Fencing repair project to protect Mayo lake

A MAJOR replacement of fencing in the Lough Carra catchment area is in the pipeline.

The project involves a total of 53 kilometres of fencing, to help protect the lake, and it's being progressed by the Lough Carra LIFE Project, in conjunction with Mayo County Council.

The LIFE Project is working with local landowners to help improve water quality in the lake and the restoration of the marl lake habitat.

A number of supporting actions are available to participant farmers, including fencing, and the proposed works are on land primarily used for grazing, a report submitted to council planners sets out.

A Section 5 application is before the council requesting a planning exemption for the development of cattle fencing on the catchment area by the Lough Carra LIFE Project.

All proposed fencing is a like for like replacement of existing old fencing, which is either in a state of disrepair or is not set back a sufficient distance from the waterway.

All fencing is to be installed by hand, with the use of heavy machinery not permitted in the SAC.