Ireland

For the first time a comprehensive overview of geo-conservation in Europe has been presented in a book. Geoheritage in Europe and its Conservation includes specific contributions from 37 countries focussing on legislation and geoconservation practices. The only record of the history of our planet lies in the rocks beneath our feet: rocks and the landscape are the memory of the Earth.

The Wild Places is both an intellectual and a physical journey, and Macfarlane travels in time as well as space. Guided by monks, questers, scientists, philosophers, poets and artists, both living and dead, he explores our changing ideas of the wild.

The report gives an account of Ireland's natural heritage or biodiversity, starting with the legislative framework designed to protect it, and presents a brief portrait of some of the contry's more important habitats and elements of her flora and fauna. The main threats to biodiversity in Ireland are discussed and the report concludes by attempting to assess the state of the natural environment and how efforts to manage and safeguard our natural heritage are progressing.

This report examines Ireland’s progress since the previous OECD Environmental Performance Review in 2000. It analyses the extent to which Ireland has met its national objectives and international commitments regarding the management of the environment and natural resources since the previous review. Many positive achievements are recorded that will be of interest to those seeking to identify efficient and effective means to achieve environmental policy goals.