Project Structure

ReFarm is focused on three work streams:

Nature Positive Actions on Farms,

Developing a Sustainable Funding Mechanism for Farmers, and

Tracking Outcomes through High Impact Research.

Nature Positive Actions on Farms

A key element of ReFarm, from the outset, will be the delivery of Nature-Positive actions on farms. This work will be led by Dr. Brendan Dunford (ReFarm co-founder), building on the learnings from the Burren Programme and from Burrenbeo Trust initiatives such as ‘The Hare’s Corner’. Actions will be undertaken by farmers in the Burren, and nationally through Burrenbeo Trust’s Farming for Nature network. These may include the creation of ponds, hedgerows and mini-woodlands as well as supporting the conservation of species-rich grasslands and other actions. These will be funded directly through business funds.

Developing a Sustainable Funding Mechanism for Farmers

A number of businesses are supporting ReFarm to deliver actions, but also co-funding ReFarm’s research programme with support from the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre, BiOrbic. A key ambition of ReFarm is to create a sustainable funding and implementation mechanism, while ensuring effective and robust governance. This element will be led by Anke Heydenreich, an impact investor, and ReFarm co-founder. Susannah McAleese will act as an advisor to this work stream.

Tracking Outcomes through High Impact Research

Businesses funding the ReFarm actions will engage with the research team to identify how their ‘investment’ can be reported through nature related reporting frameworks, such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. Farmers will also engage from the perspective of what works for them, practically and financially. The research will be led by Professor Jane Stout (School of Natural Sciences, VP for Biodiversity & Climate Action for Trinity) and Professor Martha O’Hagan (Associate Professor, Trinity Business school) of Trinity College Dublin. Dr. Catherine Farrell and Orlaith Delargy, both with experience in the corporate sector and nature restoration initiatives, will co-ordinate and deliver the research outcomes.