Europe’s nature restoration law should be parked and Natura 2000 land designations reassessed, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has warned.
INHFA president Vincent Roddy suggested that the negative experience of over 30,000 Irish landowners with Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) designated lands should be a “significant factor” in recognising the major threat posed by the new law.
Roddy said farmers’ experience of these SAC and SPA designations has been “predominantly a negative one that has seen the income potential from these lands curtailed in addition to the significant price devaluation of these lands”.
INHFA president Vincent Roddy has slammed Europe's nature restoration law. \ Philip Doyle
He warned that farmer frustration has “turned to anger as paltry payments made through the various agri-environment schemes were continually reduced and eventually withdrawn leaving farmers with the full financial burden of these designations”.
Insult
The INHFA boss took aim at policy makers for adding insult to injury when it comes to SAC and SPA farm concerns through proposing the nature restoration law at stands.
“It is vital that we immediately park the Nature Restoration Law and seek a full renegotiation of the Natura 2000 designations to ensure that this time we give equal status to the social and economic impact of these designations,” he said.
Roddy noted the political pressure on the nature restoration law and said the same level of concern should now be seen for the ongoing impact of the Natura 2000 designations with a view to delivering a full renegotiation.
The nature restoration law cannot be implemented on Natura 2000 lands only, says INHFA. \ Andy Gibson.
“It is vital that our politicians protect our interests from faceless bureaucrats that don’t understand or need to understand the impact of their proposals on our local communities,” he added.
‘Nightmare’
The INHFA president also warned against any compromise in nature restoration law negotiations that could see it being implemented on Natura 2000 lands only.
“This would be the ultimate nightmare and we are calling on all politicians to oppose any such suggestion should it appear.”
Read more
EU nature plans point towards further land designations - INHFA
Farmers will not allow further designations - INHFA
Europe’s nature restoration law should be parked and Natura 2000 land designations reassessed, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) has warned.
INHFA president Vincent Roddy suggested that the negative experience of over 30,000 Irish landowners with Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) designated lands should be a “significant factor” in recognising the major threat posed by the new law.
Roddy said farmers’ experience of these SAC and SPA designations has been “predominantly a negative one that has seen the income potential from these lands curtailed in addition to the significant price devaluation of these lands”.
INHFA president Vincent Roddy has slammed Europe's nature restoration law. \ Philip Doyle
He warned that farmer frustration has “turned to anger as paltry payments made through the various agri-environment schemes were continually reduced and eventually withdrawn leaving farmers with the full financial burden of these designations”.
Insult
The INHFA boss took aim at policy makers for adding insult to injury when it comes to SAC and SPA farm concerns through proposing the nature restoration law at stands.
“It is vital that we immediately park the Nature Restoration Law and seek a full renegotiation of the Natura 2000 designations to ensure that this time we give equal status to the social and economic impact of these designations,” he said.
Roddy noted the political pressure on the nature restoration law and said the same level of concern should now be seen for the ongoing impact of the Natura 2000 designations with a view to delivering a full renegotiation.
The nature restoration law cannot be implemented on Natura 2000 lands only, says INHFA. \ Andy Gibson.
“It is vital that our politicians protect our interests from faceless bureaucrats that don’t understand or need to understand the impact of their proposals on our local communities,” he added.
‘Nightmare’
The INHFA president also warned against any compromise in nature restoration law negotiations that could see it being implemented on Natura 2000 lands only.
“This would be the ultimate nightmare and we are calling on all politicians to oppose any such suggestion should it appear.”
Read more
EU nature plans point towards further land designations - INHFA
Farmers will not allow further designations - INHFA
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: