Eco Centre – Gortbrack Organic Farm

Gortbrack Organic Farm has been piloting the new An Taisce Eco-Centres programme since 2011. The programme runs in a similar way to the popular Green Schools programme (see www.greenschoolsireland.org for more details).

We started the programme in March 2011, with the Biodiversity theme as the focus for the first flag. We were awarded our first Green Flag for Biodiversity in October 2013 by Minister Jimmy Deenihan (picture below).

We have now nearly completed Litter & Waste as our second Green Flag theme so keep an eye to this page for more information about our progress in the Eco-Centres programme.

About An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland is the foremost environmental organisation in Ireland. Its range of interests extends from the natural heritage of land, air, water, flora and fauna, to the heritage of buildings and gardens. Through its local, national and international networks, it seeks to educate, inform and lead public opinions on the environment and influence policy and development. Strategies to achieve these aims include awareness and education projects, for example: Green Schools, Blue Flag, Clean Coasts, National Spring Clean, Green Home, Greening Communities, Green Campus and Green Communities.

2015 Litter and Waste Flag

This year we are working towards the Litter and Waste flag.

So far, we have assessed levels of waste produced on different areas of the farm and written an Action Plan of how to move forward.

Environmental Review – the Current Situation

There are small centres at the Cabins, House, Teaching Tunnel and Classroom for waste separation. Each centre includes a dry waste bag, compost container and black bag.

Current waste disposal centres:

The active composting systems on the farm for disposal of all food waste and any waste from the tunnels or vegetable gardens:

Wormery
Woodlousery
The big pig (insulated tumbling system)
Cone
Tumbler (at the Cabins)
Digester – not currently plugged in
Wooden bins x 10 – theses are turned regulrly. They inclde exclusive duck manure bins and leaf mold bins. They take all vegetable waste from the tunnels and vegetable gardens
Drains – for leaf mold collection

Current recycling and re-use on the farm:

Kerry County Council dry waste recycling
All glass is recycled separately
Chairs came from the KDYS and have been sent to Castleisland Community garden
Cardboard is all used to mulch trees and vegetable beds – we also bring other peoples cardboard in to do the job!
IBC Tanks come from large companies – they get re-used on the farm for rainwater collection
We bulk buy toilet cleaner, washing up liquid and laundry liquid to reduces packaging brought in to the farm
We re-use many materials for projects – scaffolding planks, baths, plastic and much more!
There are approximately 4 trips to the waste disposal station per year with about 32 bags going to landfill and 48 dry waste recycling bags per year.

Action Plan

	ACTION	WHO	WHEN	How
1	Count number of bags taken to the dump / recycling	All	At each trip	Count bags as they are loaded into the trailer
2	Build frames for neat vermin proof rubbish stations	Ian	March-May	Using wooden frames / pallets Signs to be made by Ita
2	Inform and educate all visitors to the farm about the waste disposal systems present	IanEileen Cathy Ita	Specific farm visitsWebsite Facebook	Signs at each waste disposal station to clearly show where to put each item of waste Notice board in teaching tunnel – keep up to date with information Include Eco Centres in introduction to farm for all visits / courses Intro to the farm includes how disposal of waste and recycling are integral to the way the farm is run Put updates on website / social media School newsletter – include section on Green Centres Litter and waste
3	Identify savings in black bin rubbish	IanCathy	May-August	Look at packaging brought onto the farm and find ways to reduce this
4	Investigate recycled / biodegradeable packaging	Eileen	March-May	Find out what is available on the market and do a cost comparison with what is currently used
5	Ensure curriculum links are supported through educational work	Ian / Cathy	School term time 2013-2014	Keep up to date with curriculum Hold curriculum links sessions with teachers on teacher training course

2013-2014 Biodiversity Flag

Gortbrack Organic Farm has been awarded their first Green Flag for Biodiversity in the An Taisce Eco Centre’s pilot programme.

We carried out the 7 steps of the Green Flag process which included forming an Eco Centre committee, identifying and listing as many species as possible on the farm, making a detailed habitat map, improved the training facilities and developing pathways and seating areas. The Green Flag was raised on 25th October 2013 by Minister Jimmy Deenihan, Minister of the Arts, Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

Kerry Earth Education Project help schools to deliver their own Biodiversity Green Flag programmes, see the page on Organic School Gardens for more details.The review was carried out using the following methods:

Assessment of the farm habitat map given out to visitors – March 2012
Assessment of the habitat map carried out as part of an ecological survey of the farm – Ecological survey carried out August 2010
Investigation of species of plants found, carried out by a third level Wildlife Biology work experience student see Appendix IV for species list – March 2012
Investigation of species of invertebrates in the pond, carried out by a third level Wildlife Biology work experience student – March/April 2012
Assessment of farm walk route carried out by FAS Intern and third level Wildlife Biology work experience student see Appendix V for list of recommendations – April 2012
Listing of the presence of invasive species, rare species and protected species – August 2012

Results

Invasive species:

Monbretia
Fuschia (white and red)
Sycamore

Rare / protected species:

Greater Butterwort (nationally rare)
Bog Asphodel (nationally uncommon)
Smooth Newt (protected species)
Common frog (protected species)
Grasshopper warbler (amber listed)
Snipe (amber listed)
Sparrow (amber listed)

Environmental impact per annum

Gortbrack Organic Farm has a largely positive environmental impact on biodiversity. It is virtually impossible to quantify the impact numerically. However, there are 17 different types of habitat identified and within these, there are a myriad of different microhabitats available to native plants and wildlife. To date, over 200 species of grasses, rushes, sedges, ferns, flowering plants, bryophytes, lichens, mammals, birds and invertebrates have been identified on the farm. There are many more to identify, particularly in the categories of bryophytes, lichens and invertebrates.

Action Plan

After completing the environmental review and assessments of habitat maps, we came up with the following action plan as being realistic in the timeframe allocated and sustainable for continuation after completion:

	ACTION	WHO	WHEN	How
1	Maintain and enhance all habitats on the farm	All	All seasons	Trim hedges Vegetable crop rotations Cut/graze meadows Collect leaf mold in woodland Ensure environmentally friendly cleaning products are used at all times Keep compost systems functioning and well labelled
2	Inform and educate all visitors to the farm about biodiversity present	IanEileenCathyAmanda (work experience)Teresa (Intern)	Specific farm visitsWebsiteFacebook	Notice board in teaching tunnel – keep up to date with information and progress of farm biodiversity Include Eco Centres in introduction to farm for all visits / courses Intro to the farm includes how biodiversity is integral in organic food production Carry out further assessment of biodiversity present Put biodiversity lists on website Biodiversity updates onto Facebook School newsletter – include section on Green Centres Biodiversity
3	Improve tree nursery for the development of native tree stock	IanCathy	October – November 2011	Coppice willow Pot on/heel in 1 year old trees Replant nursery with fresh seed stock Up keep of mulch around trees and potted trees
4	Ensure monitoring of educational visits is carried out	Cathy	School term time 2011 – 2012	Evaluation forms to be completed for all educational visits Verbal feedback to be collated
5	Ensure curriculum links are supported through educational work	Ruth	School term time 2011 – 2012	Keep up to date with curriculum Hold curriculum links sessions with teachers on teacher training course
6	Identification / eradication of invasive species	Ian / Cathy	All seasons	Survey farm for invasive species areas (2013)
7	Development of specialised Seedsaving building	All	All seasons	Through LEADER funding system
8	Continue collation of new species identified	All	All seasons	Species identification