Habitats Overview
Habitats of Conservation Importance
The habitats discussed below are some of the most important in Ireland. They provide a home to Irish wildlife and represent some of the most stunning scenery in the country, something appreciated by both Irish people and the millions of tourists who visit the island every year. These habitats provide crucial services, including food production, through the provision of grazing land, carbon sequestration, and flood prevention. To ensure that these natural habitats are preserved for future generations they need to be farmed sustainably, and conservation grazing is a tool that can be used to help achieve this.
For further information on these habitats explore ‘A Guide to Habitats in Ireland’ and the ‘Irish Vegetation Classification‘
A crosswalk has been created that shows how some of the most important EU habitats are classified within Ireland. These habitats are listed on Annex I of the EU Habitats Directive, which uses an identifier code for each habitat. These codes are listed in the crosswalk and in the descriptions below.
This website is a conservation initiative that aims to match Ireland’s traditional breeds with habitats of conservation importance, such as oak woodlands and coastal dunes. The information we have collected to date is a starting point from which we hope to develop a detailed understanding of how Ireland’s traditional breeds can be used to aid sustainable farming practices within these habitats
Habitat Types
Grasslands
Coastal
Peatlands
Woodlands
Uplands
Some of Ireland’s Rarest Habitats
