IRD Duhallow Progress Jun 21/22.qxp_Layout 1 21/07/2022 12:52 Page 12
2021 - 2022
IRD DUHALLOW | PROGRESS REPORT
EIP Blue Dot The Duhallow Blue Dot EIP project began in 2019 and aims to protect, restore, and enhance the quality of freshwater in the rivers and streams of the Allow River catchment. Participation has increased amongst the farming community of Duhallow with the original target for the project to have 85 applicants by the end of An EIP project farm sign erected on the farm the 2021 calendar year. As the of Mark Nunan project moves into its fourth year it has a total of 94 active farmers. We have in total received 125 expression of interest forms from prospective applicants. Project farmers in the EIP are implementing a wide range of measures in the project to protect and enhance the biodiversity of not only the river but also adjacent lands throughout the catchment.
Digester Hub. The study was conducted by XD Consultancy and completed in December 2021. As part of the consultation process for the study the project team facilitated both a farmer survey with the EIP project farmers and a stakeholder meeting. The stakeholder meeting was conducted in November 2021 with local Dairy co-ops, banks, GNI, and ICOS attending.
Schools’ Information Day at the James O’Keeffe Institute Marquee September 2021
Project Results Based Payments & Bespoke Measures Surveying of habitats and implemented measures was conducted on 85 land holdings last summer. Once measures were verified, payment was approved subject to a DAFM cross check. In 2021 we surveyed and verified both results-based measures and additional proposed or bespoke measures periodically. A total of €184,940 was verified and paid out to project farmers for 2021. These payments were a combination of results-based payments and for the implementation of additional proposed works such as riparian tree planting, farm roadway upgrades to prevent silt run-off and alternative water sources. Michael O'Connor performing a kick sample on The project uses a multi-faceted the river Dalua approach to achieving the aims of protecting, restoring, and enhancing the water quality in the catchment. Where an issue was identified at farm level impacting water quality or biodiversity in the riparian zone the project farmer was issued an updated plan with a bespoke measure to compliment the resultsbased measures. These additional proposed works can be funded up to 100% for the project farmer depending on its benefit to water quality, the environment or biodiversity.
Public Awareness & Communication Campaign The project team placed a large emphasis on running a public awareness campaign in 2021 with a number of areas targeted including stakeholder visits, schools’ visits, farm signage, project literature and social media. The project hosted several industry stakeholders over the course of 2021 & 2022 including, the Ulster Famers Union, Ulster wildlife, LAWPRO, Teagasc, Local Co-ops and CIEMM. We visited several schools throughout the Duhallow region with both classroom presentations and field trips to local rivers and streams to carry out a practical kick sample for biological sampling of macro-invertebrates. To inform the wider community on the importance of rivers with high status water quality in Blue Dot catchments the project team developed farm signs for the project farms participating in the EIP. Farmer Training & Information Events
The collection of baseline monitoring data with an invertebrate sample on the river Dalua
Farmer training, workshops and knowledge transfer constitute a core requirement for the project. The first project training event covered topics such as farm nutrient management, biological sampling of water quality and citizen science. Key areas that farmers will be encouraged to report on will be the biodiversity value of newly created or restored habitats, the farmyard connection drain, the use of macroinvertebrates as bio indicators of water quality, and the assessment of deposited sediment in instream habitats and drainage ditches. A number of field events were held this past year on demonstration farms. Industry stakeholders attended specialised events including ASSAP, Kerry Agri, North Cork Creameries and Grassland Agro on soil biological activity, soil health, grassland management and reducing chemical fertiliser inputs on farms.
Project Collaborations
From Left IRD Duhallow staff Michael O'Connor & Michael Morrissey with Tony Ahern EIP Project farmer & Fran Igoe LAWPRO
IRD Duhallow EIP collaborated with a number of industry stakeholders throughout 2021 including LAWPRO, Gas Network’s Ireland and local dairy co-ops. Several collaborations with LAWPRO including a farm roadway upgrade to prevent silt run-off, a riparian tree planting project and information booklets for schools were completed. In collaboration with the GNI innovation fund and LEADER we conducted a 10-month feasibility study into the suitability of the Duhallow region for an Anaerobic
Student Placements Student placements commenced with the project for the first time in 2021 with the arrival of four third year wildlife biology students from the Munster Technical University. The students performed a number of tasks such as administration, mapping and surveying for biodiversity and some practical training in measures scoring and water quality biological sampling.
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