Thu, 28th Jul, 2022
Much progress has been made with the biodiversity project undertaken by KMK Metals Recycling staff at its Kilbeggan premises, as part of the company’s membership of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan
Environmental Quality Officer at KMK Metals Recycling, David Finane, worked with Alison Chambers of Slieve Bloom Design to create a detailed biodiversity plan, which staff members have been implementing over the summer months.
One of the first sections of the plan to be completed is a beautiful nature walk through the woodland area that runs along the side of the site. A snaking trail has been created and laid with wood chip mulch to make it really stand out. At the end of the trail, a picnic area has been set up using a table and benches made out of recycled plastic by Irish Recycled Products in Birr.
A blackbird nest box has been installed in the wooded area along with a feeder. A range of bird feeders, bird boxes, a bee house and a butterfly and lacewing house have been purchased and will be installed throughout the site at a later date to support and attract more birds and bees to the area.
Environmental Quality Officer, David Finane, said: “The reason we are going to gradually add the bird boxes and other items we have purchased is because the wooded area is acting as a pilot project for the rest of the site. We have started with the blackbird box as the blackbird is one of Ireland’s most common garden birds and one of its known breeding habitats is nesting in trees and brambles. This we have in abundance in the wooded area. It also feeds on grubs and small insects and we have these out in the feeder to attract them in.”
Although the site has many suitable wildflowers and natural hedges to suit bees, butterflies and many more insects, further plans for this area include introducing wildflowers such as bluebells and honeysuckle, which will attract bees during the summer months and provide berries for birds during the autumn.
David Finane, continued: “We are really enjoying seeing the plans for the biodiversity project come to life. One of the great things about working for a company that strives to help protect the environment, is that you get to work with a lot of like-minded people who have really got behind this project, especially our EHS Specialist Eamonn Pidgeon, our EHS Officer Aoife Flynn and our Facility Manager Alan O’Connor who all bring their own unique contributions to the project which are needed for its implementation and also for its progression going forward. The woodland trail, while obviously being a haven for birds, bees and butterflies, is also a lovely space for staff to take a break and switch off.”
