New wetland restoration project call for local participation in Midlands

A new Just Transition project is seeking expressions of interest from local individuals and groups to identify wetland sites to be restored.

The EU Just Transition Area includes municipal districts in the counties Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon, and the Municipal Districts of Ballinasloe.

Tóchar is a three-year wetlands restoration project, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme.

Taking its name from the hundreds of ancient paths or toghers laid across the bogs by our ancestors, the project will serve the community, bringing participants on a nature restoration journey.

Overall the project will spend €12m during its lifetime.

Welcoming the launch of the call for Expressions of Interest, Malcolm Noonan, the Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, TD, said: “The restoration of wetlands is part of the just transition journey towards climate neutrality, a journey where nature can play its part in the provision of a wide range of ecosystem services including nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

“Restoring wetlands as part of the Just Transition is essential and community participation in this type of activity has numerous benefits. I am delighted to announce the call for Expressions of Interest for the Tóchar Wetlands Restoration scheme and I look forward to its outcomes over the next number of years.”

Shirley Clerkin, Tóchar Project Manager said: “We hope that people will get involved in Tóchar, so that we can co-operate and build relationships together with the land and its wetlands.

“Restoration of nature goes hand in hand with improving the resilience of communities, particularly important during this time of climate change. We need to care for the land and its keepers, and this includes the wetlands and their users in the EU Just Transition area.”

Tóchar have opened an expression of interest call to landowners, communities and groups to become actively involved in nature restoration for wetlands across the EU Just Transition area.

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface all year or for varying periods of time during the year.

The wider midlands hosts a broad diversity of freshwater wetlands such as marshes, fens, bogs, callows and ponds, each playing a crucial role in ecology, climate change mitigation and adaptation, water quality, healthy environments, local communities and economies.

With support from Tóchar, nature in the heart of communities across the EU Just Transition territory can be restored with these associated benefits.

To support participants on this restoration journey, Tóchar have created a straightforward step-by step expression of interest form. The Tóchar team will follow up with the necessary assistance to progress projects.

The project is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with a project office in Birr.

The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) are the Managing Authority for the EU Just Transition fund.

To apply, complete the expression of interest form available npws.ie or email: monicambyrne@npws.gov.ie

Expressions of interest should be returned by email to tocharwetlands@npws.gov.ie by 31 October 2024.