Category: EU JTF News

Register for Tóchar: A Path from the Past, A Future for Wetlands Event

The Tóchar project, funded by the EU Just Transition Fund, is holding a launch event of their project activities and are inviting people to register.

The event “Tóchar: A Path from the Past, A Future for Wetlands” is taking place on Thursday 22 May in The Manor Hotel, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois from 9:15-4:30pm.

Please use the below link and RSVP by 2pm Monday, 19 May to confirm your attendance. You can also confirm if you would like to participate in one or both of the bog walks: EVENT REGISTRATION LINK.

To see the full invite with further details on speakers, or if you have any questions or issues registering please email: tocharwetlands@carrcommunications.ie.

Failte-ireland-project-announcement-May-2025-

Further 15 tourism projects awarded over €4.2 million under Fáilte Ireland’s Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme

EU JTF Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiative Scheme, Call 2

Second call for EU JTF Bioeconomy Demonstration Initiatives – OPENING SOON

Introducing EUJT project Tóchar

Tóchar Midlands Wetland Restoration is a major three-year initiative focused on wetland restoration, research, and community engagement across Ireland’s midlands.
The project, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme, will invest €12 million in wetland conservation.
Wetlands are vital ecosystems that support biodiversity, regulate climate, and provide sustainable natural resources.

Thursday, 27 March 2025, Dublin, Ireland: The Tóchar Wetlands Restoration Project is a three-year initiative dedicated to wetland restoration, research, and community collaboration co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. Its mission is to restore, research, and engage with communities to enable wetland conservation.

Ireland’s midlands are home to a diverse range of wetlands, including bogs, fens, marshes, rivers, lakes, and ponds. These landscapes play a crucial role in the country’s ecology, supporting biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and sustaining local communities. However, many of these wetlands have been degraded over time, and urgent restoration efforts are required to protect their future.

Managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Tóchar is part of Ireland’s Just Transition journey towards climate neutrality. Through a €12 million investment, the project aims to restore degraded wetlands across the midlands and surrounding counties, enhancing biodiversity while supporting local livelihoods.

Christoper O’Sullivan, Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity commented:

“The Tóchar Project is an exciting and essential initiative in Ireland’s journey toward nature restoration and sustainability. Wetlands are not only vital for biodiversity and climate resilience, but they are also deeply embedded in the cultural and economic heritage of our rural communities. This project represents a balanced approach to conservation, ensuring that we protect these precious ecosystems while working closely with local communities to support a fair and just transition.”

The EU Just Transition Area, which includes the counties Kildare, Galway, Roscommon, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Tipperary, and Westmeath, has been selected as the focus for these restoration efforts. Initial projects that are set to get underway include:

Pollardstown Fen, Co. Kildare – a restoration initiative for Ireland’s most important calcareous fen.
Slieve Bloom Mountains, Co. Laois and Offaly – a conservation project aimed at protecting breeding Hen Harriers and increasing wetland restoration opportunities.
Clara Bog, Co. Offaly – further restoration works to preserve this internationally significant raised bog habitat.
Restoration plans for 36 fen sites across the region. Fens are peatlands which are under the influence of groundwater and are therefore more alkaline than acidic bogs, hosting a wide range of plants and animals.
An additional 12 community-led wetland projects have received letters of offer for a variety of actions, including drainage and hydrology assessments, vegetation assessments and monitoring under the Tóchar framework.

Shirley Clerkin, Tóchar Project Manager, highlights the importance of community participation:

“We hope that communities will get involved in Tóchar. We want to hear their stories about the landscape so that we can work together to restore and protect these unique wetlands. By restoring degraded wetlands, we can foster sustainable living, community pride, and a renewed relationship with nature, ensuring a climate-conscious legacy of biodiversity and resilience for generations to come.”

Tóchar is committed to fostering strong relationships between local communities and their natural landscapes. Community knowledge and experience are invaluable in understanding and preserving wetlands. The project team is actively reaching out to individuals and groups across the Just Transition area to listen to their stories and collaborate on restoration efforts.

