitats, we can help to reduce the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.
Despite this, numbers of species and biodiversity is falling. More than 60% of species and habitats protected by the EU habitat directive have an unfavourable status. Small actions that improve biodiversity, such as this mentioned below, can have big impacts on conserving and aiding populations of native flora and fauna.
Strategic Power Projects undertake a rigorous selection process to screen areas, ensuring that wild areas are retained and enhanced, allowing biodiversity to thrive and flourish.
Preserving existing vegetation - minimal removal of vegetation is a high priority for us. We understand that preserving the natural landscape is important for local communities as well as for biodiversity. It is inevitable that sometimes vegetation needs to be removed. This is offset on another part of the Site, either through screening or biodiversity enhancement areas.
Sowing native plants –We make sure to only use native seed mixes for any of our wildflower meadows and tree planting. This facilitates pollination by native birds, insects, bats and butterflies.
Improving connectively – we do this through a range of features, from wildlife corridors and the addition of mammal gates, to stepping stone habitats, joining features of value within the site and with the wider landscape.
Habitat creation - the addition of bat and bird boxes, hibernacula piles and ponds enhance areas that can often act as stepping stone habitats as well as permanent homes for fauna.
Natural screening – the inclusion of natural screening provides an opportunity for additional plantings, increasing biodiversity net gain of many of our sites.
Some of our sites are grazed by sheep, this minimises the necessity for grass cuttings. Experts are checking in on our sites to ensure weed management, and general upkeep is tackled.