Bertra Connected UPDATE 08 Feb 2021
‘Cut to the Chase’
1) Immediate action (Spring 2021) and Work Group energy will centre around Bertra and raising awareness of our work.
2) We’ll continue to develop other aspects required for a Local Area Climate Adaptation Plan, with focus very much now on securing funding to help that process.
Even for this age of instant information and our rapidly shortening attention spans that update is probably # too long! So, if you have a few more minutes … breathe … and read on.
What is the project all about?
This project began over concern for Bertra Beach. It quickly became a project about the very future of the coastal landscape and its local communities (hence ‘connected’). The idea is to develop a local climate adaptation plan for the area from Belclare through Murrisk and on to Lecanvey.
To do this we are very aware how social, economic, cultural and environmental aspects are all intertwined and need to be incorporated in our vison of the future.
What are the Facts?
[ Beware of quoting the facts, usually not as black and white as they seem – just ask Rafa Benitez :-) ]
1) A group of concerned citizens from Murrisk, Mayo County Council and NUI Galway came together in 2018 to look at the issue of erosion at Bertra Beach.
2) As of Feb 2021 this has widened to become a 18+ person Working Group looking at climate adaptation for a wider area.
3) Not much more than that has happened: meetings and workshops have ensued, but not a lot of physical action ‘on the ground’ is evident.
4) We have no funding and time is running out.
The cold hard facts are not particularly encouraging. Especially so when looking at some of the more recent photos from local residents. Here is one from Niall Kelly Jan 2021.
What progress has been made?
From this new information and a similar story for years, it seems very likely we are under serious time pressure to redress the erosion, before Bertra disappears completely. We are hopeful though and feel we have laid a solid base from which to be effective:
The 18 strong Working Group consists of: 13 local community/neighbouring community members, 2 academics & 3 local government [it includes: Murrisk Development Group, Climate Action Regional Office (CARO), NPWS, Mayo County Council Climate Action Officer, Geography Dept (NUI Galway)].
How to get 'connected'?
Instagram @BertraConnected
Twitter @BertraConnected
Facebook (I Like Beaches for events and other material related to beaches)
Website Blog (I Like Dunes for Bertra Connected updates and other material related to dune systems) https://ilikedunes.wixsite.com/ilikedunes
Workshops 1 & 3 reports and here
Press release Feb 2021 (coming soon)
