Local Action at The Balmoral Show
This year we had an outdoor stand, 'Local Biodiversity - Take Action!' highlighting and displaying examples of a range of species and habitats found all around Northern Ireland.
The stand was jointly developed by our Biodiversity Unit, Corporate Communications and both our Local Biodiversity and the industry and conservation organisation officers.
Whether you live in uplands, near the coast or in the city, you were able to talk to officers who work to enhance biodiversity in those areas.
The aim was to both inform and encourage the public to find out what they can do to help wildlife near to them.
Each featured habitat contained display boards (.PDF 2.7Mb)
which described the habitats and species on view and also contained the answers to the on-stand quiz which was entered by 100s of children over the three days of the show. 
Many of the displays gave practical tips on how to provide homes for wildlife where you live.
Bee hives, bumble bee nest boxes, native plants, ponds, mixed species hedgerows and other tips to provide suitable habitats to encourage different species to set up home in your garden or on your farm.
The message was also to protect our existing species and habitats, a role which the local Biodiversity Officers are dedicated to as part of their Local Biodiversity Action Plans. 
They can't do this on their own, so are always looking for local help and volunteers to assist with projects to conserve and enhance the biodiversity which is important to their local communities.
The Balmoral Show was an ideal opportunity for the officers to meet with large numbers of members of the public and get their important messages across.
As councils move towards the implementation of the Review of Public Administration (RPA) in 2011 they will be taking on an increased role in planning and a further responsibility for a ‘biodiversity duty of care’ resulting from the review of the Wildlife Order.
With these extra responsibilities, staff with experience and knowledge of biodiversity and related matters will be at a premium within councils.
We (NIEA) will conitinue to support the employment of these officers both financially through grant aid programmes and by skills training and career development through the Biodiversity Officers Forum.
