Legacy4LIFE was a 2-year programme which aimed to develop community-based supports for Ireland’s natural environment, with a focus 󠅲on biodiversity enhancement, environmental protection and climate mitigation.

The €0.5m programme was one of two EU LIFE Projects awarded in the Republic of Ireland in 2021, and was co-funded by the EU LIFE Programme (the EU’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action), the European Climate Foundation, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

 

The Legacy4LIFE programme consists of three distinct projects, which you can learn more about below:

• Promoting Ponds as Reservoirs of Biodiversity
• Advancing Farm-to-Fork
• Green Communities - Development of a Low Carbon Town Plan
  

You can read our final report on the projects here. Also, check out our Legacy4Life blog here.

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Ponds for Biodiversity

The aim of this project was to enhance the role that ponds can play as biodiversity refugia by supporting capacity development and expertise in pond creation, management and conservation. The project worked to enhance public awareness and mobilise community consciousness regarding the amenity value these small wetland habitats possess for biodiversity, water quality and climate adaptation.

Ponds are extraordinary reservoirs of biodiversity and have a critical role as Ireland faces our significant biodiversity loss. Over 50% of Ireland’s amphibian wetlands have been lost to drainage, industrial peat extraction, pollution, and natural senescence in the past 100 years. Of the 12,200 small enclosed water bodies across Ireland, 8,000 are less than a hectare in extent and the smallest categories have been subject to the greatest pressures. Ponds have been demonstrated to host more biodiversity than rivers and lakes, particularly macroinvertebrates and less common species (⅔ of all freshwater species!). Permanent and naturally vegetated ponds are excellent at carbon sequestration (Gilbert et al., 2014). Taylor et al. (2019) found that small ponds sequestered 20-30 times the amount of carbon compared with woodlands, grasslands and other habitats.

The objectives of the project were:

• To establish a network of local authorities and other bodies who understand the value of ponds, and commit to protecting/creating ponds on public lands.
• To create a set of demonstration sites across Ireland which demonstrate to practitioners and policy makers how ponds can help to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.
• To ascertain the status of recent pond initiativesTo establish an ‘adopt a pond’ network of citizen scientists/community groups to monitor and manage the newly created ponds, or existing ponds. Information to be fed back to the National Biodiversity Centre
• To disseminate the project’s results to policy makers, practitioners, and other stakeholders.
• To engage individuals to establish ponds in their gardens, with clear guidance and tips, and a portal to enter their pond location, potential for awards for the most ‘pond-friendly’ town/county in Ireland.
• To build capacity within Ireland for pond expertise, and operators skilled in pond creation.

Click here for more resources and the outputs of the Ponds for Biodiversity project.

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Advancing Farm-to-Fork

The ‘Advancing Farm to Fork’ project aimed to educate both producers and consumers in Ireland regarding opportunities offered by the Farm to Fork strategy, and to clarify scientific evidence regarding the environmental impacts of current (intensive) agricultural practices.

A key objective of the ‘Advancing Farm-to-Fork’ project was to promote organic farming as a viable alternative to current conventional practices, for its many benefits in supporting farmer and rural livelihoods, wellbeing, community, and sustainability, as well as its potential for reducing environmental impacts, enhancing biodiversity, climate mitigation, and Irish food security (of particular relevance following Brexit, Covid-19, and the ongoing Ukrainian crisis). The project aimed to facilitate a conversation for farmers, stakeholders, and policy makers, which could be used to inform a bottom-up approach to policy and scheme design, allowing current gaps to be identified and bridged, facilitating improved future uptake and representation of organics in the agricultural landscape. 

The project also promoted organic farming at the community level, aiming to educate farmers and stakeholders on the benefits and viability of organic farming by showcasing best practice examples from existing successful organic farms around the country, and providing educational resources which will allow existing knowledge-transfer gaps to be addressed.

A second element of the project aimed to clarify the scientific evidence-base informing the urgent need to move away from our current intensification-driven agricultural model, to a more sustainable food production system.  Central to this was a study to model the potential trajectories for carbon emissions from the agricultural sector under different scenarios, emphasising the need for accurate measurement of emissions and legitimate reductions, if our binding targets are to be achieved.

Click here for more resources and the outputs of the Advancing Farm to Fork project.

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Low Carbon Communities

The Green Communities team piloted the project in two Irish towns: Maynooth in Co. Kildare, and Ballyvaughan in Co. Clare. Each town - one rural and one urban - provided fascinating and important opportunities for decarbonisation and town planning.

There was a strong focus on community engagement within the low carbon town plan, and an exploration of sustainable finance within the implementation strategy for the plan. It will require a strong effort at community engagement to carry the message of energy and climate awareness into people’s lives and affect to affect our collective behaviour. To carry people along the journey toward 2050 carbon neutrality we will need to include the public in the planning of our low carbon towns and to adjust on societies terms when necessary.

The Green Communities Low Carbon Plan also aimed to further develop community awareness, participation, and empowerment while linking the different strands of the European Green Deal at the same time. Most importantly the plan will deliver on Theme 1 of the European Green Deal; "Increasing Climate Ambition".

Click here for the An Taisce Green Communities Low Carbon Planning Resources

Legacy4LIFE Project Launch May 2022

Read the Press Release.

Photo Credit: Damien Eagars (L-R): Robert Moss (Green Communities Project Lead), Rob Gandola (Pond Development Officer) , Ellen O'Hora (Agricultural Social Researcher), Aoife O'Rourke (Pond Development Officer), Minister Malcom Noonan, Francesca Loughran (Agricultural and Ponds Researcher), John Liston (Agricultural Social Researcher), Prof John Sweeney (An Taisce Board Member), Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD

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