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1/n @DuhallowBlueDot here, on this glorious Saturday evening to speak about some actions farmers can take to help #BlueDot waters
👨🌾🔵
👨🌾🔵
2/n We spoke about many ways that farmers can help #BlueDot waters on Thursday through maintaining farmland habitats that protect water quality.
🦋🦆🦢🐟🦅🦉🌳
Check out Thursday’s thread:
🦋🦆🦢🐟🦅🦉🌳
Check out Thursday’s thread:
https://twitter.com/IrelandsEnviro/status/1656725752266489878?s=20
3/n Yesterday we spoke more about capital actions that farmers can install on their farms to protect water quality:
🔵🚜
Check out Friday’s thread:
🔵🚜
Check out Friday’s thread:
https://twitter.com/IrelandsEnviro/status/1656980375330070535?s=20
4/n Some other ways that 🧑🌾👩🌾👨🌾 can farm for #BlueDot catchments are listed below:
5/n ASSAP Programme
The Agricultural Sustainability, Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) is a collaborative initiative between government and industry.
👨💼👨🌾🏭
The Agricultural Sustainability, Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) is a collaborative initiative between government and industry.
👨💼👨🌾🏭
6/n ASSAP Programme cntd.
ASSAP advisors from @teagasc and the Dairy Coops work closely with @WatersProgramme to help address agricultural pressures on water quality in areas known as Priority Areas for Action (PAAs).
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ASSAP advisors from @teagasc and the Dairy Coops work closely with @WatersProgramme to help address agricultural pressures on water quality in areas known as Priority Areas for Action (PAAs).
🔵
7/n ASSAP cntd.
ASSAP:
🐮provides farmers with a free, confidential & voluntary advisory service
🐮provides farm specific assessments and plans to prevent nutrients, sediment & pesticides from entering waters
🐮disseminates key water quality messages to the wider ag community
ASSAP:
🐮provides farmers with a free, confidential & voluntary advisory service
🐮provides farm specific assessments and plans to prevent nutrients, sediment & pesticides from entering waters
🐮disseminates key water quality messages to the wider ag community
8/n ASSAP cntd.
ASSAP Advisors help farmers by addressing three main areas:
🚜Improved nutrient management with more targeted use of slurry & fertiliser
🚜New approaches to land management to reduce nutrient losses in critical source areas
🚜Better farmyard management & practices
ASSAP Advisors help farmers by addressing three main areas:
🚜Improved nutrient management with more targeted use of slurry & fertiliser
🚜New approaches to land management to reduce nutrient losses in critical source areas
🚜Better farmyard management & practices
9/n ACRES
The Agri-climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is Ireland’s new national agri-environment scheme
🌳👩🌾🐟🐮
The Agri-climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) is Ireland’s new national agri-environment scheme
🌳👩🌾🐟🐮
10/n ACRES cntd.
There are many measures within this scheme that financially reward farmers for maintaining or undertaking measures to benefit #BlueDot waters such as:
🔵Riparian Buffer Strips
🔵Low Input Grassland
🔵Management of intensive grassland next to a watercourses
There are many measures within this scheme that financially reward farmers for maintaining or undertaking measures to benefit #BlueDot waters such as:
🔵Riparian Buffer Strips
🔵Low Input Grassland
🔵Management of intensive grassland next to a watercourses
11/n ACRES cntd.
Farms within catchments identified as having a high status objective receive Tier 1 priority access 1⃣
Important to note is 75% of #BlueDot catchments intersect with ACRES Co-operation Project areas!
🔵🔵🔵
Farms within catchments identified as having a high status objective receive Tier 1 priority access 1⃣
Important to note is 75% of #BlueDot catchments intersect with ACRES Co-operation Project areas!
🔵🔵🔵
12/n ACRES cntd.
Talk with your farm advisor about what measures you can take under ACRES to help water quality!
If not already in ACRES, talk to your farm advisor about whether this scheme could work for you!
Talk with your farm advisor about what measures you can take under ACRES to help water quality!
If not already in ACRES, talk to your farm advisor about whether this scheme could work for you!
13/n Soil Health
Ensuring soil health is critical for productivity and for protecting #BlueDot waters! 🔵🚜🪱
Ensuring soil health is critical for productivity and for protecting #BlueDot waters! 🔵🚜🪱
14/n Soil Health cntd.
