Proposal for habitat surveys and condition assessments for three blanket bog SACs in County Galway

LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature (WAN) is an EU LIFE Integrated Project (LIFE IP), which aims to progress the implementation of the Priority Action Framework (PAF) for Ireland with special regards to blanket bog and associated habitats in the northwest of Ireland. The project is responsible for identifying the gaps and obstacles to the full implementation of the PAF, which includes baseline habitat surveys of blanket bog and associated habitats. From 2023 to 2027, the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) Co-Operation Projects will deliver the Results Based Payments Scheme (RBPS) to all target upland sites. It is envisaged that WAN will collaborate with the ACRES co-operation project teams through the provision of support to the teams and facilitation of habitat assessment and monitoring. This request for tender seeks a suitable contractor to complete habitat mapping surveys and condition assessments of blanket bog and associated habitats within 3 SACs in County Galway (listed in Table 1 below). The contractor will initially carry out a desktop review to identify areas of blanket bog and associated habitats. These areas will be surveyed to classify and map habitats, record condition assessment plots and relevés (quadrats) at pre-defined representative locations as identified by the contractor across these sites.