By restoring wetlands, Tóchar will provide a wide range of ecosystem services, including nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The project aims to demonstrate how landscape restoration goes hand in hand with social transition, ensuring that nature conservation benefits both people and biodiversity.

For more information about the Tóchar Project, to find out what is happening in your area, or to explore opportunities for collaboration, please visit www.tocharwetlands.ie or follow us on Instagram @wetlandsrestoration.

Tochar and Lions Club event Michael Carroll, Marcel Daniels and Shirley Clerkin

EUJTF funded Tóchar project and Lions Clubs Partner for Nature Restoration

Under the partnership €250,000 per year will be allocated for 2025 and 2026.
The partnership between the Tóchar project and the Lions Clubs will support nature restoration at a community level, harnessing local knowledge and expertise.
This collaboration to deliver nature benefits across the EU Just Transition region, this includes the counties of – Kildare, Galway, Roscommon, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Tipperary and Westmeath

Friday, 28 February 2025, Ireland: A new partnership has been established between Tóchar, an EU Just Transition Fund wetlands restoration project led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), and the Lions Club a voluntary organisation, who give their time freely to serve their community through support and aid. The partnership will support wetlands restoration projects at a community level, harnessing local knowledge and expertise. This was announced today at the Lions Club National Convention in Tullamore. Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year.

Under the partnership, €250,000 per year will be allocated for 2025 and 2026, to support restoration projects identified by Lions Clubs. They will manage the restoration of the wetlands and will be guided by Tóchar’s expertise. There is knowledge and expertise within the Lions Club memberships to deliver on these projects. One club which has already demonstrated this leadership is the Tullamore Lions Club, who undertook nature restoration works at Clonbeale More Bog in 2024.

The projects that result from this partnership will complement the wetland sites that have already been submitted to Tóchar by members of the public, including landowners and communities in its initial open call for expressions of interest in 2024.

Shirley Clerkin from Tóchar said:

“We are delighted to have the Lions Clubs on board in this collaboration to deliver nature benefits across the Just Transition region, this includes the counties of – Kildare, Galway, Roscommon, Laois, Longford, Offaly, Tipperary and Westmeath. Wetlands are good for the environment, filtering water, providing oxygen, and as places of tranquility and peacefulness. The restoration and reparation of nature is a step on the journey towards sustainability and a new kind of nature positivity, bringing tangible outcomes for health and community. It’s right that the Lions Clubs can play a meaningful role in this transformation.”

The midlands of Ireland host a broad diversity of freshwater wetlands such as marshes, fens, bogs, rivers, callows, lakes and ponds, each playing a crucial role in the country’s ecology. Some of these biodiverse areas are unique to Ireland and cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Michael Carroll from the Tullamore Lions Clubs said:

“This partnership with Tóchar allows us to expand our commitment to serving local communities. By working together this can have a real impact by restoring nature which benefits local areas by enhancing biodiversity in those regions. We encourage our clubs across the regions to get involved in this important initiative and look forward to working with the Tóchar team on the approved projects.”

Tóchar’s approach to wetlands restoration is based on inclusivity, aiming to strengthen and support communities while restoring natural habitats. Tóchar is a three-year wetlands restoration project, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme. It is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

To find out more about Tóchar visit www.tocharwetlands.ie or follow us on Instagram @wetlandsrestoration and @tocharstories and find us on Linked In and Facebook as Tóchar Wetlands Restoration.

For Lions Clubs or members looking to get involved please contact the Tullamore Lions Club at carrollm2016@gmail.com.

: Michael Carroll, Marcel Daniels and Shirley Clerkin

: Lions Club and Brian Gorman holding an aerial photograph of the peat dams installed on Clonbeale More Bog

Pobal call 3 project selection announcement image

€6 million of Community Support Funding announced for projects in the Midlands

Funding will go community-led projects in the Midlands – under the EU Just Transition Fund Programme

Minister Darragh O’Brien has announced the award of almost €6 million of Community Support Funding to 10 community-led projects in the Midlands under the EU Just Transition Fund Programme.

The projects were awarded through a third competitive call for proposals in the Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme (LRESSS). LRESSS is co-funded by the government and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund programme.

