Innovative Hare's Corner Project returns to Offaly for second year

APPLICATIONS are open for The Hare’s Corner, an innovative biodiversity initiative developed by the nonprofit organisation Burrenbeo Trust. A successful collaboration between Offaly County Council and the Burrenbeo Trust in 2025 saw 212 “Hare's Corners” biodiversity habitats created across the county.

Offaly landowners are invited to apply for support in the creation of wildlife ponds, mini-woodlands, hedgerows, mini-orchards and plans for nature on their land through the initiative, which takes its name from the old farming expression for an awkward section of a field which wasn’t intensively farmed and was therefore left to nature.

Offaly is one of ten counties involved in The Hare’s Corner project this year, with the others being Carlow, Offaly, Donegal, Sligo, Monaghan, Louth, Wexford, Kilkenny and Kerry. Applications close on Sunday, January 18^th and anyone interested can apply via www.theharescorner.com. The website also offers practical tips, infographics and short videos aimed at helping people to create their own Hare’s Corners.

The Hare’s Corner in 2026 is being funded through a combination of public and private sector funding, including the National Parks and Wildlife Service's Local Biodiversity Action Fund, and is an action of the National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023-2030. Private funders include SSE Generation Green Community Fund, NTR PLC, Greencoat Renewables PLC, ESB and Intact Insurance. The project is also grateful for the partnership with Heritage Council's Biodiversity Officer Programme, which is enabling biodiversity officers in each of the 10 counties to provide ground support for the initiative.

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Last year, The Hare’s Corner marked its fifth anniversary by creating 1,600 habitats for biodiversity in six counties around Ireland.

The ‘menu’ of supports available from The Hare’s Corner includes – a mini-woodland (a mix of 50 native trees and advice) , a wildlife hedge (a mix of 50 native trees and advice), a heritage orchard (five heritage apple trees and advice), a wildlife pond (hydrologist advice and some expenses towards machinery costs), and a ‘Plan for Nature’ (a visit and advice from a Hare’s Corner advisor on how to enhance nature on your site). For more info on the supports and eligibility criteria please visit https://theharescorner.ie/supports/.

Lee Worrell, The Hare's Corner Co-ordinator, says: “We are delighted to be back in Offaly in 2026 after having such a highly successful first year in the county. It has been heartening for us to see the amount of interest The Hare’s Corner generates up and down the country. From day one, it has been consistently oversubscribed, which clearly demonstrates the appetite people in Ireland have for becoming involved in biodiversity initiatives.

Ricky Whelan, Biodiversity Officer, Offaly County Council, says “The Hare's Corner has seen farmers, schools, community groups and homeowners all get involved to create vital habitats such as wildlife ponds and native hedgerows in spaces they own and manage. I invite anyone who owns or manages a piece of ground to make an application to the project in 2026 so we can see more hares’ corners created in Offaly”.

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CASE STUDY

Gearóid Ó Foighil and Jenny Fahy from Ballintemple, South Offaly, applied to The Hare’s Corner for help in developing a wildlife pond to widen the biodiversity on their land and attract wildlife.

Jenny said…“Open water sources are rare in the area; the surrounding landscape is being drained and 'improved' for agricultural purposes. So, a pond will create new habitat value and allow for valuable and unique ecology to establish and thrive for future generations. It will also help off-set adverse impacts of the surrounding land changes. A pond will meet the needs of a range of species from birds to dragon flies, amphibian and mammal.”

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