Galway, Mayo, Meath, and Leitrim landowners can apply for support to create wildlife ponds, mini-woodlands, mini-orchards, ‘plans for nature’ or ‘peatland plans’ on their land through The Hare’s Corner initiative.
Applications open 15th – 31st March 2024 at burrenbeo.com/thc
The Hare’s Corner, an innovative biodiversity initiative coordinated by the Burren-based landscape charity, Burrenbeo Trust, is being rolled out this year to landowners in Counties Galway, Mayo, Meath and Leitrim. This follows the successful piloting of the non-profit initiative in Clare and Mayo which resulted in the creation of 125 ponds, 200 orchards, 175 native mini-woodlands and 97 plans for nature by landowners, farmers, and community groups across these counties.
Inspired by the term ‘The Hare’s Corner’ – an old farming expression for an awkward section of a field which wasn’t intensively farmed and so was ‘left to nature’ – the aim of this project is to help create habitats that have proven benefits to biodiversity, climate-action as well as to the wellbeing of participants.
The Hare’s Corner project offers landowners ‘hassle free’ support to carry out simple but impactful actions for biodiversity such as creation of a wildlife pond, a native mini-woodland, a heritage mini-orchard with apple trees from Irish Seedsavers Association and/or a bespoke ‘plan for nature’ or ‘peatland plan’ for their site. This support is offered in the form of materials (native trees and heritage apple trees), micro-funding (e.g. machinery costs for pond digging), professional services (such as a hydrologist’s visit to help plan a pond, or an ecologist’s visit to ‘plan for nature’, or for a ‘peatland plan’) and guidance.
Burrenbeo Trust is partnering with the Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE IP in Mayo, Biodiversity officers in counties Galway, Leitrim, and Meath and Galway city to be able to offer 600 more Hare’s Corners across these counties. The Local Authority Biodiversity Officer Programme is delivered in Partnership with the Heritage Council. The Hare’s Corner initiative in 2024 will be funded through a combination of public and private sector funding – including the Local Biodiversity Action Fund supported by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NTR PLC, NTR Foundation, Lifes2Good Foundation, Greencoat Renewables PLC and FuturEnergy Ireland.
An application portal is open from 15th March to 31st March for landowners in the four counties and can be accessed through www.burrenbeo.com/thc.
“We received guidance and funding and more importantly encouragement to create a wildlife pond from The Hare’s Corner team’, says Connie Corry of Ennis Mens Shed group. He added, “One and half years later, we did a study on it and identified 30 different species in and around the pond. Our members really enjoy this pond and now we are designated as one of just six ponds in the whole country as a demonstration site for ponds.”
Maeve Ryan, landowner from Co. Clare says, “Receiving a ‘Plan for Nature’ visit from The Hare’s Corner was like getting an education on your own land, opening your eyes to something you mightn’t have noticed before. The ecologist identified 8 areas on our land for us where we could make small and very manageable changes to enhance biodiversity. The tips were priceless – and came with a map of our site and I keep them handy on my phone at all times.”
According to Lee Worrell of Burrenbeo Trust, “Landowners can apply for one or more biodiversity actions and participation in the Hare’s Corner involves no cost to, and minimal hassle for, the landowner. All we ask in return from beneficiaries is their commitment to act as ‘stewards’ of their own special Hare’s Corner. However, places will be limited by available budget so screening conditions such as suitability of the proposed site for the biodiversity measure may be used to select applications. Our heartfelt thank-you goes to our partners and funders in the four counties whose support is enabling us to offer The Hare’s Corner initiative in these areas.”
If the call is oversubscribed, then places may be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Preference is also given to community groups and schools. To avoid double-funding, farmers who are ACRES or NPWS Farm Plan Scheme participants are currently not eligible to apply. Further funding support for projects may be granted subject to available funding.
Application link and further information: burrenbeo.com/thc