Diversity of field boundaries on lowland farms in the west of Ireland

Caroline Sullivan and colleagues have just had a paper published in Volume 113, issue 2 of Biology and Environment. The title of the paper is ‘Field boundary habitats and their contribution to the area of semi-natural habitats on lowland farms in east Galway, western Ireland'. Read an Open Access version of the paper on T-STór here.

AranLIFE Project: Frequently Asked Questions

ARAN LIFE PROJECT: Frequently Asked Questions (from the webpage of DAHG)

Q. What is the AranLIFE project?

A.

The AranLIFE project is a demonstration project that will operate on the three Aran Islands over a 4 year period from 2014-2017. It will seek to develop and demonstrate the best conservation management practices of local farmers on the designated Natura 2000 sites of the three islands (protected habitats for flora and fauna of European importance). The project will focus on farming activities on the islands within the Natura designated sites. It will harness local farming knowledge and experience with the scientific expertise of other project partners to overcome some of the challenges of island farming and to improve the conservation status of the designated sites. Information on the Natura designated sites of the three islands can be found at:

http://www.npws.ie/protectedsites/

Q. What exactly will the Aran LIFE project do?

A.  A Project Team which will be established and based on the Aran Islands over the 4 year duration of the project will work with members of the farming communities on each of the islands over that period on a wide range of actions including:

• the development of farm management plans
• profiling the grazing potential
• improving access to land parcels by clearing boreens
• scrub and bracken control within fields
• improving access to water for stock
• nutrient management of grasslands
• monitoring the impact of these actions ecologically, agriculturally and socioeconomically.

Other actions will focus on education and public awareness and will include:

• the development of a website and media campaign
• public information meetings
• educational activities focusing on schools.

Q. How many farmers will be involved?

A. Given the typical size of Aran Island farms, it is estimated that this will require the direct involvement of approximately 70 farms in total across the three islands. However, many more farmers and the wider community can become involved by way of the project’s demonstration days and other activities over the course of the project.

The project has committed to covering up to 1,011 hectares of certain priority types of farmland habitats (limestone pavement, orchid rich calcareous grasslands and machair).

Q. What issues will the Aran LIFE project not address?

A.

The Aran LIFE project is not an agri-environment scheme nor is it a replacement or follow-on from either REPS or AEOS. (REPS= Rural Environment Protection Scheme; AEOS = Agri-Environment Options Scheme). The project actions will only be implemented within the designated Natura 2000 sites. This is a condition of the LIFE+ funding. For this reason, rye plots and other actions concerning tillage are excluded from the project. Other issues such as planning, aquaculture or coastal erosion do not fall within the scope of the project either.

Given that LIFE+ funding can only be used for activities that cannot be funded under any other arrangements and that funding for stone-wall building/maintenance is available under REPS/AEOS, such works therefore are not eligible under the project. Aran LIFE is essentially a demonstration project which may help to inform future policy and practice in relation to agri-environment schemes insofar as the islands are concerned.

Q. Who will run the Aran LIFE project?

A.

The day-to-day operation of the project will be run by a project team, who will be based on the Aran Islands. They will report to a project steering committee which will operate under The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and will oversee, guide and support the work of the project team.

Q. Who will be on the Project Steering Committee?

A.

The Steering Committee will comprise representatives from:

• The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
• the farming community from each of the three Aran Islands.
• The farming advisory organisation TEAGASC
• Institute of Technology Sligo

Q. What is the budget for the AranLIFE Project and who is funding it?

A.

The total budget for the AranLIFE project is €2,597,685. A total of 75% of the project funding will come from the European Union’s LIFE+ funding programme for the environment while the remaining 25% of the funding is being contributed by the following partners:

• The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
• Teagasc
• The Heritage Council
• The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
• Galway County Council
• Fáilte Ireland.

Q. Why is the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the lead partner or co-ordinating beneficiary for the project?

A.

Given the nature of the project and that it represents a potential benefit to the islands’ community and its natural environment alike, the project naturally aligns with DAHG’s core mission in terms not only of island development but also in terms of the natural heritage.

Q. Will the Aran LIFE project team operate in Irish, English or both?

A.

It is anticipated that the project team as a group will be able to provide a service through both Irish and English.

Q. How will it be decided which farmers’ farms can or will participate or be included in the project?

A.

Once the project team has been appointed they will invite farmers from each of the islands to express their interest in volunteering to participate in the project. Public meetings will be organised in order to publicise and explain the project. Once farmers have been selected for the project, they will be required to enter into a formal agreement and commit to implementing agreed actions on their farm over the course of the project’s duration. Suitability for participation will be determined using criteria that will be developed by the project team in consultation with the steering committee.

Q. What will be the criteria for the farms that will become part of the project?

A.

