The Irish Farmers Journal revealed last week that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has proposed a suite of agri-environmental schemes to pay farmers to manage designated land.

The association has questioned if all land, regardless of what measure is placed upon them, remains eligible indefinitely as an agricultural area under the CAP payment process, and if lands earmarked for protection and fencing off from livestock can be used again for livestock grazing when a scheme ends.

“Forestry schemes, which initially seemed attractive, have left many farmers devastated where the price for their timber did not live up to expectation and farmers are obliged to replant their lands at their own costs.

“Those same lands can never be returned to eligible agricultural area under CAP,” an INHFA spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal.

Carrot

History will show how, when REPS was introduced, it was the carrot that paved the way to introduce SAC and SPA designations, according to the INHFA.

“These designations have outlived the management payment available in REPS, with major negative consequences for farmers, as well as on its environmental ambitions.”

The spokesperson said that NPWS figures show that 92% of the designated areas have deteriorated in habitat quality since the designation was placed upon it.

“The designations have failed as a policy,” he added.

The INHFA welcomed the proposal to pay €15m/year to farmers for the costs associated with the Natura designations.