Woodland Creation Talk and Site Visit in Ring of Gullion
The Ring of Gullion team, Cullyhanna and Mullaghbane Community Associations and a number of partners are inviting all landowners and farmers to the last event of the Shared Landscape – Shared Waters project in Mullaghbane Community Centre on Saturday 11th March starting at 10.30am.
The team will be joined by the Woodland Trust and Carolyn Trimble from IndiWoods, a woodland creation agent who will be outlining benefits of planting trees on your land especially beside water and how you can access funding to create tree enhanced boundaries, traditional orchards, agro-forestry, new hedgerows, and riparian buffers (strips along the rivers).
Agro-forestry is a type of farming in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops/ animals grazing. There are many competing demands on our land. However, integrating trees and woodland into farmland can bring great benefits such as shade and shelter for animals, minimising run-off from fields, and reducing the impact of flooding. Trees in hedgerows, and small copses or shelter belts all contribute to creating more resilient landscapes.
Famers who have taken part of the Soil Sampling part of the project will also get an update on the findings of the tests and given advice on the next steps for saving money on fertiliser and manures. There will be a site visit to Padraig Carragher’s Slieve Gullion Pods and his newly planted 5ha woods.
Tracey McVerry, an artist with ROGHA has being working with a Forkhill, Mullaghbane and Cullyhanna Primary Schools to gather their ideas of how the children want to use the rivers and lakes in the areas. Some of the artwork will be on display on the day.
Councillor Gillian Fitzpatrick, Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council explains, ““This workshop is designed to be both informative and practical. We hope to give landowners a range of ideas in regards planting trees on their land and showing them the benefits involved for themselves and their livestock.”
“We had a great event in Cullyhanna on Saturday with lots of interest from a range of ages in the community with a special appearance from Big Tom, who shared some of his memories of fishing on the local rivers. We have started to open the eyes of the community to the potential of their rivers and lakes and got them thinking about what they want to see the rivers and lakes used for. Thank you to all the partners involved.”
The Shared Waters-Shared Landscape Project is a partnership of between Mullaghbane and Cullyhanna Community Association, Dundalk Institute of Technology’s Centre for Freshwater and Environmental Studies, Ulster Farmer’s Union, Coomhola Salmon Trust Ltd., Newry Mourne and Down District Council’s Ring of Gullion Partnership and Woodland Trust. This project is funded through the Northern Ireland’s Environment Agency’s Challenge Fund.
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