Provision of Hydrologist to support the KerryLIFE Project 2014-2019

Tender description

KerryLIFE is a 2014 LIFE+ Nature funded collaborative project to help restore the Caragh and Blackwater (Kerry) populations of freshwater pearl mussel, with the DAHG (NPWS), DAFM (Forest Service and Agriculture), South Kerry Development Partnership, Coillte and Teagasc as partners. The DAHG is the co-ordinating beneficiary. The project started in July 2014 and will run for five and a half years until December 2019 (http://www.npws.ie/researchprojects/KerryLIFE/). The freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) is listed on Annex II and Annex V of the EU Habitats Directive and protected under the Irish Wildlife Acts (1976 and 2000). It is considered to be critically endangered in Ireland (Byrne et al., 2009) and Europe (Cuttleod et al., 2011). The conservation status of the species was bad, when reported under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive in 2007 and again in 2013 (Moorkens et al., 2007, NPWS 2013). The purpose of this request for tender is to procure the support of a hydrologist in the development of Farm and Forest Management Plans under KerryLIFE.