This call was aimed at funding Local Economic and Community Plans to provide new employment opportunities, for workers and communities that were heavily dependent on peat extraction. It provides targeted support to projects that will boost resilience of communities and the economic fabric of the wider Midlands.

The projects approved for funding will deliver significant benefits to the region, including:

investments in enhancing the circular economy, such as through waste prevention, reduction, resource efficiency, reuse, repair and recycling
the preservation, repurposing and refurbishment of local infrastructure and heritage assets – for use as enterprise spaces
support to green technologies, including renewable energy and sustainable energy practices

This notice comes just a few days after the announcement of another group of 17 projects that have successfully received funding from the EU Just Transition Fund programme, within Fáilte Ireland’s Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private and Community SMEs. Today’s announcement means that there are now over 80 projects that have received funding from the various schemes under the EU Just Transition programme.

The Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme (LRESSS) was developed through close collaboration between the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) as the Managing Authority for the EU Just Transition Fund. It is administered through Pobal. It seeks to support the implementation of bottom-up local and regional strategies.

Commenting on the projects approved for funding, Minister O’Brien said:

“This call has been targeted at the people and communities most effected by the cessation of peat extraction in the Midlands. The selected projects represent an important part of the journey to a lower carbon-future which is fair for all. I look forward to witnessing the benefits to the social fabric, economy and environment that these initiatives will provide.”

Clare Bannon, Acting Director of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA), said:

“EMRA is delighted to see the fund supporting these projects under the Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme. These projects, in conjunction with others supported by the EU Just Transition Fund programme, play a crucial role in driving locally-led regional development and building a stronger, more sustainable future for the communities in the Midlands. We are proud to be able to support these unique project ideas that demonstrate the ingenuity that exists in the communities in the Midlands.”

This is a new opportunity for project funding using resources under the Local and Regional Economic Strategies Support Scheme. The call was aimed at a subset of counties from within the EU Just Transition Territory, following an evidence-based analysis of impacts and funding distribution. Successful projects were required to demonstrate close alignment with locally-defined Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs) and Local Economic and Community Plans (LECPs).

Projects operating in the following areas were eligible to apply under this call: Laois, Offaly, Longford and the Municipal Districts of Ballinasloe (Co Galway), Athy and Clane-Maynooth, (Co Kildare).

Selected Projects

Project	Lead Organisation	Project Description	County	Approved Funding Amount *
Longford Enterprise and Energy Centre	Longford County Council	Under this project, the historical former post office building in Longford town will be refurbished to serve several uses, including setting up co-working spaces, the county tourism office and public event spaces.	Longford	€793,822
The Dalton Centre – Enabling the Transition to Net Zero	Offaly County Council	Under this project, the vacant industrial building of Dalton Centre in Shannonbridge will be upgraded through the provision of basic services so that it can be used for training or job creation in construction and renewable energy sectors.	Offaly	€1,000,000
Kildare’s Green Upskilling Programme	County Kildare Leader Partnership Company Limited by Guarantee	Under this project, a bespoke training programme focused on low-carbon, circular economy practices are being delivered to marginalised individuals in Athy and Clane-Maynooth with low education and limited employment opportunities.	Kildare	€709,314
GreenSkills Reboot: Empowering the transition to a sustainable future through skills bootcamps	Generation: You Employed, Ireland Company Limited By Guarantee	Under this project, four green skills bootcamps are being delivered in the Midlands that focus on Solar PV Panel Installation and Retrofit Advisory.	Meath**	€235,448
RegenTEC – Regeneration Training and Education Centre	Kildare County Council	Under this project, a vacant former secondary school in Athy is being developed into a hub for Regenerative Economic Development. The hub will be used for training and educational activities on sustainable and a low carbon economy.	Kildare	€998,802
Development of Canal Road Business Park, Portarlington	Laois County Council	Under this project, capital works will be undertaken on the former Avon site at Canal Road, Portarlington to upgrade it to a business park and to attract enterprises.	Laois	€999,963
Wetlands Wastewater treatment plant	Allenwood Community Development Association Company Limited by Guarantee	Under the project, a new wastewater treatment plant will be constructed to ensure operational continuity and sustainability of the Allenwood Community Development Association. The overall wetlands treatment system will also create green spaces and wildlife habitats	Kildare	€287,653
Glas don Saol	The County Kildare Local Employment Service Network Company Limited by Guarantee	Under this project, 300 people in Athy and Clane-Maynooth will be assisted to identify their skills and interests and develop a career path within the green economy through the provision of a high-quality Career Guidance service.	Kildare	€299,491
Kilcormac Sustainable Development Project	Kilcormac Development Association	Under this project, a new tourist office will be developed in Offaly to serve as an ecotourism hub with EV charging points and bicycle repair services.	Offaly	€231,787.68
Ballinasloe Enterprise Hub: Empowering Local Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Employment	Ballinasloe Area Community Development	Under this project, the recently renovated office space of the Ballinasloe Enterprise Hub will be operationalised by resourcing it with staff and equipment. The Hub will focus on the development of business in key sectors such as digital services, healthcare, MedTech and climate change by highlighting its offerings and providing high quality networking events and training sessions	Galway	€263,479

