In Nature Farmers, Mary Brophy meets a number of farmers across Donegal who are farming with Nature. As the country experiences terrible declines of our wildlife, from birds to insects to wildflowers, we’ll hear how these farmers are creating or restoring habitats on their land. In some of Donegal’s most beautiful landscapes, discover how the county is an important refuge for precious species.
“Our claim to fame on this pond here is newts … [in the past] every advisor that you would meet would tell you to get that ‘improved’, remove it or whatever. And it’s death by a thousand cuts.”
In our penultimate episode of the series, Mary spends time learning about the flora and wildlife of ponds and wetlands Boyd Bryce has kept on his farm and the nature he’s hoping will return. And Mary returns to Sheskinmore with ranger Emer Magee on the hunt for the nest of Ireland’s only protected insect, the Marsh fritillary butterfly and its only food source, the wildflower Devil’s bit scabious. As we discover how vulnerable species are to changes in land management.
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