Kate Meleady has had a high flying working life across the globe in the corporate world of aircraft engineering and leasing, but five years ago her life changed completely.
She bought four acres of land in west Clare and moved there to live. However the land was a complete wilderness and had been left unmanaged for years.
"It was like a fairyland, but a grim one," she said.
"I had very little knowledge of what I should do with it, but I really wanted to do the right thing for the land, the environment and the ecology of the area, but where oh where would I start?" she asked herself.
Ms Meleady sought the help of the Burrenbeo Trust, which runs 'The Hare's Corner', an innovative biodiversity project which offers expert advice and micro funding to those landowners who want to do the right thing to hand it back to nature, but in the right way.
As a result, Ms Meleady established a small orchard, a mini woodland of over 70 native trees and a pond, and says her small plot of land has been transformed as a result.
"The wildlife, the birdsong, the insects, the pollinators, the native trees like the Burren pine, the Alder, and the Oak are all progressing well and are attracting new bird and insect life.
"It gave me the confidence to know I was doing the right thing for the environment. And now I want to expend the number of trees and the size of the pond for the future," she said.
Brendan Dunford, who established the Burren Beo trust, said 'The Hare's Corner' project is a simple idea but has proved to be a phenomenal one.
"It's an old Irish expression. Many landowners had a plot of land that was not suited to be farmed intensively, and it was left it to nature, so this project is about making space for nature no matter what size plot you have.
"We offer expert advice and micro funding for people to allow them to do the right thing for their land and for nature," Mr Dunford said.
"There has been a phenomenal response to the project. People like Kate and over 1,000 others want to do the right thing and we want to help them along that journey.
"People are certainly afraid of doing the wrong thing and the advice we can offer goes a long way as we need to manage our lands that will support our climate and our biodiversity needs."
Ponds, he says, have proved to be a real eye opener for those who have started them up.
"Surprisingly ponds are the single most impactful thing we can do for wildlife. They are like a magnet.
"They attract inserts, which attract birds, and they also have a variety of flora as well. And in addition, they are a very tranquil space for anyone who has established them.
"In fact 80% of people who have set up ponds on their lands, say their wellness has been enhanced as a result, no matter what size," he added.
The Hare's Corner initiative has already been in operation in Clare, Leitrim, Galway and Meath, where over 1,600 new habitats have been established.
Now it is being spread to Limerick, Carlow, Sligo and Offaly and landowners, community groups, schools, citizen shed groups, and others with land and garden space are being encouraged to apply for expert advice and funding to make their contribution.
Already there has been huge interest from individuals and groups in Limerick, one of the counties now included in the scheme.
Sinead McDonnell, Biodiversity Officer at Limerick City and County Council, said they are delighted to partner with The Hare's Corner project.
"Many people want to do something for nature but are confused as to what they should do and how to do it," she said.
"This project meets the need by providing the encouragement, advice and micro funding to take action," she said.
Already Ms McDonnell has had an application from Susan Kerwin of the Bruree community centre, who also runs the Bat Rehabilitation Ireland project.
Ms Kerwin said that the vision is to set up a community garden at the centre.
She said that she wants an "avenue of wild flowers as you walk up to our garden and a mini orchard of native Irish apple trees which will not only supply food for the local village, but also pollinators for the trees themselves and a wide range of insects, and food for the bats which I love so much".
