Profiling efforts to establish voluntary stewardship in a river catchment

Abstract

River water quality in Ireland is in decline. The Maigue River in County Limerick exemplifies this decline with degrading chemical and ecological water quality. The most significant pressures are agriculture, and to a lesser extent, hydromorphology, and discharges from urban and domestic wastewater systems. Because human activity is a main source of pressure on riverine systems and natural habitats, improving water quality rests partly on increasing local community interest, involvement, and cooperation in water and catchment management initiatives. This study profiles efforts made to foster engagement with residents of the Maigue River catchment where a devastating pollution event in 2014 precipitated the formation of a community water group that increased public involvement in initiatives focused on river water quality and biodiversity. Most of these initiatives would not have been possible without the individual attributes of local participants, an organisational structure (Maigue Rivers Trust), a champion (Project Officer), and supporting funds, training, and resources. These bottom-up efforts demonstrate that voluntary engagement supported by core funding helped further the public participation aims of conservation legislation (Water Framework Directive and River Basin Management Plans) and expanded catchment stewardship. However, future sustainability, with meaningful improvements in water quality, requires time, a functioning structure, and adequate resources, as part of a coherent integrated catchment management approach, if trusting relationships with local communities are to be developed and maintained.