[ Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028, Section 15(2) Two-Year Progress Report ]
Cork City Council’s key actions taken in support of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan in 2023 are:
• Wildflower meadow practices. Promoting the importance of dandelions as pollinators in early spring and delaying the first cut of managed council open spaces to mid-April to allow dandelions are other native pollinator wildflowers to flower. • Sustainable Gardening Courses with Aoife Munn. Cork City Council funded 3 free sustainable gardening courses for Cork City community groups and council staff to attend and learn about sustainable gardening practices from Horticulturist Aoife Munn. • Green Flag Awards in Cork City Parks. Cork City Council was awarded five Green Flags in its third year of entering the Green Flag Awards. Fitzgerald’s Park, Shalom Park retained their green flags for a third year in a row, Regional Park Ballincollig and Douglas Community Park retained their flags for a second year and Gerry O’Sullivan Park on the northside of Cork City received its first Green Flag. • World Bee Day Information Stall (Biodiversity Week). Information stall at Tramore Valley Park on World Bee Day in conjunction with the Kinship Project, providing information on the All- Ireland Pollinator Plan, pollinator-friendly plants, and native pollinators in Ireland.
• Native hedgerow planting within Tramore Valley Park. 2,800 whips of native trees were planted within Tramore Valley Park along a stretch of 700 metres.
• Children’s Educational Workshops. Cork City Council Biodiversity Officers, in collaboration with Clashduv Park Community Garden and Green Spaces for Health, delivered four outdoor children’s workshops in August 2023, which focussed on wildlife identification and appreciation. These included workshops on pollination and pollinators, pondlife, birds, trees and flowers. Resources included the use of animal ID guides including National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC) swatches and art materials. Overarching goals of the course were to connect children with nature, promote outdoor recreation among children and highlight the importance of healthy ecosystems in supporting a variety of life.
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