The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) is inviting people to take part in a special World Wetlands Day webinar exploring the power of community-led river restoration on Monday (February 2).

With a strong emphasis on the 'world' in World Wetlands Day, the webinar will bring together voices from across the globe.

Dr. Trish Murphy of the Inishowen Rivers Trust in Donegal and Eva Ford, catchment officer with the Mary River catchment co-ordinating committee in Queensland, Australia, will speak at the webinar.

Though separated by thousands of kilometres, their catchments share strikingly similar challenges and successes, according to the webinar organisers.

The discussion will explore river rehabilitation; community action; accessing support, and building meaningful connections with local water bodies.

"It’s a conversation about what’s possible when communities step up for their rivers", the organisers said.

"People will be able to learn, connect, and be inspired, whether part of a community group, work in the water sector, or simply care about the future of our rivers."

Inishowen Rivers Trust

Dr. Trish Murphy is a project officer with the Inishowen Rivers Trust (IRT), a non-governmental organisation that aims to protect, promote and enhance the rivers of Inishowen, Co. Donegal, by increasing awareness and skills in the local community.

The trust was formally constituted in 2016 and became a charity in 2018. 

Dr. Murphy has a PhD in zoology from University College Cork and previously worked as a science educator in schools and community centres.

A founding member of the IRT, she became its first staff member in 2020.

She has co-ordinated all aspects of the trust’s work from green engineering to volunteer engagement, community training and farmer liaison.

She currently works as a water specialist for the ACRES co-operation team for Co. Donegal, Ireland’s agri-climate rural environment scheme with 54,000 participant farmers.

Mary River

Eva Ford has been a catchment officer and threatened species champion with the Mary River catchment co-ordinating committee since 2003, building upon previous experiences in soil science, the "wonders of sewerage treatment plants and water supply systems", and community fauna and fauna surveying. 

Her main focus is working with landholders to develop and carry out on-ground rehabilitation projects, delivering citizen science programmes, fauna surveying and monitoring, and education programmes "for the young and not-so-young".

She envisions a world where "the outcomes of environmental care outweigh the ecological impacts of our modern lives", and will share her experience and knowledge to inspire those within and outside of the Mary River catchment.

Webinar

Eanna Hyland and Ruth Gaj McKeever, LAWPRO, will also take part in the webinar.

The agenda for the webinar is:

10:00-10:10a.m: LAWPRO introduction;
10:10-10:50a.m: Eva Ford, catchment officer, Mary River catchment co-ordinating committee;
10:50-11:00a.m: tea break;
11:00-11:40a.m; Dr. Trish Murphy, project officer, IRT;
11:40a.m-12:00p.m: Q&A.

The event will take place at the Colgan Hall, in Carndonagh, Co. Donegal, but is also accessible online. Both the in-person and online events are free.

More details on the event and on how to register are available on the IRT website.

World Wetlands Day 2026 will explore the deep-rooted connections between wetlands and cultural practices, traditions and knowledge systems of communities across the world. 

This year’s theme is 'Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage'.