'The Hare’s Corner' facilitates simple, impactful actions for nature
Landowners in six counties can apply for support to create wildlife ponds, mini woodlands, hedges, mini orchards and 'plans for nature' on their properties through the Hare's Corner initiative.
Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Meath, Offaly, and Carlow landowners are eligible to apply for The Hare's Corner, an innovative biodiversity undertaking by the non-profit organisation, Burrenbeo Trust.
Burrenbeo Trust is partnering with biodiversity officers in the relevant counties and Galway City Council through the Heritage Council's biodiversity officer programme, to offer hare’s corners to landowners.
This follows the growth of the initiative, which has helped create 1,600 habitats for biodiversity across four counties since its launch in 2021.
The initiative is inspired by the term ‘the hare’s corner’ - an old farming expression for an awkward section of a field that wasn’t intensively farmed and so was ‘left to nature’.
The aim of the project is to help create habitats that have proven benefits for biodiversity, for climate action, as well as for the wellbeing of participants.
The Hare’s Corner project offers landowners practical support to carry out simple but impactful actions for nature such as the creation of a wildlife pond; a native mini-woodland; a wildlife hedge; a heritage mini-orchard; and/or a bespoke ‘plan for nature’ for their site.
Support is offered in the form of materials: mixed species of native trees and heritage apple trees; micro-funding towards machinery costs for pond digging; professional services such as a hydrologist’s visit to help plan a pond; or an ecologist’s visit to ‘plan for nature’ and guidance.
The Hare’s Corner initiative will this year be funded through a combination of public and private sector funding, including the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Local Biodiversity Action Fund and is an action of the National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023–2030, with private funding from NTR PLC, Greencoat Renewables PLC, ESB, and Aldi Stores Ltd.
The application form is currently live on the Burrenbeo website and will be open until March 20 for landowners in the specified counties.
Oisín Meagher, a Hare’s Corner participant from east Clare, is enthusiastic about the initiative.
“I really think it is a brilliant and beautiful thing to create all these little gems around the county," Meagher said.
"I cannot overstate the joy I find in spending time down in the field at our new pond in all weathers, and the profound satisfaction that it brings to create even a tiny practical response to the massive biodiversity and climate crisis we are living through."
Leslie Maya from Glendree, Co.Clare, also commended the project. “We had a wonderful ecologist come visit our land as part of our ‘plan for nature’. She advised us on which trees to plant where, and what kind of grazing would allow us to have more flora and fauna thrive on the site."
The growing demand for the initiative has been truly inspiring, according to Fionn Doyle-Chowen of Burrenbeo Trust.
"Many landowners are eager to support nature but often struggle with knowing where or how to begin," she said.
"The Hare’s Corner initiative bridges this gap between awareness and action by offering practical guidance, essential materials, and, when needed, micro-funding, helping turn intentions into impactful biodiversity actions on the ground."
Landowners, farmers, community groups, and schools with land in an eligible county - or with permission to undertake work on a site within that county - are welcome to apply.
However, those participating in the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) or NPWS Farm Plan Scheme, as well as landowners with sites in designated areas - SACs, SPAs etc - are not currently eligible.
