In the first of our six-week series on Locally Led Agri-Environmental Schemes (LLAES), we profile the Burren LIFE research project (2005-2010), which was the forerunner to the Burren Life programme, which is active now. The model used in the Burren has been widely recognised and forms the basis for many groups applying to the LLAES.

LLAES offer a complementary approach to the action-based model which has been adopted for GLAS. This is a proposed new measure under the Irish Rural Development Programme (RDP), which is being discussed with the European Commission.

The schemes encourage locally driven solutions to address the many environmental and biodiversity challenges at local level. Local groups must propose and design bespoke solutions and will be aided by approved planners and other experts. Each project is overseen by the steering groups that we will profile.

Farmers are able to join GLAS and a locally led scheme, but will not be able to claim for similar actions on the same parcel.

There is overall funding of €70m, over the course of five years, available in the measure, and it will be focused on Special Areas of Conservation-designated and similar land. Projects will be submitted to the Department for funding in a tendering-type process.

Successful applicants will then operate on a five-year contract. It is projected that 2,000 to 3,000 farmers will participate in these schemes. Approximately 20,000 farmers have some SAC-designated land.