Criteria will be based around the core objectives of including 1,011 hectares of certain priority types of farmland habitats (limestone pavement, orchid rich calcareous grasslands and machair) under the project. Farmer’s commitment, the suitability of the farm as a demonstration site, farm size and its ecological significance as well as the condition of the habitats on the farm will also play a key part in farm selection. These general criteria will be further refined by the project team on appointment in consultation with the steering committee.

Q. Will the number of participating farmers be split evenly between the three islands?

A.

Not necessarily. The application of the final agreed criteria will, for the large part inform the decision as to which farmers are invited to participate.

 

Q. Do you have to leave REPS or AEOS to be involved in the AranLIFE project?

A.

No. Any farmer’s involvement with the AranLIFE Project will be totally separate from their REPS or AEOS contract.

Q. Will I get paid to be a participating farmer?

A.

Participating farmers will qualify for payment in respect of the successful completion of agreed works undertaken as part of the project. Payment will vary in accordance with each farm’s agreed management plan and will be determined using trial works that have been undertaken with some of the island farmers in recent years. Once a participating farmer has an agreed management plan in place, they will know exactly how much they will be entitled to on successful completion of the agreed works.

 

For further information contact:

Seán Ó Grifín

Higher Executive Officer

Tel: 091 503723

email: sean.ogrifin@ahg.gov.ie






 

Ideal HNV: High Nature Value farming systems

Ideal HNV: Identifying the Distribution and Extent of Agricultural Land of High Nature Value

We have recently started a new research project to identify the distribution and extent of agricultural land of High Nature Value (Ideal-HNV) in Ireland. It's funded by the Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013, by the Research Stimulus Fund of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The project is a collaboration between Teagasc and IT Sligo and will run for a duration of 2 years from mid-2013.

The project has a dedicated website and blog at: http://idealhnv.wordpress.com/

Abstracts: Pearl Mussel Conference 15 Feb 2013

The extended abstracts for the presentations provided at the freshwater pearl mussel meeting hosted by the INTERREG IVA Freshwater Pearl Mussel Practical Measures Project in Letterkenny, County Donegal on the 15th February 2013 are available.

The extended abstracts contain impressive detail, including fantastic images of conservation actions and results.

This was a great conference, and an excellent event for networking, and catching up on recent progress (warts and all) on conservation of freshwater pearl mussels.



See my previous post on our publication of a survey of freshwater pearl mussels in an Irish catchment.

Benefits of legume-based livestock systems (Conference presentation)

Following my recent post on the EGF 2013 (European Grassland Federation) Symposium in Iceland, presentations are now available at the EGF 2013 homepage
Update: Proceedings now available at: http://www.egf2013.is/

Experimental drought is underway

At last, the rain shelters are deployed, and our experimental drought is underway.

This just happens to coincide with some of the finest Irish weather in decades, so we may have to irrigate the control plots!

€2.6m for AranLIFE project



Photo: Patrick McGurn

We are thrilled to be partners in the AranLIFE project! Official press release from today:

€2.6 Million announced by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for the AranLIFE Project

Wednesday 10 July 2013: The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht today confirmed the provision of €2.6 million funding for Aran Islands conservation under the EU's LIFE+ programme. The AranLIFE Project will run for four years from 2014, working with local farmers to support traditional island farming practices and maintain the islands’ significant natural and cultural heritage. 

The AranLIFE Project is an integrated project between the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Heritage Council, the European Forum for Nature Conservation and Pastoralism, Institute of Technology Sligo, Teagasc, and the farming communities of the three Aran Islands. Additional funding is provided by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Galway County Council and Fáilte Ireland.  The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, which has overall responsibility for offshore Islands is the Coordinating Beneficiary or lead applicant for the project.

The communities of the Aran Islands have lived in and farmed the islands for centuries. Their traditional farming practices have been central in creating the iconic Aran landscape, and maintaining its natural heritage, which draws visitors from all over Ireland and the world. The islands are of such high value for nature that over 75% of the land area has been legally designated as Natura 2000 sites under European legislation. However, working with these designations, the small nature of island farms and the high labour input required means that farming on the islands faces many challenges. While many farmers clearly wish to continue practices handed down over generations the early impacts of a reduction in farming activity are becoming evident, in the form of undergrazed pastures and overgrown fields. Traditional knowledge and practices are also being used less and the AranLIFE project will assist and encourage farmers to reverse this trend.  These changes are affecting the Islands’ significant natural heritage, including its limestone pavement and orchid-rich grasslands, and will affect the social and economic fabric of the islands.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley T.D., said that ‘the traditional practices of the Aran Islands are a vitally important part of our natural heritage. I welcome this funding as it will ensure the longevity and sustainability of the rich and valuable landscape of these traditions into the future, and also enhance the valuable tourist product of these islands for visitors from all over the world."

