The Duncannon Blue Flag Farming & Communities Scheme EIP aimed to improve the water quality of Duncannon's bathing waters and river systems in Co. Wexford by addressing agricultural and domestic pollution while safeguarding farm incomes. The project focused on i) sustainably restoring, protecting, and enhancing the water quality by reducing faecal bacteria, nutrients, and sediment losses from rural agricultural and domestic activities and ii) fostering collaboration between farmers and householders in the catchment, particularly about water quality and local biodiversity. The project activities included providing participating farmers with Pollution Potential Zone (PPZ) maps of their farms identifying the risk of nutrient and sediment runoff from fields and farmyards. These maps formed the basis of individualised PPZ plans to mitigate these risks. Farmers were provided with continuous advisory support to help implement the recommended measures in their PPZ plans. A scoring system was introduced to encourage farmers to reduce pollution risks. Payments were graduated based on risk levels, with higher payments for those reducing risks to the greatest extent. Funding was available to help farmers implement pollution-reducing measures, such as upgrading infrastructure or modifying practices. The project monitored changes in farm practices and water quality in the catchment area, tracking the effectiveness of the measures. Inspections of domestic wastewater systems were conducted throughout the project, resulting in remedial work on nearly 50% of the sites, improving wastewater treatment across the catchment. A range of activities fostered community-wide engagement, instilling a sense of local ownership, responsibility, and appreciation for the water environment and its biodiversity. The Duncannon Blue Flag Scheme successfully built stronger connections between farmers, householders, and the environment, creating lasting improvements in water quality while promoting sustainable agricultural practices and community-driven conservation.
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Duncannon Blue Flag Farming & Communities Scheme
Duncannon Blue Flag Farming & Communities Scheme
Agricultural run-off and subsurface drainage tiles transport a significant amount of nitrogen and phosphorus leached after fertilization. alchemia-nova GmbH in collaboration with University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna developed two multi-layer vertical filter systems to address the agricultural run-off issue, which has been installed on the slope of an agricultural field in Mistelbach, Austria. While another multi-layer addressing subsurface drainage water is implemented in Gleisdorf, Austria. The goal is to develop a drainage filter system to retain water and nutrients. Both multi-layer filter systems contain biochar and other substrates with adsorption properties of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus). The filter system can be of practical use if an excess of nutrients being washed out is of concern in the fields of the practitioner by keeping the surrounding waters clean. This approach may result in economic value by re-using the saturated biochar as fertilizer and improving the soil structure, thus increasing long-term soil fertility. Link: https://wateragri.eu/a-bio-inspired-multilayer-drainage-system/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735. FACTSHEET NANOCELLULOSE MEMBRANES FOR NUTRIENT RECOVERY Key information Functionalized nanocellulose membranes can take up nitrate and phosphate. These membranes can be put in a water treatment unit. As the membranes are biobased, degradable materials, they can after use be added to the soil, thus returning the leached nutrients back for their original purpose providing fertilizers (nutrient recycling).
This case study is drafting new legislation that allows renting forestland for multiple purposes in order to increase economic efficiency and maintain a balance between all ecosystem services. This Russian case works on regulation mechanisms so that people renting forestland can use it for multiple purposes, and to include ecosystem services in the Forest Code.