Welcome to another episode of Ours To Protect, as we take a closer look at biodiversity and sustainability in Co Clare.
Last week we heard about the Local Authority Waters Programme or LAWPRO and the work they’re doing to identify the issues affecting water quality in every county in Ireland.
Community engagement is the cornerstone of this approach to combine local and expert knowledge for a better understanding of what’s happening in a local catchment and waterbody.
Today, we’ll find out what local communities can do to protect their wetland areas.
Pat Flynn has been chatting with Ruairí Ó’ Conchúir, Community Water Officer for LAWPRO in Clare.
Did You Know?
*A core function of LAWPRO is to work with community groups to support the work already being done to promote better water quality, and to encourage more groups to get involved. Community involvement is key to the protection and management of local waterbodies.
This is being achieved through a three-stage process:
Raising awareness of LAWPRO and engaging communities on local water quality issues and concerns.
Supporting community involvement in the stewardship of local streams, rivers, lakes, and coasts.
Building capacity within local communities through knowledge funding and training.
Funding
The Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage funds LAWPRO to provide the Community Water Development Fund. This fund supports community groups to enhance the quality of local streams, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. The fund has been in place since 2017, with growing interest year on year.
The standard of applications for funding is high, making the assessment process more difficult. The fund delivers a broad range of water projects that benefit the amenity of local areas. Types of projects approved for funding include:
Awareness raising initiatives such as river clean ups, biodiversity information boards, citizen science workshops, outdoor classrooms, rainwater harvesting, and enhancement of wetlands.
Preparation of local plans such as feasibility studies, habitat management plans, ecological surveys, and biodiversity action plans.
River and habitat enhancement works such as planting of native species and hedgerow, pollinator friendly planting, river-bank stabilisation, fencing and riparian buffer zones.
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