The AranLIFE project has been set up to tackle some of these challenges over the next four years, working closely with the farming communities, increasing awareness of the natural heritage of the islands, leading to an improvement in the condition of the Nature 2000 sites, and turning the designations from a challenge to an opportunity.

Our research at European Grassland Federation 2013

The Role of Grasslands in a Green Future

Proceedings of the 17th Symposium of the European Grassland Federation (Eds. Áslaug Helgadóttir, Alan Hopkins)

Akureyri, Iceland, 23-26 June 2013

This was another excellent EGF conference at a wonderful location in Akureyri, Iceland. The scientific programme was as impressive as the social programme, which featured waterfalls, geysers, choirs, horse exhibitions, and 'cured shark'. Cured shark is certainly an acquired taste, and was considered by one participant as tasting like 'a baby's nappy' (or what they imagined a baby's nappy would taste like...).

Here, I provide the titles, abstracts and contact details of the four contributions that we made to EGF2013. Of particular interest was the growing frequency of research into multi-species mixutres of grasses and legumes. The opening talk by my good friend and long-time collaborator Andi Lüscher was a tour de force of this theme, and his paper will be published in Grass and Forage Science in due course. I also provide the abstract of his talk.  

Public dissemination of our research on grassland production

Science for Environment Policy is a free news and information service published by Directorate-General Environment, European Commission. It provides quality environmental research for evidence-based policy.

The June 2013 issue featured our recently published research:

"Multi-species mixtures for greater productivity and environmental resilience

A recent study has revealed that grassland plots planted with a mixture of several agricultural plant species produced a greater yield than plots planted with a single species. The findings provide valuable evidence for scientists, farmers and policymakers who strive to increase the productivity of grassland, while reducing input of nitrogen fertilisers."

This publication was based on our recent journal article:

Finn, J. A., Kirwan, L., Connolly, J., et al. (2013) Ecosystem function enhanced by combining four functional types of plant species in intensively managed grassland mixtures: a 3-year continental-scale field experiment. Journal of Applied Ecology. 50: 365-375.

Doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.12041

UPDATE: Open Access version at: http://hdl.handle.net/11019/438

New project: experimental drought on field plots





Knowledge of the effect of severe weather events is a major uncertainty in models that aim to predict the effect of climate change on agricultural systems. As part of the EU-funded AnimalChange experiment, we are testing the effects of severe weather events on grassland production, and the potential role of multi-species mixtures as a mitigation/adaptation measure.

Field margins for grassland biodiversity

Field margins and beetle banks have featured for quite some time as a conservation action for farmland wildlife in arable systems. They have well-documented benefits for plant diversity, invertebrate diversity and as habitat and feeding area for a variety of mammals and birds. Our research group is also interested in field margins - but in grazed grassland systems.

Publication on freshwater pearl mussel

How many people can spend a day in the sunshine, dipping in and out of streams and rivers in a beautiful landscape, and call it work? That's exactly what we did in a survey of freshwater pearl mussels in Co Cork. The results of the survey were published in the Royal Irish Academy's Biology and Environment.

What yields most: 4-species mixtures or the best monoculture?




One of our experimental sites with a clear checkerboard pattern illustrating the different plant communities that varied in richness (monocultures, 4-species mixtures) and evenness (relative abundance of the four species).

What yields most in intensive grassland systems: the best of four monocultures or a four-species mixtures? We undertook a major multi-site, multi-year experiment that investigated this question (among others)...

Mixture evenness improves agronomic forage yield

This research investigated the relationship between species diversity (measured as evenness) and ecosystem function (measured as yield of aboveground biomass ). We used a large-scale experiment (28 sites) and an innovative methodology to quantify the relationship between diversity of agricultural grassland species (richness, evenness) and aboveground biomass (yield). This post discusses the results from the first year of data as reported in Kirwan et al. 2007.

Review of environmental evidence and REPS

What was the environmental benefit of the Irish Rural Environmental Protection Scheme?

For several years, people have regularly asked about the extent to which there has been a positive environmental effect of the Irish agri-environment scheme (REPS, Rural Environment Protection Scheme). This is an important question to answer, for a number of reasons.

Pilot project: The Farmland Wildlife Survey



 

This pond was voluntarily created in 2003 (Co. Louth), and represents a
considerable level of interest in farmland habitats by farmers. How can we stimulate this interest?

Communicating the wildlife value of different farmland elements is crucial first step in supporting conservation of wildlife. This pilot project provided farmers and farm advisors with a wildlife survey of this farm, and was valued by participants as a method to improve their communication to visiting groups of farmers.