A hare's corner for every corner of Carlow is being rolled out this year in the County

The Hare’s Corner, an innovative biodiversity initiative by the nonprofit organisation Burrenbeo Trust, in conjunction with Carlow County Council’s Biodiversity Officer, is being rolled out this year to landowners across County Carlow, following successful pilots in the county during 2023 and 2024.

Inspired by the term ‘The Hare’s Corner’ - an old farming expression for an awkward section of a field, which wasn’t intensively farmed and so was ‘left to nature’ (often referred to as Gearróg in parts of Carlow) - the aim of this project is to help create habitats that have proven benefits for biodiversity, for climate-action, and for the wellbeing of participants.

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The Hare’s Corner project offers landowners (farmers and non-farmers, businesses, sporting organisations, schools and community groups), practical support to carry out simple but impactful actions for nature such as creation of a wildlife pond, a native mini-woodland, a wildlife hedge, a heritage mini-orchard, with apple trees from Irish Seed Savers Association and/or a bespoke ‘plan for nature’ for their site. This 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.

Shane Casey, Biodiversity Officer for Co. Carlow commented, “The Burrenbeo Trust are world class exemplars in delivering practical conservation actions, so we’re delighted to bring their expertise to Carlow through the Hare’s Corner project, and we hope as many landowners as possible will take up the opportunity. As a Burren native myself, I’m really looking forward to providing the local support necessary to rollout this fantastic initiative to every corner of Carlow.

“The growing demand for this initiative has been truly inspiring. Many landowners are eager to support nature but often struggle with knowing where or how to begin. 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,” says Fionn-Doyle Chowen of Burrenbeo Trust.

The Hare’s Corner initiative in Co. Carlow in 2025 will be funded through the Heritage Council’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan Fund, the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Local Biodiversity Action Fund, and Carlow County Council.
Applications are open from 6th to 20th March, and can be accessed through www.burrenbeo.com/thc.