The European Union’s nature restoration law (NRL) has been officially ratified, after a gruelling period of delay and contentious negotiations. This is largely thanks to the Austrian environment minister who advocated for it, disregarding the opposition from her coalition colleagues. As per this new law, a minimum of 30% of ecosystems in dire states across the EU will have to be revitalised by 2030, progressing to 90% restoration by 2050.
In the previous year, the law garnered widespread support from TDs of all parties, with a mere nine opposing it. However, its clauses around bog restoration have elicited significant anxiety amongst farming communities. This tension climaxed at a meeting in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, where a spectator made a dramatic call for Eamon Ryan to be “ejected from the Cliffs of Moher”. In spite of this, Ireland’s contentiousness is relatively modest, particularly compared to instances such as in Belgium, where farming protestors pelted police with eggs and manure in objection to environmental legislation they perceived as overbearing.
Now that the NRL is in place, the real challenge begins. The Irish Government now has a daunting two-year timeline to compile a comprehensive plan for the EU Commission demonstrating how they will meet these ecological targets. Ghosts of past mistakes may make this process particularly precarious.
Until 2030, the primary focus will be on the restoration of land designations for nature conservation, most of which are located along Ireland’s west coast. For the farmers on these protected lands, this new law invokes old resentments. They found themselves receiving grants and were advised to drain peat soils and fertilise lowlands in the past. They were incentivised by the promise of profitable yields – the more animals they raised, the more financially rewarding.
This changed dramatically in the 1990s when the state declared their land as protected for nature, frequently without comprehensive consultation. Suddenly, the farmers found themselves facing restrictions and red tape that was not only time-consuming but also financially burdensome. Adding insult to injury, previous efforts and investments from public funds have so far failed to make a difference as the majority of these designated lands remain in poor conditions.
Scepticism towards the government is widespread, particularly in the wake of recent legislation, prompting numerous farmers to express feelings of déjà vu. However, the implementation of restoration plans by EU member countries could usher in a glimmer of hope. Anticipation is high that they will be inspired by the Burren Programme, a groundbreaking project in Ireland which championed the role of farmers in conservation efforts and showcased them as potential change agents in the space of nature preservation.
The Burren Programme, a collaboration between Dr Brendan Dunford and the Irish Farmers Association’s Michael Davoren, came into being in 2004. As an ecology student working on his doctorate, Dunford initiated contact with Burren farmers in 1999 to identify their necessities for establishing more ecologically friendly methods of farming.
The subsequent insights provided the bedrock for the programme, which was underpinned by straightforward principles. It was led by farmers, enjoyed local backing, and featured minimal red tape. Farmers were given the freedom to manage their own farming operations, with the focus primarily on results. The more diverse their farmlands, the larger the amount of public funding they attracted. An in-house team comprising scientists, mentors, and administrators handled all paperwork and legalities. Their counsel was used by farmers to create concise farm plans spread over a single page.
The initiative’s decentralised model, operating outside Dublin, proved to be economical and efficient since various departments, agencies and council offices were freed from addressing individual queries and issues raised by farmers. Their obligations were assumed by the local team.
Between 2010 and 2022, farmlands included in the initiative grew significantly in terms of biodiversity. Endangered species made a comeback and farmers experienced a renewed sense of acknowledgment and appreciation. All these feats were accomplished with a modest budget from the Department of Agriculture.
As the government embarks on crafting our nature restoration strategy, logic dictates that bureaucrats and lawmakers would leap at the opportunity to adopt the Burren Programme. Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, has gone on record to hail the project as the “EU’s golden standard for its farmer-centric, biodiversity-engagement approach”. However, unexpectedly, the Department of Agriculture terminated the Burren Programme in 2022, shifting to a new environmental project known as Acres, financed by public funds. Consequently, within the span of a year, the levels of biodiversity in Burren farms took a drastic dip.
Farmers are extremely displeased. “We constructed that faith over the course of two decades, and it was swept away in just a year-and-a-half,” laments Michael Davoren. “We in the Burren have lost all confidence that the Department of Agriculture will ever fulfil its promises.” This mirrors the misguided approaches of the State during the land allotments in the 1990s, which damaged faith and it will certainly take a significant endeavour to reconstruct that trust and assure farmers about the effectiveness of a prospective nature regeneration strategy.
[Nearly 9% of Irish land to be influenced by nature regeneration regulation]
The assurance of success is imperative as 2030 is fast approaching, hence, whatever strategy that is adopted must be efficacious. The Burren Programme, which ideally should be restarted with an enlarged budget and prolonged engagement – perhaps a minimum of 20 years – and then be utilised as a foundation for a nationwide restoration strategy on agriculture land.
Trusted and respected individuals such as Dunford and Davoren, who have earned the trust of farmers across the country, understand what it takes to complete tasks and grasp the gravity of producing favourable outcomes when it comes to utilising public funds.
This programme, which has earned recognitions from the EU, has proven beneficial for both farmers and our natural world. Therefore, the government should direct our finances to support what has proven successful, and then retreat.