The State has been called on to cease all plans associated with the purchase of hill lands by Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) president Pheilim Molloy.
He said the policy of buying land was being driven by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
This policy is taking large areas of land out of agriculture use, while also undermining the ability of young farmers to access land, he said.
“At a time when there is growing concern around the number of young farmers entering the industry, it is galling to see these farmers blocked from entering the industry by a State body with massive resources,” the farm leader added.
"Over the last year, we have seen the State, through the NPWS, actively engage in the purchasing of land and with an increased budget allocation of 27% for capital investments for national parks and nature reserves, there is a growing concern that this activity will increase,” he said.
Habitat conservation
Molloy said that while the ongoing accumulation of land by the NPWS is seen by some as a positive in protecting nature, he has a different view.
“The absence of farming activity from our national parks has undermined habitat conservation leading to biodiversity loss,” he claimed.
For centuries, local families were, he stressed, the boots on the ground protecting these unique habitats through conservation grazing, essential for the habitats and its wildlife.
Invasive species
Currently, many of our national parks are “not in a great place, with invasive species such as rhododendron spreading, increasing habitat loss and a deer population that is out of control and spreading throughout the country,” he said.
The INHFA leader stated: “It’s time the NPWS spend the additional resources in getting their own house in order, address the many concerns inside the existing national parks, comply with the EU invasive species regulation 2024 and target resources to dealing with the growing deer population who are also carriers of TB and tick-borne diseases.”
Read more
Calls for a national land ownership strategy
INHFA hits out at State's upland 'rewilding' as no hill research farm in place
State pays €2,020/ac for over 600ac of Galway land
The State has been called on to cease all plans associated with the purchase of hill lands by Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) president Pheilim Molloy.
He said the policy of buying land was being driven by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
This policy is taking large areas of land out of agriculture use, while also undermining the ability of young farmers to access land, he said.
“At a time when there is growing concern around the number of young farmers entering the industry, it is galling to see these farmers blocked from entering the industry by a State body with massive resources,” the farm leader added.
"Over the last year, we have seen the State, through the NPWS, actively engage in the purchasing of land and with an increased budget allocation of 27% for capital investments for national parks and nature reserves, there is a growing concern that this activity will increase,” he said.
Habitat conservation
Molloy said that while the ongoing accumulation of land by the NPWS is seen by some as a positive in protecting nature, he has a different view.
“The absence of farming activity from our national parks has undermined habitat conservation leading to biodiversity loss,” he claimed.
For centuries, local families were, he stressed, the boots on the ground protecting these unique habitats through conservation grazing, essential for the habitats and its wildlife.
Invasive species
Currently, many of our national parks are “not in a great place, with invasive species such as rhododendron spreading, increasing habitat loss and a deer population that is out of control and spreading throughout the country,” he said.
The INHFA leader stated: “It’s time the NPWS spend the additional resources in getting their own house in order, address the many concerns inside the existing national parks, comply with the EU invasive species regulation 2024 and target resources to dealing with the growing deer population who are also carriers of TB and tick-borne diseases.”
Read more
Calls for a national land ownership strategy
INHFA hits out at State's upland 'rewilding' as no hill research farm in place
State pays €2,020/ac for over 600ac of Galway land
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