Galway City Council has confirmed this week that it is applying Bluesky International’s National Tree Map (NTM) data to help the development of strategic planning policy designed to protect wildlife.
The city council engaged with the Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) to conduct a study using connectivity analysis software which can predict patterns of movement among wildlife populations.
The study considered a number of features to identify “key stepping stones” to protect and enhance wildlife in the future.
The output map also highlighted barriers to movement which would need to be addressed to support wildlife movement through and around the city.
Biodiversity officer at Galway City Council, Paula Kearney commented:
“The decline in biodiversity in Galway city, has been caused largely by habitat loss driven by changing land use.
“Habitat loss can fragment the remaining habitat leaving small and often scattered areas, often impacted by barriers.
Small habitat patches can act as stepping stones to favourable habitats.”
Focusing on the horseshoe bat, which is found in just six areas of Ireland, VWT was able to identify areas of high landscape connectivity.
Wildlife conservationist and scientific officer at the VWT, Patrick Wright said that the bat relies “heavily” on linear landscape features and that this makes it an “ideal” species to asses the impact of these features.
Kearney added that the model and outputs created by VWT using the NTM have been used to inform the Green Network for the Galway City Green Spaces Strategy.
Chief commercial officer at Bluesky International, Ralph Coleman added:
“Changes in agricultural practices and the expansion of urban areas are impacting not only the size and location of wildlife habitats, but also how animals navigate between them.
“Using the NTM to identify and record habitats, and then applying this information to inform planning policy, is imperative if we are to protect endangered and vulnerable species.”
Bluesky’s NTM
Bluesky’s NTM is created using innovative algorithms and image processing techniques, from the most “up-to-date” aerial photography and terrain data for the whole of Great Britain and Ireland.
It provides a detailed reference of the location, canopy cover and height of trees, 3m and talle,r which can be applied alongside other data.
The NTM data is used by a number of market sectors, e.g., local authorities, property developers and academic investigating the role of trees and green spaces and their impact on health, environment and infrastructure.