Biodiversity study

In November 2020, President Higgins received a report detailing the findings of a year-long study into the rich diversity of plant and animal life in the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin.

The President and Sabina have long been aware of the rich diversity of the natural environment around Áras an Uachtaráin, and it was out of a concern to ensure its protection, and to ensure its future flourishing, that the President asked the Office of Public Works to commission a team of ecologists to conduct a detailed ‘biodiversity audit’ of Áras an Uachtaráin and its grounds.

The report, published by the OPW and a team of scientists from Trinity College Dublin, provides a scientific analysis of the diverse habitats and the great diversity of species on the 130-acre site around the home of the President of Ireland.

The report notes that the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin are home to an abundance of plants and wildlife, with 297 different species of plant, 247 species of invertebrates, 188 fungi and 51 different bird species.

Responding to the report, President Higgins said: “At a time when our natural world is in such acute danger, with so many of our planet’s fragile ecosystems being destroyed, polluted and plundered, today’s report provides not only a valuable overview of what already exists, but also it comes with a welcome set of recommendations of how, with small but targeted interventions, State bodies such as the OPW can make tangible and meaningful contributions to the health of our natural environment.”

The report also provided recommendations on how to enhance the biodiversity at Áras an Uachtaráin - a landscape that was created and managed by people for people - by improving and restoring species-rich grasslands to creating habitat for insects, pollinators, birds and mammals to nest in – and possibly establishing new wetland habitats.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) chose the year 2020 to raise awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect the environment, and boost economic development.

To start the Year, President Higgins planted a native oak tree in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on 15 January.

The importance of protecting plants, wildlife and our natural environment has been a constant theme throughout the Presidency of Michael D. Higgins. The President has particularly highlighted the impact of runaway climate change, stating that contemporary society will be “judged by future generations as to whether we averted our gaze from the vulnerabilities of our planet . . . or had the empathy necessary to celebrate our interdependency”.

Presentation of Biodiversity Report by Prof. Jane Stout and Dr. Aoibheann Gaughran, November 2020

President Higgins marked National Tree Day 2020 with members of the Easy Treesie Project and ‘Crann - Trees for Ireland’

President Higgins marked the start of the International Year of Plant Health by planting a tree in Dublin’s Phoenix Park