The Loughs Agency recently took its StreamKeepers programme to the Glenelly Valley in Co Tyrone for an event aimed at encouraging people to get involved with their local waterways and environment.

The community outreach programme collaborated with the Glenelly Historical Society for the most recent leg of the initiative and one of the society’s funders, Rose Mary Murphy, was delighted with the event.

“The StreamKeepers event was a fantastic opportunity for members of the public to learn about the heritage value and natural history of the local waterways here in Glenelly,” she said.

Community members learn about the biodiversity of their local environment during the StreamKeepers event | Credit: Jason McCartan Photography

“Our group started 20 years ago with the aim of maintaining a connection to the past. We set up a ‘Glenelly Our Home’ page on Facebook and shared stories and photographs from the local area. This resulted in posts from people in places as far away as America and Australia who were interested in learning more about the history of Glenelly.

“For the StreamKeepers event, we decided to focus on the bridges that are located near waterways. In Badoney Upper, there are 51 townlands, and in these townlands, bridges were created as an entry point to inaccessible locations.

“Many of these townlands no longer have any inhabitants, but we hope that programmes such as StreamKeepers will continue to educate the community about the importance of maintaining their local waterways, which in turn could revive interest in these areas. Our plan is to simply appreciate history and continue to educate future generations about Glenelly.”

Some of the members of the local community who took part in the recent StreamKeepers event in Co Tyrone | Credit: Jason McCartan Photography

Aoibheann Gillespie-Mules is the environmental education and outreach Officer at the Loughs Agency, and she believes it is imperative that programmes such as StreamKeepers provide an opportunity for people to look after their local streams, rivers and lakes.

She said: “StreamKeepers brings people of all ages together, not only to preserve our waterways, but to create a valuable learning experience while looking after the environment.

“It offers groups the opportunity to discover, explore and learn about their local watercourse. The programme is facilitated by Loughs Agency staff and involves the exploration of rivers, discovering their journey through time as well as exploring positive connections through the river system.”

See the Loughs Agency website for more information about the StreamKeepers programme.

The Loughs Agency has launched a new community outreach programme designed to promote the importance of protecting our natural resources and waterways.

The StreamKeepers programme aims to educate and engage community members in the preservation and conservation of local rivers, lakes and streams.

This initiative will take place on a cross-border basis in the Foyle and Carlingford catchments, where groups will have the opportunity to discover, explore and analyse their local waterways, meet other StreamKeepers and build connections throughout the catchment areas.

StreamKeepers will include a variety of project elements, including the exploration and study of rivers and chartering their history, community clean-up events and sharing data on the health of local waterways.

The programme will also provide resources and support for community members to take action and make a positive impact on the environment.

Sharon McMahon, Loughs Agency chief executive said: “We are thrilled to launch this innovative programme, which will provide an opportunity to bring the community together to protect our natural resources.

“By working together, we can make a real difference to the health of our local waterways and ensure they are protected for future generations.

“StreamKeepers will be facilitated by Loughs Agency staff and experts to assist local community groups within the Foyle and Carlingford catchments, which will create a valuable learning experience that ultimately leads to environmental and community benefits.”

The first two StreamKeepers events took place on 3 and 8 February, with a third scheduled for next Monday 20 February. Community members interested in signing up can visit the Loughs Agency’s StreamKeepers page for more information.

The StreamKeepers programme is supported by funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs Reconciliation Fund.