Ballyhoura Development recently welcomed community groups at one of their Living Labs, Tidy Towns volunteers and biodiversity enthusiasts to Barnahown, Kilshanny, for a practical demonstration of pollinator-friendly mowing as part of the PolliConnect project.
The event showed how relatively small changes in the way grassland and public green spaces are managed can create more valuable habitats for pollinators and other wildlife. Participants were introduced to biodiversity-friendly mowing approaches, the equipment needed to implement them, and practical ways these techniques can be adapted to parks, community green areas and other public spaces.
The visit also provided an opportunity to see biodiversity in practice. Barnahown, a sustainability-focused hospitality business, already integrates a range of biodiversity-friendly features across the site. Participants explored areas with diverse flowering plants, native hedgerows and less intensively managed vegetation, creating food and shelter for insects and other wildlife. The presence of flowering areas and pollinators during the visit offered a clear illustration of the type of habitat these management approaches can support.
Beyond the technical demonstration, the event created space for discussion and exchange. Over refreshments, participants shared experiences, asked practical questions and considered how biodiversity-friendly mowing could be introduced within their own communities. The conversation also explored how local groups could become more involved in PolliConnect activities and help extend pollinator-friendly practices across the region.
Events like this are an important part of PolliConnect’s approach: bringing practical solutions directly to the people who manage local landscapes and creating opportunities to learn from real examples. By testing and demonstrating approaches at pilot sites such as Barnahown, the project aims to make pollinator-friendly land management more accessible, practical and transferable to communities across North-West Europe.
The Barnahown visit demonstrated that biodiversity-friendly management does not necessarily require large-scale interventions. Adjusting mowing practices, allowing more plants to flower, maintaining native vegetation and creating a greater diversity of habitats can already make a meaningful difference.
A big thank you to Ballyhoura Developmemt, Barnahown and everyone who took part in the demonstration and discussion.