Northern Ireland's Priority Species & Species of Conservation Concern
In Biodiversity in Northern Ireland: Recommendations to Government for a Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy, the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group recognised the need to develop lists of Northern Ireland priority species (which require conservation action) and species of conservation concern (which require monitoring because they may need conservation action in the future).
Draft lists of Northern Ireland priority species and Northern Ireland species of conservation concern (SOCC) were published in Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy Proposals in 1999.
In 2004 these lists were reviewed by:
- collating proposals and supporting information supplied by experts on species groups
- refining and applying the selection criteria
The current list comprises 457 Northern Ireland SOCC species, 271 of which have been selected as Northern Ireland priority species because they are considered to be under particular threat and require particular conservation action. The remaining species of conservation concern (186) require monitoring because they may need conservation action in the future.
Brief introduction to Priority Species
In Northern Ireland there are a number of plants and animals that are under threat and require conservation action. These species have been identified as Priority Species and the list stands at 271. Criteria have been developed to ensure that Priority Species have been chosen using a scientific basis.
The availability of a list of named species assists those involved in the conservation of biodiversity to concentrate efforts, by guiding decisions on where to target action and invest resources.
The following web pages provide an introduction to some of the Priority Species in Northern Ireland.
Brief introduction to Species of Conservation Concern
All 457 species listed are considered to be species of conservation concern (SOCC species). However, a number (271) of these species have been identified as Priority Species and detailed information on these species can be found elsewhere on this web site.
The status of the remaining 186 SOCC species will be surveyed and monitored and appropriate conservation action undertaken if required.
All SOCC and Priority Species will be reviewed on a regular basis which may result in species being added to, or removed from, the Priority Species list.
