Conservation rewards system needs to work for farmers if it is to actually work
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There are hopeful signs that farmers and environmentalists can, indeed, be friends. Tensions between these traditionally conflicting interests seem to be easing, as more farmers get into eco-schemes.
There’s a growing realisation that farming is now about far more than food production. It’s also about nature, habitat, wildlife conservation, and improving water quality: in short, finding ways of farming which don’t damage the environment.
As requested, here is a magical trio of:
— Irish Wildlife Sounds (Seán Ronayne) (@SoundsIrish) January 10, 2024
Drumming snipe and crexing Corncrake, complimented by the beautiful melodies of several skylark. I lay down in the twilight and thought about how lucky I was to be there alone listening to this. It was cold, but calm and just so pure. pic.twitter.com/KOs4GHMeSG
Active farmer participation is critical to the success of many schemes and to repairing the damage done to the Irish countryside in the past half-century. Projects to save the curlew, and corncrake, for instance, all need farmers onside.
Environmental organisations strive to get farmers involved and to ensure their goodwill continues. Numerous EU and Government-supported schemes reward farmers and 25% of all direct payments to farmers in 2023 –27 will be for eco-schemes.
However, BirdWatch Ireland says it is "very concerned and disappointed" to learn that payments to 18,000 farmers in the Agri-environment Rural Environmental Scheme (ACRES) will be delayed until next month.
They had been expecting payments prior to Christmas and there are fears the delay could turn off farmers at a time when their involvement is needed more than ever.
ACRES — all about conservation of farmland habitat and species — is a results-based scheme and payment delays are caused by "operational challenges" in uploading results-based scorecards to the Department of Agriculture’s information technology system.
Oonagh Duggan, head of advocacy at BirdWatch, calls for Government action: “Restoration of habitats and wildlife populations on farmland will only work if farmers have trust and confidence in the systems underpinning it and see their payments delivered on time and in full. This is really important and the State must get it right."
Action is needed on many environmental fronts. Farmland birds have suffered the most significant decline of all bird groups over the last 50 years as a result of changes in agricultural practices.
A striking aspects of the hugely-changed Irish landscape is the destruction of ditches and hedgerows, which are so important for birds, plants, wild flowers, insects, and small mammals.
We are now looking for 4 habitat surveyors. Great opportunity to gain experience in fieldwork and habitat scorecards.https://t.co/8lPtkPKwKk@agriculture_ie @WAN_LIFEIP @CorncrakeLife @LIFEonMachair @teagascmayo
— ACRES West Connacht (@ACRESWestConn) January 17, 2024
Farmers are being encouraged not to cultivate certain lands and to allow for the restoration of habitat lost through reclamation and other practices. There are financial rewards for those who work in a sustainable way that contributes to climate and environmental goals.
Meanwhile, an indication of farmer interest in ACRES is that phase two of the scheme is over-subscribed. By last month, 9,200 had applied, with only 4,000 places available.
As the EU Nature Restoration Law comes into effect, however, there will be plenty of opportunities for farmers in eco-schemes.