At Bergin Equine we are commmitted to encoiuraging biodiversity on our farm and in the surrounding environment.Contact us if you have any enquiries.
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One of the cornerstones of biodiversity and ecology promotion is native tree planting not only does this massively sequester carbon but also provides habitats for indigenous fauna, insects (especially pollinators) and symbiotic flora. The predominant tree species in our planting project are; Hawthorn (Whitethorn), Hazel, Oak, Rowan (Mountain Ash), Birch (Downy) and Birch (Silver).
With the amazing support of “Trees on the Land” our project from 2021-2022 is to plant 10,000 trees. Our primary tree planting project is to plant native hedgerows and sheltering trees on every fence line creating a “living fence”. This living fence not only benefits native wildlife etc. but also provides shelter for our horses. It also brings nutrients from deeper soil layers to the surface tapping Into natures cycles rather than relying exclusively on agricultural inputs.
With insect populations under threat due to climate change and the dramatic increase in mono-culture agriculture we are committed to developing biodiversity with a wide variety of native Irish plants and pollinator positive plants. Insects are the base units of the ecosystem essential to plant reproduction and development. We have a “birds and bees orchard” which includes native apple trees, cherry trees, pear trees, a wide variety of perennial plants, shrubs, bulbs and wild flower mixes. Our orchard also includes a pond to further encourage insect populations.
Similar to insect populations native Irish birds and native wildlife are also under threat from agricultural mono-culture, pollution and decreased biodiversity. While encouraging populations with native tree planting and encouraging insect populations provides natural bird forage, supplementary feeding in the winter can massively increase survival and reproductive rate in the spring. Birds also act as pollinators and seed dispersers which feeds back into the natural eco-system.
Along with trying to develop and support natural ecology we have also installed several bug hotels, bumble bee boxes and hope to introduces some honey bee hives in the coming years to increase pollinator populations. We have installed several bird and bat boxes with a programme of adding more each year to support native bird populations.
Bergin Equine's mission is to train using ethically sustainable principles. Our philosophy: "Ethical effective training achieving lightness through harmony" best represents our approach. As a BHS approved centre our ethos is closely aligned with the British Horse Society.
Our holistic approach is unique brining together the right experts to really deal with problems treating horses as individuals not using one size fits all solutions.
