Throughout autumn, spring and summer of 2014/15 CCGHT delivered a series of free landowner information and training events throughout the Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council areas. The events aimed to achieve:
(1) Support for rural farming communities by helping them run their businesses in a more sustainable fashion and as a result help them to improve financially viability.
(2) An increase landowners understanding of ‘ecosystem services’ and the positive impacts which small changes can make to their businesses and environment.
(3) An increase awareness of the environmental impacts, both positive and negative, from farming.
This highly successful series of events, reached on average at least 10% of the active farming community within the Binevenagh, Causeway Coast and Antrim Coast and Glens AONBs. A short participation report based on attendance figures, number of events and DARD Farm Census data can be found here.
CCGHT is now preparing a programme of landowner events in autumn, winter, spring and summer of 2015/16 and we would love to hear any suggestions, ideas or requests you have for information or training events! Events can take place anywhere within the two Borough Council areas; however most are likely to take place within the Binevenagh, Causeway Coast or Antrim Coast and Glens* Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). This is to reflect core funding priorities, supported by Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid and East Antrim Borough Councils, Heritage Lottery, Tourism NI, Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Northern Peripheries and Arctic Region Programme (European Regional Development Fund).
*(including the Heart of the Glens Landscape Partnership Scheme area)