BIODIVERSITY IS pumping €2.6 billion into the Irish economy each year, according to the director of the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Dr Liam Lysaght.
He was speaking at the launch of BioBlitz 2012 last night by President Michael D Higgins. BioBlitz is a national competition between various parks across Ireland competing over a 24-hour period to see which site records the most varied species of wildlife.
More than 200 scientists and wildlife surveyors are taking part in the event, which began yesterday and finishes this evening.
Final tallies will be counted at 5pm.
Mr Higgins is hoping the 350- year-old Phoenix Park will emerge as the winner.
“I think it would be great for Dublin,” he said. “What is obvious is the affection people have for the park. No matter what time of the day or night, to see the park being used as a great lung of the city, I love to see it.”
This year the competition is between Phoenix Park, Glengarriff Nature Reserve in Co Cork, Lough Boora in Co Offaly, and Crawfordsburn County Park in Co Down.
The surveyors will have access to the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin to record its level of biodiversity.
Last year’s winner was Killarney National Park, which discovered a record 1,088 species.
President Higgins told The Irish Times about his plans to expand the tours of the Áras grounds during his presidency.
“It would be my hope during the coming years before I leave that we’ll be able to include the gardens as part of the tour of the Áras because the Áras has organic status,” he said.
“There is 120 acres in the Áras, there’s about 2.5 acres of vegetables, there is an orchard and a Turner glasshouse which is very beautiful.”
The President was responsible for Ireland’s natural heritage during his time as minister for arts, culture and the Gaeltacht in 1993.
The Phoenix Park contains more than 200 hectares of woodland and pond life.
Head research officer at the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Stefanie Fleischen said the most biodiverse areas in Ireland are Connemara, the Burren and the Lullymore bog in Kildare.