This article is from page 4 of the 2008-12-09 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE involvement of local people will be key if the work of the new- ly launched Burren Trust is to be a success. The trust was officially launched by botanist David Bellamy on Thursday, and the world famous botanist stressed the importance of the involvement of local people. Trust organiser and founder of Bur- renBeo, Brendan Dunford said that membership of the trust is open to all and that each member will be given a say into how the organisation is man-
aged.
“We see this as a first for Ireland, in fact I don’t know of any project exactly like this is existence,’ said Professor Dunford.
“We would see this as broadening out on the work that BurrenBeo has been working on for year. We would like to see this work branching out and involving more and more peo- eter
“We really want the membership to get involved. We had more than 200 people in Ballyvaughan for the launch and everybody was chipping
in and helping out. We need people to come forward with their ideas and drive this project forward.” Professor Bellamy said that the trust could become a model for envi- ronmental protection worldwide. “The happiest day of my life was the day that I got married but to be here to launch his project is the sec- ond happiest. I just could not have said no to coming here,” he said. “This is the best piece of karst landscapes in all of Europe and it is in great danger. It could be loved to death but it could be loved back to
life again.
‘“T have been around the world four times already this year and I believe that what is going on here could be- come a great model for sites all over the world.
“If we brand the Burren we can have farmers who will produce beau- tiful cheese, beautiful beef and beau- tiful lamb.
“We have to choose what we do wisely. The real wisdom here 1s with the local people and fortunately big governments are scared of the people on the ground.”