Councillor Leonard Kelly, Mayor of Borough District of Wexford has launched the Green Estate Pilot Programme at Ferrybank, Wexford. In attendance on the day and supporting this initiative were Gerry Forde and Cliona Connolly, Environment Section, Wexford County Council.

Councillor Leonard Kelly, came up with the idea and concept behind The Green Estate Pilot programme. The programme is an initial step to encourage residents to begin to think about creating areas for nature within the public spaces of their estate.

He commented,  

‘We have known for a long time the importance of nature in building healthy communities. This scheme is the first step in creating spaces for nature and increasing awareness around how important nature is and the impact our actions have on the environment around us. The current pandemic has made us realise the importance of the physical environment in which we live and emphasised the value of green spaces. 

The Green Estate pilot programme is about residents pledging to take just 3 simple actions to improve a green area within their estate to benefit nature. I would like to thank the Wexford Environmental Network for their input and the Environment Section for taking on board my idea and developing the pilot phase of this initiative.’ 

Gerry Forde thanked the Councillor Kelly for bringing his idea to the Council and stated that ‘the pilot phase of the programme is open to any housing estate within the Municipal District of Wexford. We would hope that following a successful pilot it will be opened to all districts and can be further expanded in different phases to include energy and waste management. Information can be provided in further phases on how simple actions can be taken to help combat climate change.’ 

For more information on the pilot programme please visit https://www.wexfordcoco.ie/environment/biodiversity-community-and-schools/green-estate-programme or contact Cliona Connolly, Environment Education Officer 05391 96475.