*subject to grant agreement

** Generation: You Employed is based in Meath, however, the project is being delivered in the Midlands Designated Territory

First tourism projects awarded €2.9million investment under Fáilte Ireland’s EU JTF Private and Community SME Scheme announced

First 17 projects announced have received almost €2.9million in funding under Fáilte Ireland’s Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private and Community SMEs.
Evaluations of remaining applications are ongoing with further funding awards to be announced on a rolling basis over the coming weeks and months.

Today [18th February 2025] Fáilte Ireland has announced the first 17 projects, worth almost €2.9million, that have been awarded funding under its Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private and Community SMEs.

Part of the EU Just Transition Fund programme, co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union, this marks the first announcement of successful projects under the Private and Community SME scheme, which closed on 13th January 2025 after receiving 170 applications. The 17 projects [listed below] represent the first to have signed Investment Grant Agreements with Fáilte Ireland, with more projects expected to be announced on a rolling basis in the coming weeks and months, as evaluations of applications are completed.

Projects span four regenerative tourism development categories, including the Development or Enhancement of Sustainable Visitor Experiences; Development of Sustainable/Low Carbon Tourist Accommodation; Capital Project Planning and Design; and Accessibility enhancements to provide a more inclusive visitor experience.

CEO of Fáilte Ireland, Paul Kelly said:

“When Fáilte Ireland launched this scheme in August 2023, our aim was to create new opportunities for local communities and businesses across the midlands – and today’s announcement is a huge milestone in this journey.

These 17 projects will provide innovative and sustainable visitor experiences and develop low-carbon tourist accommodation, and I look forward to further announcements of successful projects in the coming weeks and months, as we continue to evaluate the significant number of applications we received.

Initiatives like the EU Just Transition Fund are essential for generating new opportunities for employment and sustaining local communities by creating more reasons for domestic and international tourists to visit Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Ireland’s Ancient East.

We also look forward to further collaboration with local tourism businesses and communities, the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) and our strategic partners to deliver a wide range of projects under the EU Just Transition Fund Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme over the next year and a half.”

Director of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) Clare Bannon said:

“As the Managing Authority of the EU Just Transition Fund programme, the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) welcomes the announcement of these private and community SME projects. The EU Just Transition Fund is a transformative concept for communities in the Midlands, and these 17 projects highlight the significant opportunities arising from investment in tourism. By investing in tourism, we not only create more recreational activities but also contribute to the preservation of environmental quality, fostering sustainable growth and prosperity for our community.”

There has been significant interest in the Private and Community SME scheme, with a high volume of applications received. Fully completed applications are being evaluated in the order of receipt. Fáilte Ireland will communicate with applicants once their application has been evaluated.

Up to 70 tourism enterprises, spread across all eight counties in the EU Just Transition Territory**, are also participating in the Digital Transformation programme element of the scheme, valued at up to €4.8million. This funding enables these enterprises to participate in a two-year programme which will transform their digital presence and digital capabilities.

