project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group
North Connemara Locally Led Agri-environmental Scheme
North Connemara Locally Led Agri-environmental Scheme
Objectives
Ensure the long-term economic viability of hill farming in the Twelve Bens/Maumturks (TBM) area.
-Develop a landscape-based approach to recapture the historical tradition of governing local commonage.
-Establish a common set of agronomic, economic, social and environmental indicators using innovative technologies.
-Provide a mechanism to create a social farming initiative.
-Prevent further habitat damage through the formation of management groups.
-Improve the conservation status of Annex I Habitats.
-Preserve and promote the TBM regions farming and cultural heritage.
Objectives
Ensure the long-term economic viability of hill farming in the Twelve Bens/Maumturks (TBM) area.
-Develop a landscape-based approach to recapture the historical tradition of governing local commonage.
-Establish a common set of agronomic, economic, social and environmental indicators using innovative technologies.
-Provide a mechanism to create a social farming initiative.
-Prevent further habitat damage through the formation of management groups.
-Improve the conservation status of Annex I Habitats.
-Preserve and promote the TBM regions farming and cultural heritage.
Activities
-Formulate farmer-led management groups.
-Develop a results-based scoring and payment system.
-Train participants in the use of modern technology.
-Targeted scrub removal of rhododendron encroachment by non-chemical methods.
-Develop a social farming programme.
-Develop a TBM blackface sheep initiative, whereby the indigenous blackface sheep will be maintained and enhanced.
-Manage the impact of recreational use in the TBM through trail definition and maintenance works.
-Develop school education programmes and public outreach.
Activities
-Formulate farmer-led management groups.
-Develop a results-based scoring and payment system.
-Train participants in the use of modern technology.
-Targeted scrub removal of rhododendron encroachment by non-chemical methods.
-Develop a social farming programme.
-Develop a TBM blackface sheep initiative, whereby the indigenous blackface sheep will be maintained and enhanced.
-Manage the impact of recreational use in the TBM through trail definition and maintenance works.
-Develop school education programmes and public outreach.
Additional information
-Establishment of actively operating farm management groups comprised of landowners, implementing work plans, with advice and guidance from project team.
-Development of methodologies for the sustainable management and utilisation of priority Habitats Directive Annex 1 habitats in the TBM catchment.
-Establishment a panel of trained farmers to operate drones for shepherding and habitat assessment purposes.
-Establishment of trial areas to test the applicability of virtual fencing and electronic tagging.
-To measure the impact of the introduction of cattle for the management of scrub, and improvement of habitats.
-Cleared 200ha of rhododendron and 100ha of scrub under management.
-To have carried out an accurate census of the remaining blackface sheep in the uplands and to have developed a programme to maintain and enhance the blackface sheep.
-To have trails that will be clearly defined, maintained and fit for purpose to encourage recreational users to remain on marked trails.
-Establishment a number of demonstration farms, in cooperation with the farmers to help promote the project and further disseminate results.
-Establishment of an all-inclusive social farming scheme into the overall project.
-Carried out training events for farmers, covering topics such as Natura 2000, scrub removal, technology training, etc.
-Development an educational awareness programme targeting local primary and secondary schools in the project area.
-Establishment third level undergraduate research projects ongoing under the remit of third level institutions.
-Formation of a panel from within the OG to deal with any appeals or issues brought forward by farmers.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
- Rural Development Programme
- 2014IE06RDNP001 Ireland - Rural Development Programme (National)
Ort
- Main geographical location
- West
EUR 1 424 284.00
Total budget
Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.
1 Practice Abstracts
The Twelve Bens/Maumturks is a unique upland landscape that encompasses over 30,000 hectares of Natura designated, privately owned HNV farmland and is a region rich in natural cultural diversity. The landowners in the Twelve Bens/Maumturks area face increasingly difficult challenges in farming this landscape due to land abandonment brought about by decreasing economic viability, decrease in the numbers of traditional grazers, encroachment of Rhododendron ponticum and labour-intensive practices required to continue farming these upland habitats. Further pressures are brought about by an increase in recreational use on the Twelve Bens/Maumturks.
The project aims to restore, preserve and enhance the biodiversity of this unique Natura 2000 area through the development of a four-year pilot, locally led agri environmental scheme. It also seeks to instil a sense of communal ownership around collective provision of local public goods, particularly biodiversity, walking trails, social inclusion and landscape features unique to the Twelve Bens/Maumturks region, by farmers.
The Twelve Bens/Maumturks is a unique upland landscape that encompasses over 30,000 hectares of Natura designated, privately owned HNV farmland and is a region rich in natural cultural diversity. The landowners in the Twelve Bens/Maumturks area face increasingly difficult challenges in farming this landscape due to land abandonment brought about by decreasing economic viability, decrease in the numbers of traditional grazers, encroachment of Rhododendron ponticum and labour-intensive practices required to continue farming these upland habitats. Further pressures are brought about by an increase in recreational use on the Twelve Bens/Maumturks.
The project aims to restore, preserve and enhance the biodiversity of this unique Natura 2000 area through the development of a four-year pilot, locally led agri environmental scheme. It also seeks to instil a sense of communal ownership around collective provision of local public goods, particularly biodiversity, walking trails, social inclusion and landscape features unique to the Twelve Bens/Maumturks region, by farmers.
Contacts
Project coordinator
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Forum Connemara CLG
Project coordinator
Project partners
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Ivan Kelly
Project partner
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Marie Mannion
Project partner
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Thomas Van Rensburg
Project partner
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William cormacan. NPWS
Project partner