The Shannon Airport Campus lies in a unique location on the Shannon Estuary, County Clare. It is an area of rich biodiversity, most notably in relation to the Lower River Shannon Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries Special Protection Area (SPA). Rineanna ‘Peninsula’ and the airport’s lagoon or ‘Western Drainage System’, lie within the SAC. The airport lagoon is also an SPA and a proposed National Heritage Area (pNHA).
 
According to the WWF, there has been a 68% decline, on average, in global populations of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians since 1970. A 2019 Global Assessment Report reports that one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, which is the highest figure in human history. Of the species that have been assessed in Ireland, one in every fifth species is threatened with extinction here. Within this, a third of our bee species are threatened with extinction. It is clear that nature is under immense pressure from human activity.

Developing and implementing a Biodiversity Action Plan is a key action under the “Creating Community Impact” pillar of The Shannon Airport Group’s Sustainability Strategy, Reaching Further for Good. 
The Group have worked with Flynn Furney Environmental Consultants to develop the Biodiversity Action Plan with the mission of becoming a biodiversity-friendly airport and business campus. The key aims of this this plan are to grow the knowledge of the biodiversity present across the Shannon Campus and to protect and enhance it using the most appropriate and eco-friendly methods available. 

We're Taking Action

The plan outlines a number of actions, including a “Low Mow” pollinator friendly grass management regime, pollinator friendly planting, installation of bird, bat and solitary bee boxes, woodland enhancement, hedgerow management, habitat transition monitoring, and education, outreach and engagement.

Learn more about how we are enhancing and protect the biodiversity around our Shannon campus below;