PROJECTS DETAILS

[Descriptions of all categories noted below]

Location	Category (1/2/3/5)*	Funding
Westmeath	CATEGORY 2 Design and planning for accommodation chalets.	€48,400
Longford	CATEGORY 1 Enhanced bicycles and equipment to provide an accessible and inclusive visitor experience.	€135,200
Laois	CATEGORY 2 Glamping and wagon accommodation experience.	€250,000
Longford	CATEGORY 1 Inclusive visitor experience in Clondara area with increased tour options and routes and enhanced fleet of bicycles and equipment.	€25,776
Offaly	CATEGORY 3 Planning and design to redevelop and repurpose farm outbuildings into low carbon self-catering accommodation including ecological restoration and planting native flora and fauna.	€13,474
Offaly	CATEGORY 1 Develop fly fishing tours on the River Shannon.	€41,520
Tipperary	CATEGORY 1 Enhanced bicycles and equipment to provide an accessible and inclusive visitor experience.	€ 47,200
Galway	CATEGORY 3 A feasibility study to develop a cookery school with dorm style accommodation outdoor glamping pods, campervan pitches, a petting farm and wellness space.	€57,600
Offaly	CATEGORY 1 Increase the variety of the stock of bikes available to create a more inclusive visitor experience.	€168,000
Tipperary	CATEGORY 2 Redevelopment of outhouses into self-catering accommodation units and facilities for glamping tents.	€300,000
Roscommon	CATEGORY 2 Conversion of a 19th Century Schoolhouse into modern guest accommodation.	€275,000
Longford	CATEGORY 2 Development of eco cabins with accompanying works to surrounding area.	€300,000
Longford	CATEGORY 2 Delivery of self-catering accommodation to include one cottage and two glamping pods.	€300,000
Westmeath	CATEGORY 2 Conversion of disused buildings into self-catering cottages	€300,000
Laois	CATEGORY 2 Delivery of luxury eco glamping huts, including a wheelchair accessible hut	€300,000
Longford	CATEGORY 1 Enhanced boat and boating equipment to facilitate on-water guided tours.	€37,000
Longford	CATEGORY 2 Conversion of store room building into guest accommodation.	€300,000

Project categories

Under the Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private & Community SMEs there are five project categories that are being considered for funding:

Category 1 – Development or Enhancement of Sustainable Visitor Experiences
Category 2 – Development of Sustainable Tourist Accommodation
Category 3 – Capital Project Planning & Design
Category 4 – Digital Transformation
Category 5 – Accessibility enhancements to provide a more inclusive visitor experience.

Certificate ceremony for the first Wind Turbine training course on 9 February 2025, Roscommon

EUJTF-funded First Local Wind Turbine Course a Major Success

Last Sunday (February 9th) marked a momentous day in promoting local environmental awareness when ten participants graduated from a new innovative self-build Wind Turbine course, organised jointly by Roscommon County Council’s Climate Action Team in conjunction with Galway and Roscommon Education Training Board (GRETB).

first EUJTF funded wind turbine course graduation ceremony

Participants of the Wind Turbine training course receive certificates of completion on 9 February 2025.

This inaugural programme which ran over 4 separate weekends during December 2024 and January 2025 in the GRETB’s centre in Lisnamult, Roscommon. A further course is scheduled to start in March at a date to be confirmed.

Participants learned to build a domestic wind turbine from scratch using the Hug Piggott turbine design. These models are considered ideal for those interested in building their own wind turbine or just for the pleasure of it, learning a wide range of range of related skills such as basic woodwork, electrical and metalwork.

Training provided has been divided between the aforementioned self-build wind turbine courses and other EV repair and maintenance courses. This first wind turbine course has helped raise levels resilience to impacts resulting from climate change for the participants and set them on the road to a potential career in the renewables industry.

The programme was funded through the Just Transition Fund programme, co-financed through Government of Ireland and European Union resources, with the aim to run regular training courses like this wind turbine course in partnership with GRETB until the end of March 2026.

Speaking following the presentation ceremony, Barry Tapster, Climate Action Officer with Roscommon County Council remarked:

“This new Wind Turbine course has been an invaluable learning exercise for participants.

“Practical, hands-on training and support has been given as to how one can develop and operate their own wind turbine in a manner that’s cost effective, safe and environmentally friendly and sustainable.

