CLARE GALWAY DONEGAL KERRY STAND UCDVO MORE STORIES

Féidhlim Harty.

Writer, educator and director of FH Wetland Systems LTD. Environmental Consultancy.

Knocknaskeagh Co. Clare.

“I think the capacity for individuals to change the world is way larger than we give credit for”

THE STORY

Meet Féidhlim. He’s a man who gets a kick out of designing water habitats, rewilding waterways and managing water systems for the benefit of people and the planet. Féidhlim has a family history steeped in various environmental conservation projects which naturally inspired his bold mission “to make all water systems in Ireland pristine” and a career dedicated to “bringing wetlands back to Ireland”.

With thirty years in the business and a few published books there is no better man to explain why wetlands are such an important ecosystem . “Irish wetlands are practical on so many levels. They sequester carbon, filter the water, enhance biodiversity and provide beautiful spaces to be in”

Féidhlim has dedicated many years to cleaning up our waterways and improving our biodiversity by studying, understanding, promoting and designing wetland systems. He now enjoys “playing in ponds across the country”, consulting community groups on pond creation, selling reeds and rushes to fellow pond advocates and running nature-based solutions workshops that leave a magic trail of ponds and empowerment in his wake.

“We need to drop the things that don't work, embrace a future that is worth embracing and rebuild something that glows from the ground up.”

THE WHY

I love working in an area where I can give real, practical solutions that can be done easily and make a tangible difference on our farms, in our community and our gardens.

THE CHALLENGE

1. Feed the right wolf. Are you going to nourish the wolf that is going to be part of the solution or part of the problem?
2. Practise voluntary simplicity. In other words, buy less stuff.
3. Hold Hands. Link up with your community.
4. Put 'em under pressure. Advocacy. Simply write to policy makers and businesses. Your letter may be the straw that pushes that change.
5. Hold the Vision. See the future you want to live in with such clarity that it has to unfold in that way.

THE HOPE

The challenges are monumental, there is no denying that, but there are solutions here in abundance and I see a groundswell of people and activities that are coming in with their hearts open and their guts guiding them towards bold solutions for a better future.

THE RECOMMENDATION

BOOK - Charles Eisenstein's Climate - A New Story.
BOOK - Judith Schwartz's Water in Plain Sight - Hope for a Thirsty World.

To find out more visit wetlandsystems.ie