Garrison is known as the “haymaking capital of Ireland” and now it is at the centre of a new project to save hay meadows throughout the country.
Local landowners and speakers at the recent meeting in the Lough Melvin Centre Garrison where the Save Our Magnificent Meadows was promoted
At a recent meeting in the Lough Melvin Centre, Garrison, recently, talks were given by Giles Knight, Project Officer of “Save Our Magnificent Meadows” and Dr. Patrick McGurn, Project Manager with AranLIFE.
Giles introducing the ‘Save our Magnificent Meadows’ project, led by Ulster Wildlife outlined the need for a community driven approach to help us protect and extend the wildlife habitats still found in this corner of the country.
The current project was viewed as a launch pad towards bringing socio-economic and environmental benefits to Garrison and beyond.
With Fermanagh at its hub, the audience, drawn from Leitrim and Tyrone too, appreciated that the time is right to get our collective act together.
Patrick McGurn was able to paint a picture of what is possible if the community dedicates itself to positive action.
He highlighted how the “Burren Farming for Conservation Programme” provided a case-study in how to proceed.
He commented: “Several years ago, some farmers got together and decided to take matters into their own hands. Step forward to to-day and an area specific scheme has been created with millions of euros being injected into the CountyClare economy, enabling farmers to deliver real environmental benefits.” Farmers present in Garrison were encouraged to go on an exchange visit to the Burren, or perhaps visit a comparable and emergent approach in CountyLeitrim.
Giles offered to organise these trips and would be interested to hear from other interested parties. Opportunities to speak directly to policy makers and highlight the challenges encountered in farming these areas for both food and public good(like wildlife and resource protection) will also be available.
The ‘Save our Magnificent Meadows’ project is the UK’s largest partnership project, led by Plantlife and primarily funded by Heritage Lottery Fund.
Designed to help transform the fortunes of our vanishing wildflower meadows, grasslands and wildlife,
Ulster Wildlife is leading on the initiative in Northern Ireland, with support from NIEA and local partners.
(Source – Impartial Reporter – Brian Donaldson – 04/12/2014)