Ferns Tidy Towns encourage and promote environmental awareness and education including waste minimisation and reduction to our carbon footprint and are pro-active advocates for sustainability, biodiversity, preservation of local heritage and the vision of being a sustainable energy community. Joining Ferns Tidy Towns is a great way to get involved in community life. If you are interested in joining and have a particular interest in any of the categories below please get in touch. We would be delighted to have you onboard.

Going forward Ferns Tidy Towns will reference whatever the Sustainable Development Goals its various projects or initiatives aim to deliver. One or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals will appear alongside any and all future blogs and in the monthly newsletter.

Community – Your Planning and Involvement

Pobail – Do Pleanáil agus Tionsclaimh

Marks are awarded in this category for the overall quality of the Entry Form, town/village map & appropriateness of back up material submitted with your entry. Other key issues are the participation of the local community, businesses, schools and youth in general; working partnerships with local civic agencies; works carried out and appropriate projects completed; existence of an achievable Tidy Towns Plan. Consideration is given to social inclusion, while of community approach, the role of volunteers and the new residents that is apparent in activities.

Streetscape & Public Places

Lanraí Poibhála Poiblí

Buildings

This category focuses on conservation & presentation of heritage buildings and quality of shop fronts: design, sustainability, accessibility, usability and suitability of new structures for all people regardless of age, size or disability, location and environment; treatment of derelict sites and unoccupied buildings; design, accessibility, usability and suitability of civic amenity buildings for all people regardless of age, size or disability.

Public Places

The focus here is on management of our squares, parks, streetscape, paving, landscaping and street furniture; street lighting, building facade lighting, appropriately designed signage and way-finding relating to streets and place nameplates, parking locations, historical trails, walkways and access points to local amenities and facilities and the general use of the Irish language; sustainability and access for all people regardless of age, size or disability.

Green Spaces and Landscaping

Spacaiochtaí Glas agus Tíorthaíocht

The focus in this category is on appropriate planning , design, access to and management of open spaces for all people regardless of age, size, ability or disability and siting of native trees, shrubs and flowers for year round effect and maintenance of planted areas. Presentation of roundabouts and all grass strips. The selection and appropriate siting of trees and their ongoing maintenance, including formative pruning, watering and attention to the stakes and ties.

Presentation of landscaping of all entrances to our village/locality is in consultation with our local authority, where appropriate. The use of suitable plants for hedges and shrubs for year round effect is important as is the siting of seasonal bedding schemes where we wish to highlight important areas. The use of plant containers help provide impact where it is not possible to plant directly into the ground.

We are fortunate here to have natural hedgerows, open spaces and green areas on all of our housing estates that are well managed by both residents, volunteers from tidy towns and local CE and TÚS workers.

Nature and Biodiversity in your locality

An Dúnra agus Bithéagsúlacht i do Áitiúil

This category is focused on the importance of raising understanding and awareness of the natural amenities in our area, including any aspects that make Ferns important for conservation (e.g. waterways, field boundaries, coastal features). An appreciation of how species and habitats should be best protected and managed.  It is our goal to provide evidence of good co-operation with expert groups ad relevant authorities, especially in carrying out work and projects in sensitive areas. The provision of access to natural areas and interpretation of key aspects is equally important. 
 

Sustainability – Doing more with less

Istabhlaiocht A Dhéanamh Tuilleadh Níos Mó

This category in the National Tidy Towns is very topical in today’s society with the emphasis very much on Green and Sustainable living. It focuses on activities that address issues of waste and throw away culture. Furthermore it aims at helping communities to understand the importance of waste management, help promote a culture of reusing, recycling, minimisation and ideally rethinking our actions in terms of waste with a view to achieving Zero/No Waste. This section also focuses on how our community can promote efficient use of resources (e.g. water, energy, transport are all extremely important.

Over the past 10 years Ferns Tidy have been doing their bit in this category and in 2016 we were delighted to be announced as the Tidy Towns Regional Winner of the Irish Water Value Water Award in the Best Small Town category and also the winner of the Value Water Award in the Keep Wexford Beautiful Environment Awards in 2016.

Tidiness and Litter Control

Rialú Réiteas agus Litreacha

Tidiness

General lack of clutter, blocked footpaths, redundant poles, unsightly overhead electric cables, absence of graffiti and fly-posting and evidence of control of weed growth at kerbs. Absence of unsightly and or inappropriate advertising, such as that on gables of buildings and mass produced advertising banners in shop fronts. Please note that although general tidiness is evaluated and marked in this category, tidiness is also considered under other categories including the Streetscape & Public Places, Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes.

Litter

The adjudicator will assess the absence of litter and dumping, evidence of litter control strategy, including regular litter patrols, segregation of collected litter during clean-ups and promotion of anti-litter awareness throughout community.

To address this Ferns Tidy Towns have implemented a litter plan.

Residential Streets & Housing Areas

Ráithe Ráthaíochta agus Limistéir Tithíochta

Residential streets that include Town Houses are integral parts of towns and villages and should be treated in a similar fashion to public and private housing developments. Consideration is given to proper presentation and maintenance of all properties with due cognisance given to maintenance of frontages, boundary and gable end walls. Gardens, where applicable, should be presented to a good standard.

In housing developments green areas should be cut regularly. Children’s play areas to be considered with equipment maintained to best standards. Where possible individual estates should have suitable name signs – stones, plaques, sign posts, etc. preferably bilingual. Unfinished estates will not reflect badly on the efforts of any community but examples of how the community is addressing this issue should be highlighted.

Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes

Bóithre Iarratas, Stáitanna agus Leanna

This section focuses on the appropriate presentation and management of our approach roads, including the roadside verges and their boundary treatment. The appearance of Ferns village streets, connecting roads, laneways, bridges and cycle lanes. Provision for inclusive access and pedestrian connections.

Tidy Towns Competition

The national SuperValu Tidy Towns competition is an annual contest organised by the Department of Rural and Community Development. The competition is supported by the title sponsor SuperValu and many other agencies.

The competition involves participating areas being rated on all aspects of their local environment and prizes awarded to the best under many different categories. The overall winner is “Ireland’s Tidiest Town”. which is announced at a national ceremony in September each year.