Donal Hickey: Farmers join up to protect section of Caha river

3.5km stretch fenced off to stop cattle damage

The protected section of the Caha is a salmon-spawning area. Picture: David Cheskin/PA Wire

A RIVER that helped a West Cork community survive the Great Famine is the focus of a project showing that agriculture and good environmental practices can go hand in hand.

Nine farmers are taking part in the programme to protect a sensitive section of the Caha river, near Dunmanway, in the Bandon catchment. They have fenced off a 3.5km stretch to stop cattle from damaging the river bed and to safeguard species like the freshwater pearl mussel.