Over 141 farmers in the Lough Neagh area have joined the Lough Neagh Environmental Farm Scheme benefiting from in excess of £4 million of new Farm Scheme investment, making a lasting impact on the shores of Lough Neagh and its eastern rivers. Home to two of Northern Ireland’s most successful Environmental Farm Group Projects, the DAERA funded projects are situated along the southern and western shores of the Lough and along the wider eastern shore.
Aimed at restoring and enhancing the number of important habitats and wildlife species along the shoreline together with helping improve water quality and soil management, the Scheme has been managed for the past three years by The Lough Neagh Partnership, a stakeholder body overseeing the management of the Lough.
The Projects encourage farmers to come together as part of a Membership Group and liaise with one central coordinator who in turn helps them draw up environmental farm plans, gives general good environmental management advice, provides group training, and arranges best practice visits to farms in other parts of the country. Through the help of the coordinator, many farmers are now carrying out environmentally friendly farming practices on their land.
Group Scheme Coordinator Michael Meharg farms within the project area with his wife Judy. Michael highlighted the importance of the schemes for farmers and for managing this High Nature value area. He said: “Lough Neagh is one of our most important environmental sites in the whole of Northern Ireland. However a lot of its wetland nature has become degraded and we have witnessed a huge decline in the amount of wetland birds such as curlew, snipe, and lapwings. Indeed, the curlew which was once a quite common bird around the Lough is now fighting for survival. The two new Group Farm Schemes around the Lough have encouraged farmers to come together and avail of DAERA funding and good advice that is now allowing them to manage this very important landscape more sensitively, protect important habitats and species for the future and receive funding for their efforts.”
Speaking about the remarkable success of the Schemes, Gerry Darby, Manager of the Lough Neagh Partnership, stressed the importance of farmers working together and the need to have someone who lives and works on a farm in the area, as the main coordinator. “The Group delivery of these new innovative schemes is particularly important, as farmers can share their own experiences and help persuade their farming neighbours or friends of the benefits of the scheme. Local farmer Michael Meharg has been a great influence in the scheme and his involvement is especially important as he is able to develop trust and strong working relationships with local farmers as they recognise him as a Lough Neagh farmer who can fully understand the challenges farming in this difficult landscape can bring and how participation in the Project can help improve the farm business and the environment.”
664ha of wet grassland and numerous sites improving the opportunities for 8 priority species are now under better environmental management while 190 km of watercourse fencing has been installed to improve water quality. An Irish Moiled Cattle Agri-food Co-operation Scheme has also been established to help market quality meat products through this exciting initiative.
To enquire about participating in the Lough Neagh Group Projects or for further information about their success, email Michael at: [email protected].