“None of us were immune from the recent effects of Storm Éowyn, which resulted in widespread power outages. The success of this course demonstrates the needs for greater understanding and awareness of harnessing alternative sources of energy”, Mr. Tapster remarked.

Wind turbine building training course, Roscommon 2025

Training course participants constructing parts of a wood wind turbine. Photo by eirbyte.ie

Sinead Morgan, Director of Further Education and Training, GRETB commended

“All involved in the creation and delivery of this programme which demonstrates GRETB’s commitment to providing training to develop the green, circular and low-carbon economy to support innovation and skills development.”

For further information, please contact Roscommon County Council at climate@roscommoncoco.ie .

Tenders sought to shape the future of Pollardstown Fen in Kildare

Tóchar Midlands Wetlands Restoration is seeking a multi-disciplinary team to create a restoration plan for the most important calcareous fen in Ireland, Pollardstown Fen in Co. Kildare.

The call for tenders for scientific, ecological and hydrological services for the restoration plan has a closing date of Monday 17 February 2025, and is available on etenders.

https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/cft/prepareViewCfTWS.do?resourceId=4930730

The aim of this project is to set out proposals for restoration of fen and associated habitats at Pollardstown Fen SAC (0000396), to implement these measures and to monitor their effectiveness. The restoration plan will identify technically feasible restoration measures for the various zones of the site including the fen habitats, Rathbride woodland, and surrounding wetland margins. The site is primarily in state ownership.

Unlike a bog, fens are fed mainly by springs, and in this case calcareous (calcium rich) water flowing in from over 40 springs emanating from the Curragh sand and gravel aquifer. This creates a unique environment, providing specialist species a place to call home in a landscape where they would otherwise fail to gain a foothold. Although the focus of the restoration plan is on fen habitats, it is anticipated that restoration measures will also benefit other wetland habitats, important species and contribute to socioeconomic benefits for the local community, improvements to biodiversity and reduced carbon emissions.

The restoration plan is supported through the EU Just Transition fund which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. Tóchar Midlands Wetlands Restoration is led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. The managing authority for the EU Just Transition fund is the Eastern and Midlands Regional Authority (EMRA).

More information about the overall scheme can be found here www.tocharwetlands.ie
ENDS

FURTHER INFORMATION
Project Manager, Tóchar Midlands Wetlands Restoration, shirley.clerkin@npws.gov.ie

Graphic stating "JTPeers to Facilitate 5 new exchanges, benefitting 10 JTF territories" and showing that Ireland will be engaging with Finland

Tóchar Project Embarks on Peer-Exchange with Finland in 2025

In an exciting collaboration, Tóchar Midlands Wetland Restoration – an EU Just Transition Funded project run by NPWS – will engage with a Just Transition territory in Finland in 2025, exchanging knowledge and best practices for restoring peatlands in areas transitioning away from peat extraction. This initiative is part of the European Commission’s Just Transition Platform peer-exchange programme.

The journey began with a conversation at the Just Transition Platform conference in Brussels earlier this year, where Irish and Finnish representatives discussed common challenges and opportunities for communities and landowners. These discussions inspired the successful application to the peer-exchange programme.

Planning for the exchange is underway, with a strong focus on involving as many Irish stakeholders as possible. Finnish participants will include representatives from South and Central Ostrobothnia and the subregion of Kaustinen, home to many peatlands in Finland’s Just Transition region. The delegation will also feature regional councils, university researchers, and members of Finland’s sustainable peatland use competence cluster.

A fascinating connection exists between Finland’s landscape and culture. The Finnish word for Finland, Suomi, shares its root with suo, meaning swamp or mire, a fitting reflection for a country where one-third of the land is covered by mires and peat. Kaustinen, renowned for its raised bogs, mires, and vibrant cultural heritage, is also famous for its fiddle music and folk festival, with the region’s music inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Recognising the deep bond between culture and nature, Tóchar is committed to exploring how cultural identity influences our relationship with peatlands and wetlands. The team eagerly anticipates building this cultural and environmental partnership with Finland throughout the coming year.