Farmer puts up prize for climate change competition
A FARMER from Moneygall has put up €1,000 of his personal funds as prize money for a competition that aims to encourage community groups in Co Tipperary to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss.
Sean O’ Farrell, owner of Cloncannon Biofarm on the foot of the Devil’s Bit, says he aims to stimulate Tidy Towns groups, local development associations and residents associations to create a plan for their area that will help to address these issues.
All entries must come from groups registered with Tipperary Public Participation Network.
“The Community Projects Planning for Climate & Biodiversity Competition” aims to stimulate communities and groups to identify and commence the development of projects, by creating a community plan. The PPN-registered group submitting the winning entry will receive the €1,000 prize.
Each Tidy Town group or resident’s association or local development association may submit one application only, although joint applications, where local groups combine in a project are welcome and will receive additional marks.
Later this year, funding will be available from the County Council and LEADER companies to support community actions addressing climate, environment and biodiversity issues.
This competition aims to stimulate communities to identify and commence the development of projects suitable for funding under these programmes, by them creating a community plan to be ready to apply for these funding streams.
Projects that groups may consider include, for example, maybe leasing a piece of land from a local authority to create an allotment; install a rainwater harvesting system at a community building; plant native trees and an edible hedgerow; create an orchard and soft fruit area around a community walking track.Other projects that could be considered for entry to the competition include developing an outdoor environmental centre to be used by a local primary or secondary school; erect bird and bat boxes/ boxes for swifts and barn owls; convert a section of a local public green area for culinary herbs and pollinators.
Details of additional projects to address climate change and biodiversity loss that will be considered for entry to the competition can be obtained from Mr O’ Farrell.
HOW TO ENTER
Firstly, identify an appropriate habitat-related project in your community. Then, prepare an outline development plan for the community project.
The winning entry will be the one which, in the opinion of the judges, is the most innovative plan, is likely to have the most significant community and environmental impacts, and which gives the best overall responses to the questions on the application form – available from Tipperary PPN or Mr O’ Farrell.
Application deadline is Friday, May 12 2023. Details of the competition are available from Sean O’ Farrell at email ofarrejf@tcd.ie or write to Sean O’Farrell, Cloncannon Biofarm, Moneygall, Roscrea, County Tipperary, E53 AE27. Sean is currently taking entries also.