Model for individual farm recommendations for biodiversity restoration and landowner needs
Burrenbeo Trust is a landscape charity in the Burren, Co. Clare. The initial idea for this Hare’s Corner project was developed from the Burrenpine project, a conservation initiative by Burrenbeo Trust which focuses on restoring woodland of Pinus Sylvestris, Ireland’s only native pine tree.
The term ‘Hare’s Corner’ is an old farming expression for the corner of a field or an area of rough ground which wasn’t intensively farmed, so instead it was ‘left to nature’. The Key Objective for the Hare’s Corner EIP project as laid out in the initial proposal was to restore Pinus Sylvestris by creating new native pine dominated woodland habitats on species-poor farmland sites in Co.Clare. However, the project evolved to also focus on fostering partnerships and networking between landowners and biodiversity experts; between likeminded organisations working to protect biodiversity in Co.Clare; to inform future agri-environmental initiatives from the learnings of this project; and to support landowners in the creation of further biodiversity measures which included mini-woodlands, ponds, and mini-orchards.
The Hare’s Corner project piloted a new measure called ‘Plan for Nature’ where landowners in County Clare were visited by an ecologist to develop a simple, visual report with site-specific recommendations that enhance nature. An external contractor visited each ‘Plan for Nature’ site to investigate pre-existing habitats, understand the landowners’ needs and priorities and limitations. The findings, a list of 10 recommendations, and tips for action on enhancing the site for wildlife were drawn up. This was presented in a 2–3-page report with simple visuals, maps, actions and links to additional resources.
This measure gained the most interest among landowners, despite the participant being unpaid for their involvement and not receiving any materials to implement the recommended actions. This demand highlights the importance for individualised and tailored biodiversity plans on specific sites. While many communities have local biodiversity action plans, these may not suit individual needs, and don’t educate individuals on the habitats present on specific sites. Landowners benefit more from learning about their existing habitats were and what easy and manageable and tailored actions they could take to manage their biodiversity.
Through a combination of public funding and private funding through donations, this Plan for Nature measure has been scaled out to four countries. The external ecologist provided training to other interested ecologists in local authorities to implement the Plan for Nature measure in Clare, Mayo, Leitrim and Meath.
Find out more about this innovation by contacting Leo at leo@erinn.eu.
