A unique cross-Border partnership involving farmers and those wanting to protect the environment, has completed a programme of six creative farm walks.
Leitrim County Council and The Dock have been working with artists and farmers to host six creative Farm Walks this year.
The project was co-created with The Leitrim Sustainable Agriculture Group and the Ulster Wildlife Farmers’ Group in Fermanagh, and funded through the Creative Ireland Shared Island Programme.
Each Farm Walk featured a talk by an invited artist whose work resonates with that farm, its creative potential, heritage or other special characteristics.
Through the Farm Walks, the partners aim to build further capacity for cross-Border cooperation, to highlight common farming and environmental interests, to showcase the common themes of biodiversity, farming in harmony with nature, water quality, and climate action, and to explore the common ground between farmers and artists.
The final farm walk of the programme took place recently on the farm of Trevor Irwin, Boho, which focused on hedgerows, their management, the history and heritage that surrounds them.
It also focused on their importance for supporting biodiversity, providing shelter and wildlife corridors, and also included demonstrations on coppicing and hedge laying.
Earlier farm walks were based at Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim village, Boa Island (at the farm of Patrick McGurn), Co. Leitrim, Marlbank (at the farm of Aidan McGovern) and recently at the farm of Trevor Irwin, Boho.
Peter Gallagher of Ulster Wildlife set the scene for the day in Boho, saying it focused on hedgerow management, and there were presentations by artists, Maria McKinney and Phillip McCrilly, as well as a hedgerow talk and demonstration by Neil Foulkes.
Trevor firstly outlined his farm management where there was diversity such as species-rich grasslands and plenty of hedgerows.
He stocks 40 suckler cows, selling most calves as weanlings, but rearing some to older ages to fetch a premium payment at the live livestock sales.
Some of his farmland is designated an ASSI, and some bordering the Sillies River.
He saw the challenges for the future in the area as weather, the increasing deer population and TB.
During the farm walk, Neil Foulkes identified one hedge as being in existence for around 200 years, as it appeared on census maps from the time.
Most of Northern Ireland’s hedges were planted between 1750 and 1850, with approximately 110,000kms of hedges in existence where they provide essential habitats and older hedgerows hosting a variety of woodland plants.
Neil said hedges acted as a barrier at the margins of fields preventing soil erosion; they help manage water flow, and help protect animal and bird species.
They also provide windbreaks and shelter for livestock and crops.
However, he said while they are not self-sustaining, hedgerows need to be managed to ensure their long-term survival and vitality, through rejuvenation such as coppicing or hedge-laying.
He said long-established hedgerows played a significant role in carbon sequestration.
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