The Boyne is one of eight priority catchments, along with the Slaney, Barrow, Nore, Suir, Blackwater, Lee and Bandon-Ilen, highlighted by the Environmental Protection Agency as a ‘catchment of concern’ where tailored workplans will set clear targets and timelines for implementing water improvement measures. The campaigns that will run in each of these catchments are very important in efforts to improve local and national water quality, according to Teagasc.
Rising in Carbury, Co. Kildare, the Boyne is approximately 112km long and features a network of 114 smaller waterbodies totalling over an additional 300km. The land area drained by the Boyne and its tributaries is approximately 2,700km2 or 650,000 acres, owned and farmed by generations of farming families.
The Boyne Catchment Implementation Group is chaired by John Horgan, chair of Kepak Group, in collaboration with key stakeholders that include farmers, Teagasc, Agri-Food Industries in the catchment, ACA, LAWPRO, County Councils, and the wider community supported by a dedicated Teagasc Catchment Coordinator. The implementation of eight actions for change that include improvements in nutrient, farmyard and land management will be critical in improving water quality.
At the launch, a comprehensive booklet was produced outlining the six pillars of the Boyne catchment programme that includes stakeholder engagement using a multi-actor approach, building awareness using detailed maps on water quality, upskilling programmes for farmers, advisors, teachers and industry professionals, an impactful KT programme, a supporting research programme and a communications plan.