Wicklow Uplands Council’s AGM took place on June 21st in the Glendalough Hotel.
Guest speaker Michael Davoren from the Burren, Co Clare addressed the
well-attended meeting. Michael, farmer and environmentalist, is passionate
about his native Burren and has been a key figure in the Burren programmes
which have supported sustainable farming in the area over the past decade.
In a very
informative presentation, Michael highlighted that most of the Burren is
recognised as being of major conservation interest, with designations such as
ASI (Area of Scientific Interest), NHA (Natural Heritage Area) and SAC (Special
Area of Conservation). Michael briefly explained that specialist farming
schemes in the Burren to date, including the Burren Life programme and Farming
for Conservation Scheme, resulted in the development of the current Burren
programme. This programme is a pioneering agri-environmental programme, aiming
to conserve and support the heritage, environment and communities of the
Burren. To date the programme has included 200 local farmers and this year an
additional 200 farmers will be accepted into the programme which is funded
under pillar II of the Rural Development Programme.
Michael
described how the latest programme works in The Burren and noted that there are
synergies with upland areas which the Wicklow uplands farmers could adopt. In
the Burren, farmers apply to participate in the scheme and if accepted are
assigned a qualified advisor who have completed an intense 6 week training
course on the fragile Burren ecosystem. The advisors are in place to help the
farmers as opposed to the ‘inspector’ type advisor heretofore. He stated that
“It’s a partnership culminating in positive benefits for both the Burren as an
area and the farmers who live and work there”.
Once the plan
has been agreed, a baseline score is set and work can begin. The farmers are funded up front and at the
end of the first year the advisor allocates a score. The scheme is flexible to
encourage participation. Michael noted that one of the failings of existing
national agri-environment schemes is that there can be very little evidence
that the monies have been used to produce the desired environmental benefits.
In the Burren programme on the other hand, each participant is assessed on an
annual basis and scored accordingly. The reward for an improved score is an
increase in the payment per hectare that the farmer is paid. Scores are
allocated for areas such as improved conditions for biodiversity, ecosystems,
addressing pollution, dealing with invasive species and overall access and
fencing etc.
The presentation
by Michael Davoren was very appropriate given Wicklow Uplands Council’s
application for a sustainable uplands agri-environment scheme for the
Wicklow/Dublin uplands this year under the new European Innovations Partnership
(EIP) initiative. The Uplands Council have progressed to the second stage of
the process and will be developing an in depth project proposal over the summer
months.
WUC
Co-ordinator, Brian Dunne, gave an update on the current projects and
activities of the Uplands Council including the application for an uplands
scheme for Wicklow which aims to support upland farming, the PURE Project and
new village information panels.
The meeting concluded with the election of a
new Board for 2017 and a discussion on current live issues faced by those who
live, work and recreate in the uplands area.
