There are growing fears that EU proposals could see the “mother of all designations” impose severe restrictions on how thousands of farmers manage their land.
A European Commission proposal to strictly protect land is “rewilding by another name”, according to the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association’s (INHFA) Vincent Roddy.
Peatland that was drained for farming in the past is in the firing line as a result of the EU proposal.
There are 295,000ha of farmed peatland, now in grass, in the country.
The EU wants 30% of all land in Europe to be designated for biodiversity and 10% of land should be defined as “strictly protected” – a move that would ban most farming practices.
Threat
“This will affect farmers from the top end of Inishowen, down to Connemara and down to west Kerry,” INHFA president Colm O’Donnell warned, adding that even dairy farms could be under threat.
“Don’t be fooled here that this is the top of the mountains or the raised bogs. They’re already designated,” he said.
SHARING OPTIONS