Orchid Ireland Survey 2014

The focus of the project in 2014 was on the recording of orchid populations in Republic of Ireland sites holding areas of the Annex I habitat 6210 Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites) as listed under the E.U. Habitats Directive.

The data gathered was to be utilised to inform the next Article 17 assessment of the habitat. Twenty-five sites were selected for field surveys, the majority (20) deriving from Table 31 of The Irish Semi-natural Grasslands Survey [ISGS] 2007-2012. Irish Wildlife Manuals No. 78, which is a list of sites holding areas of the Annex I habitat 6210 considered by the authors of that report to be potentially the orchid-rich (priority) version of this habitat.