Is tionscadal ar leith é Clár na Boirne i gContae an Chlár a thacaíonn le feirmeoirí chun bainistíocht a dhéanamh ar a gcuid tailte ar bhealaí a thacaíonn leis an mbithéagsúlacht. An mhí seo caite, thug grúpa feirmeoirí as Corca Dhuibhne cuairt ar an gceantar sin, ag bualadh le bainisteoir chláir agus saoi bithéagsúlachta Brendan Dunford chun fáil amach conas mar a oibríonn an tionscadal seo ar mhaithe feirmeoirí agus an dúlra araon.

The Burren Programme in Clare is a unique project supporting farmers to manage their land in ways that support biodiversity. Last month, a group of West Kerry farmers took a trip there to meet up with programme manager and biodiversity guru, Brendan Dunford and to see how the project works for farmers and nature.

This group is taking part in our Creative Climate Action project, Corca Dhuibhne Inbhuanaithe, A Creative Imagining, led by Dingle Hub –  funded by the Creative Climate Action Fund.

Tar éis dúinn Corca Dhuibhne a fhágaint go luath ar maidin, bhuaileamar le Brendan ag an Tobar, áit ar thug sé cuntas fíorspéisiúil  faoi conas mar a d’fhorbair Clár na Boirne mar thionscadal feirmeoir-stiúrtha. Bíonn rannpháirtíocht sa chlár roghnach, ach tá formhór na bhfeirmeoirí sa dúthaigh ina rannpháirtithe gníomhacha. Is í an tsímplíocht croílár an cur chuige atá acu – níl aon pháipéarachas i gceist do na feirmeoirí, a bhfaigheann díolta as gach beart ar leith a thugann siad faoi a thacaíonn le bithéagsúlacht. Is féidir le rannpháirtithe suas le €10,000 a thuilleamh sa bhliain as na ‘héiceasheirbhísí’ seo a sholáthar.

After an early start from West Kerry, we met Brendan in Tubber, where he gave a fascinating account of how the Burren Programme evolved as a farmer-led project. Participation is optional but the majority of farmers in the Burren are active participants. Simplicity is the key to their approach – there’s no paperwork involved for the farmers, who get paid for individual measures which support biodiversity. Participants can earn up to €10,000 annually for supplying these ‘eco-services’.

We spent time in the Burren National Park where Brendan talked about the positive impacts of the farmers’ work on nature before heading to Killnaboy for lunch in the famous parochial house from TV show Father Ted!  Later we spoke with more farmers involved in the Burren Programme. The journey back to West Kerry allowed for plenty of lively discussion on all that we had seen and the possibility of establishing a similar scheme in West Kerry. Food for thought!

Chaitheamar tamall i bPáirc Náisiúnta na Boirne, mar ar labhair Brendan faoin tionchar dearfach a bhíonn ag obair na bhfeirmeoirí ar an dúlra. Ansin chuamar ar aghaidh go Cill Iníon an Bhaoith don lón i dTigh cáiliúil na Sagart ón gclár teilifíse Father Ted! Níos déanaí, labhraíomar lena thuilleadh feirmeoirí atá bainteach le Clár na Boirne. Thug an turas abhaile go Corca Dhuibhne deis mhaith chainte dúinn chun gach a bhí feidthe againn a phlé, chomh maith leis an bhféidearthacht go mbunófaí a leithéid de scéim i gCorca Dhuibhne. Ábhar machnamh, ambaiste!

A visit to an anaerobic digestor in Limerick is the next trip for our group. Beidh cuairt ar dhíleátóir anaeróbach i Luimneach mar an gcéad turas eile againn.