IFA President Padraig Walshe will this evening launch a new reference book for farmers providing advice on nature conservation and the protection of important habitats in the context of practical farming. ‘The Living Farmland - A Guide To Farming With Nature In Clare’ includes profiles of nine farmers who have successfully incorporated environmental management into their farming enterprises. The publication is a joint initiative between Rural Resource Development (Clare LEADER), Clare IFA, Teagasc and Clare County Council.
According to Mr. Padraig Walshe, President of the IFA, “The Living Farmland’ is in the first place a celebration of Clare’s rural landscapes and farmlands. It is an informative and beautifully illustrated book that identifies and describes the great variety of wildlife habitats in Clare, including many which are the product of farming practices.”
‘The Living Farmland’ profiles the main farm habitats found in Clare, including rock, grassland, peatland, fresh water, coastal, rock, cultivated and built, woodland and wildlife corridors. Among the topics covered by the book are hedge laying and native tree planting, the creation of man-made ponds to facilitate freshwater habitats, the management of invasive species like mink and the zebra mussel, the introduction of measures aimed at protecting species such as Lesser Horseshoe Bats and Barn Owls, and the protection of sites of archaeological and heritage importance.
The book also highlights common environmental issues confronted by farmers, including greenhouse gases, water quality and agricultural wastes, along with opportunities in renewable energy technologies.
The farmers profiled in the new book are Shane Casey (Fanore), Christy O’Grady (Ennis), Andrew Killeen (Doonbeg), John O’Connell (Ballynacally), Brendan Considine (Kilmurry), Martin Murphy (Cahermurphy, Kilmihil), Liam Walsh (Rylane, Tulla), Sean Bugler (Scariff) and Mark Donnellan (Kilkishen).
‘The Living Farmland - A Guide To Farming With Nature In Clare’ is available at selected bookshops, as well as the Clare County Council Corporate Headquarters and local area offices, Rural Resource Development Offices in Shannon and Teagasc offices throughout Clare. For further information please contact Rural Resource Development at 061-361144 or see http://www.rrd.ie/.
IMAGES FROM 'THE LIVING FARMLAND'
John O'Connell at his farm on Deer Island, one of the largest islands in the Shannon Estuary. John is one of the few farmers in Ireland that need to carry a tide table with them all times. Here he is pictured at his old family homestead on Deer Island, which is now uninhabited
Sean Bugler on his farm at Moynoe, Scariff
Mark Donnellan on his farm at Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge
Three generations of the Casey family at their farm in Murrough, Fanore in North Clare. Pictured from L-R are Joseph, Jack and Shane Casey
Bluebell Woodland in County Clare