Taking soil samples ensures that the correct amount of fertiliser is spread on pastures. This saves the farmer money and reduces excess nutrients spread on the land that might runoff into watercourses
Taking soil samples ensures that the correct amount of fertiliser is spread on pastures. This saves the farmer money and reduces excess nutrients spread on the land that might runoff into watercourses
15/n Soil Health cntd.
Soil samples also identify where soil pH is below optimum and therefore where lime should be spread. Maintaining soil pH at 6.3-7 on mineral soils and 5.5-5.8 on peat soils is optimal. This unlocks nutrients in the soil, and increases plant response to...
Soil samples also identify where soil pH is below optimum and therefore where lime should be spread. Maintaining soil pH at 6.3-7 on mineral soils and 5.5-5.8 on peat soils is optimal. This unlocks nutrients in the soil, and increases plant response to...
16/n Soil Health cntd.
...nutrients. This means there is less runoff of excess nutrients and less nutrients have to be applied in the first place.
WIN-WIN for farmer and river! 👩🌾🔵
...nutrients. This means there is less runoff of excess nutrients and less nutrients have to be applied in the first place.
WIN-WIN for farmer and river! 👩🌾🔵
18/n Right measure>Right Place
🌳
Many co-ops are offering free trees to their farmers every winter. Trees and hedgerows are a wonderful addition to any farm for several reasons:
🌈Aesthetic value
🐝Pollinators
🦅Birds
🌳Carbon sequestration
🐮Shelter for animals
etc etc
AANNDD..
🌳
Many co-ops are offering free trees to their farmers every winter. Trees and hedgerows are a wonderful addition to any farm for several reasons:
🌈Aesthetic value
🐝Pollinators
🦅Birds
🌳Carbon sequestration
🐮Shelter for animals
etc etc
AANNDD..
19/n Right measure>Right Place cntd.
... they are also of great benefit to water quality when planted in the right place!
If you are planning on planting trees, check first to see where they could best intercept the overland flow of water to reduce P runoff!
🌳🌊
... they are also of great benefit to water quality when planted in the right place!
If you are planning on planting trees, check first to see where they could best intercept the overland flow of water to reduce P runoff!
🌳🌊
20/n Right measure>Right Place cntd.
If you are in a catchment with an ASSAP advisor, they will be able to assist you with site selection.
If you are in a catchment with an ASSAP advisor, they will be able to assist you with site selection.
21/n Right measure>Right place cntd.
You can also find out yourself by checking out
gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/Water
Zoom into your farm > go to 'Pressures & Activities' > 'Pollution Impact Potential' > select: 'Pollution Impact Potential – Phosphorus (PIP-P)', 'PIP-P Flow Delivery...
You can also find out yourself by checking out
gis.epa.ie/EPAMaps/Water
Zoom into your farm > go to 'Pressures & Activities' > 'Pollution Impact Potential' > select: 'Pollution Impact Potential – Phosphorus (PIP-P)', 'PIP-P Flow Delivery...
22/n Right measure>Right place cntd.
...Paths' and 'PIP-P Flow Delivery Points'
...Paths' and 'PIP-P Flow Delivery Points'
https://twitter.com/IrelandsEnviro/status/1656682786294472705?s=20
23/n Forget about tidiness!
Tidy manicured hedges and field margins are a nightmare for biodiversity 😢🦉
Another habitat that often gets disregarded on farms insriparian scrub. It is essential that we stop looking at this as wasteground!
Tidy manicured hedges and field margins are a nightmare for biodiversity 😢🦉
Another habitat that often gets disregarded on farms insriparian scrub. It is essential that we stop looking at this as wasteground!
24/n Forget about tidiness cntd.
Riparian scrub such as willow (sallys), brambles and gorse play an important role in slowing down overland flow of water, allowing P-concentrated water to attenuate, and preventing P from entering watercourses!
Take pride in nature, not neatness!
Riparian scrub such as willow (sallys), brambles and gorse play an important role in slowing down overland flow of water, allowing P-concentrated water to attenuate, and preventing P from entering watercourses!
Take pride in nature, not neatness!
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