The Waters of LIFE Pilot Agri-Environmental Programme is about to enter Year 2 and participating farmers are looking ahead to putting actions in the ground for water quality. Year one of participation focuses on programme induction and assessment of farms. Farmers undergo training to help them understand and maximise their involvement in the EU-funded initiative.
“The runoff risk assessment highlighted a few things to me,” Michael Trayers says. Michael is standing on his sheep farm in Co. Galway, overlooking the Springfield river. He is chatting to local farmers about water quality risks on his farm. He’s up for making some changes. “The fencing over there is right up against the
Waters of LIFE is commencing intake for Year 2 of its pilot agri-environmental programme. 263 farmers are already active across the project’s sub-catchments in Clare, Cork, Galway, Roscommon and Wicklow. That amounts to over 10,000 hectares of farmed area managed for water quality through the EU-funded initiative. Eligible farmers who submitted an expression of interest
Waters of LIFE are inviting local landowners to a farming workshop on nutrient efficiency in Stuake, Co. Cork on Thursday March 26th 2026. The event is open to all farmers in the Awbeg (Kilbrin) and Shournagh sub-catchments. Farmers in the Waters of LIFE Agri-Environmental Programme Pilot receive a payment for their active participation in the
Waters of LIFE have welcomed 17 new advisors to participate in its Agri-Environmental Programme pilot for 2026. The group were trained at events in Mallow and Tuam ahead of a new recruitment window for participating farmers in March and April. Advisors play a central role in delivering the agri-environmental pilot. They act as ambassadors for
Waters of LIFE is reopening its training and development programme to nominated agricultural advisors in 2026. Advisors will be invited to take part in the programme if: They are registered as an FAS Approved Agricultural Agent Have been nominated by an eligible farmer for 2026 entry into the Waters of LIFE Agri-Environmental Programme pilot. Advisors
Waters of LIFE are inviting participants of its agri-environmental programme to a farm walk and training event in the Islands sub-catchment. Training will focus on how pollutants like fine sediment and phosphorous can end up in rivers as well as actions to address runoff. Date: Thursday December 11th 2025 Location: Fr. Flanagan Memorial Centre, Ballymoe
Waters of LIFE and Bord Bia are to host online training on AgNav for approved advisors. Training will take place online on Thursday December 4th 2025 at 11:00. What is AgNav? AgNav is a national online interactive digital platform developed by Teagasc, Bord Bia and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation. AgNav calculates nitrogen and phosphorus surpluses for
Waters of LIFE have secured the services of a team of registered foresters to provide expert forest management advice and support to the project. Following a successful tender process, Purser Tarleton Russell Ltd will work with both public and private foresters on behalf of the project. They will also provide direct support to landowners within
Waters of LIFE had a chance to show its EU oversight how participating farmers are making space for nature at a recent monitoring visit. The project headed to Lough Mountain Farm in the Graney sub-catchment to demo-score semi-natural grassland habitat. As an EU funded and integrated project, Waters of LIFE is visited, monitoring and audited
Waters of LIFE are co-hosting a walk on farm walk on tree planting on Tuesday October 14th at the woodland site of Teagasc’s Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre in Moorepark, Co. Cork. The event will focus on supports and incentives for tree planting on local farmland. It will be led by register foresters
Waters of LIFE are hosting field training for approved advisors on completing a runoff risk assessment of participant farms in the Waters of LIFE agri-environmental programme pilot. The event is a follow up to June’s online training session. The day will begin at 10am in the local community centre for a recap on the
Waters of LIFE have welcomed Fergal Scully to the project as Catchment Agricultural Scientist in Cork. Fergal is operating in the Awbeg (Kilbrin) and Shournagh catchments and had a busy start to life with the project engaging directly with farmers on the Waters of LIFE agri-environmental programme pilot. “It was a great way to get
Could you spot if an otter has been spending time by your local river? Does this look like an otter print to you? That was the focus of a citizen science training event in the Graney sub-catchment in Co. Clare delivered by Nature Network Ireland in partnership with Clare Local Development Company under the
“If we’re going to stay farming, sure we have to do this. There’s nothing major in the whole thing.” Conor Roche on signing up for the Waters of LIFE pilot agri-environmental programme. The Roche family hosted a farm walk on July 29th to chat about robotic milking systems and how a water quality initiative can be
Over 40 people gathered in Flagmount on August 20th 2025 to discuss the natural heritage of East Clare as part of National Heritage Week. The event was hosted by Waters of LIFE and Clare Local Development Company under the heading “Tackling Invasive Plant Species in East Clare.” Featured speaker on the night was Phoebe O’Brien,
