The ReFarm program is scaling up a project to create wetlands on farms in Ireland.

The organization ReFarm, founded by sustainable development investor Anke Heydenreich and ecologist Dr. Brendan Dunford, has developed a model of interaction in which farmers receive direct funding to restore biodiversity on their land. The initiative uses a blended finance mechanism, attracting both public funds and private investment. A collaboration with the Wicklow County Council, aimed at creating fully functioning wetlands — ponds — serves as an example of this work.

Criteria for the creation of such sites imply a minimum water surface area of 150 square meters, while the average size of the ponds implemented in Wicklow was 761 square meters. The budget for a single project reaches 3,000 euros. Ecologists note that such water bodies are important habitats that support up to 60% of local freshwater species and help regulate the water balance on the site. Due to the shallow depth of the facilities (less than one meter), the approval and construction process is completed in a short timeframe, without requiring complex permit documentation.

Scientific support for the project is provided by Trinity College Dublin professors Jane Stout and Marta O’Hagan. As part of the program, multi-year studies are being conducted on the effectiveness of the measures taken. According to the participants, the application procedure is simple, and financial interaction takes place promptly. At the moment, the project has covered about 80 farms throughout Ireland.

The Wicklow County experience proved to be in high demand: the next phase of the project was fully staffed with participants before the application deadline closed. This year, similar pond development programs, organized in conjunction with ReFarm, are being launched in the counties of Leitrim, Longford, Laois, and Meath. The organization’s plans for 2026 include doubling the number of participating farmers and the volume of allocated funding.