CARE: Community Action for a Regenerative Environment launches in Mayo
A NEW community-led initiative is bringing people together across Mayo to take practical action on climate change and biodiversity loss.
CARE (Community Action for a Regenerative Environment) is a place-based response to the climate and biodiversity emergency declared by Mayo County Council in 2021. Led through Mayo County Council’s decarbonising zone initiative and based in Mulranny - Mayo’s designated decarbonising zone since 2021 - the project supports practical community-led approaches to climate action, emissions reduction and biodiversity recovery.
Funded by the Sunflower Foundation through Community Foundation Ireland under the Mayo Sustainability Fund, the project is part of a pilot initiative that identified Mayo as a lead county for this innovative model. The CARE Project is working closely with the Climate Action Section of Mayo County Council to deliver the project objectives.
CARE aims to connect communities across Mayo, using the decarbonising zone as a living laboratory to trial practical climate and biodiversity initiatives. The programme focuses on community empowerment, energy, circular economy, smarter travel, regenerative agriculture and biodiversity enhancement.
A dedicated team has recently been recruited to deliver the programme, including project coordinator Sean Carolan, biodiversity specialist Marina Mulligan, and communications officer Joanne McGovern.
At a recent networking event that brought together representatives from across Mayo, project coordinator Sean Carolan said: “Taking a meitheal approach, the CARE team is working with communities in Mulranny and across Mayo to develop practical projects and strengthen local networks around climate action, resilience, renewable energy and biodiversity initiatives.
“We are very grateful for the support of the Sunflower Charitable Foundation, Community Foundation Ireland and the Climate Action Section of Mayo County Council.”
Project highlights in Mulranny over the last year include energy upgrades at St. Brendan’s Unit, the community centre and the Old Irish Goat Centre along with the creation of a community food forest on the church grounds.
Other initiatives in development include nature-based solutions along the greenway, potential links between the greenway and the beach, proposed invasive species management, a care and repair scheme, and wider cultural and natural heritage initiatives.
A series of free public events is also planned in Mulranny for National Biodiversity Week, beginning on Tuesday, May 19, offering opportunities to explore local wildlife and habitats in the area.