The BurrenLIFE Project Farming for Conservation in the Burren Brendan Dunford, James Moran

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1 The BurrenLIFE Project Farming for Conservation in the Burren Brendan Dunford, James Moran

2 Overview - a brief introduction to the Burren - the role of agriculture - managing the heritage of the Burren - The BurrenLIFE approach

3 The Burren Region (c.56,000ha, c.30,000 SAC, c. 1500ha State owned)

4 Boireann rocky place, place of stone

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6 Karren

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8 Limestone Pavements (a priority habitat): 18,000ha in three Burren SACs (UK: 3,500ha)

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10 The lunar landscape of the Burren

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13 The Burren was a place densely settled and intensively farmed some 4,500 years ago, at the end of the Neolithic period (Jones, 1997).

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16 The hidden heritage of the Burren

17 Goat cro

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19 The Burren one vast memorial to bygone cultures Tim Robinson

20 It is said that it is a country where there is not water enough to drown a man, wood enough to hang one, nor earth enough to bury them

21 Their cattle are very fat. The grass grows in tufts of earth of two or three foot square which lies between the limestone rocks and is very sweet and nourishing - Ludlow (1651)

22 2. The role of agriculture

23 1317: overflowing with milk and yielding luscious grass 1681: The Burren raises earlier beef and mutton than any land in this kingdom, and much sweeter by reason of the sweet herbs intermixed and distributed everywhere. 1761: The sheep graze there all winter without any fodder near double the tallow of a sheep of the same size fed upon rich pasture. 1808: immense numbers of sheep, the mutton of which is amongst the best in Ireland 1862: fat sheep and cattle of the Burren proverbial amongst Irish agriculturists

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29 The Burren SACs contain over one quarter of the estimated 6,000ha of orchid-rich calcareous grasslands (a priority habitat) remaining in Ireland.

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31 Spring gentian

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34 Managing the Heritage of the Burren _

35 The Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS)

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37 Year Number Number of Farm Holdings, Ballyvaughan RD (Source: CSO) Number of farm workers * 1986* 1991* 1996** Year Number of males employed in agriculture, , Ballyvaughan RD. ( *males and females employed in AFF). Source: CSO

38 Coulter (1852): the people are literally cooking their food with dried fern, heath, brambles, and branches of hazel, of which there is a scanty growth here and there

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40 Farming for Conservation in the Burren Project Budget: 2.23m euro. EU contribution:1,672,865 euro(75%) Timeframe: September 1 st, 2004 August 31 st 2009 Partners: National Parks and Wildlife Service (375,122 euro) Teagasc (169,900 euro), Burren IFA (12,600 euro) Supporters: Leader (Clare), Dept of Agriculture & Food, NUI Galway, Clare Co. Co., Galway Co. Co., The Heritage Council Project Staff: Three full-time staff: Manager, Scientific co-ordinator, Administrator

41 Farming for Conservation in the Burren what s it all about?

42 Farming for production and for conservation a quality product from a quality environment

43 Objective: To develop a new model for the sustainable agricultural management of the Habitats Directive Annex I Priority habitats of the Burren. Limestone Pavement Turloughs, Petrifying Springs, Cladium Fens Orchid rich grasslands

44 Threats to priority habitats

45 Ground-up approach (better buy-in) Farmer and conservationist! There is a world in the land, a farming world of the most sophisticated complexity and the most astute and rich memory that in the next ten years will have vanished completely. O Donoghue (Clare Champion ).

46 Practical solutions versus

47 Flexibility of approach Book of Survey and Distribution (Simington, 1641): Within the Barony of the Burren, 14 different classes of pasture are listed, such as Dwarfwood pasture and Rockie pasture, further differentiated into 69 subdivisions based on profitability, such as Rockie pasture 1/3 profit, Rockie pasture 1/8 profit.

48 Conclusions: The Burren high nature and culture value landscape Agriculture key to the evolution - and conservation of - this landscape Farming today efficiency driven, marginal areas often set aside Burren Farming uncertain future, needs new impetus if it is to survive BurrenLIFE approach largely informed and implemented by local farmers Emphasis on engagement, partnership and practical, proactive actions

49 BurrenLIFE: Serving the communities of the Burren past, present and future Partnership

50 James Moran BurrenLIFE-Approach

51 Talk Outline Public Consultation and Farm Visits BurrenLIFE-Monitor Farms Farm Planning Case Study BurrenLIFE and Agri-Environment Schemes

52 Novel Approach Farmers: How do we address the threats that face the Burren? Project Partners: Support farmers to try out these and other solutions on their farms. Together: Monitor the impacts to see how effective these changes have proven to be. Result: Blueprint for sustainable farming in the Burren. Implemented on BurrenLIFE monitor farms.

53 Public Consultation and Farm Visits >50 farm visits Informal, opportunity for the Project Team to witness the diversity of systems, opinions and ideas that exist in the region. Allow the farmer to learn more about the purpose and objectives of the Project and how he / she might contribute to it. Visits began with the implementation of a farm-scoping questionnaire. It was designed to establish basic facts regarding the prevailing farm system. Baseline environmental surveys of priority habitats. BurrenLIFE monitor farm selection (Target: 25 farms).

54 Farm Planning Baseline information from questionnaire, environmental assessment, aerial photographs, OS maps and REPS plan. Example of BurrenLIFE Farm Planning 140 Ha suckler beef farm 35 cows and 1 Bull Weanlings sold in autumn 4 Replacement Heifers REPS

55 Base Map

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58 High level of complexity Flexibility in management Farmer input

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60 BurrrenLIFE Farm - Objectives Farm situation: Limited available manpower, very restricted access and rapid levels of scrub encroachment. Overall objective: Maintain or increase grazing pressure Enhance access involving strategic removal of passages of scrub. Introduction of concentrate feedstuffs to replace silage. Ease restrictions on summer grazing. Labour efficient system.

61 Monitoring Actions Environmental effect of actions on priority habitats? Agricultural effect of action on animal health and condition? Socio-economic costing of actions and effects on farmers income and time?

62 BurrenLIFE and Development of Agri-enviromental Schemes Many actions specific to Burren Approach = Blueprint for other areas Key aspects: Partnership Increased farmer participation and decision making Flexibility of approach (results driven) High biodiversity requires diversity of management Research and monitoring