Request for tenders to design and deliver wildlife schemes

Management teams are being recruited to help design and deliver hen harrier and freshwater pearl mussel schemes which will target up to 2,800 landowners.

A formal request for tenders has been published by the Department of Agriculture, who intend to appoint the project teams on foot of this before end of year.

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said he was moving to ensure the schemes are open to farmers in 2017, although formal approval for them was awaited from the EU.