The European Commission has “some concerns” about what has been described as “the Irish strategy of planting Sitka spruce in important areas for biodiversity”, according to a director for biodiversity in the European Commission.

Humberto Delgado Rosa told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, that the strategy of planting Sitka spruce “in important areas for biodiversity, including peatland and grasslands”, often threatens habitats and species under the habitats directives.

Rosa recently briefed the joint committee on what the proposed European Union (EU) Nature Restoration Law could mean for Ireland and how it fits into the overall biodiversity strategy.

The Nature Restoration Law would set specific legally binding targets and obligations for nature restoration across at least 20% of the EU’s land area – which would include forests and agricultural land – and also sea areas by 2030.

One of the targets set out in the proposed law specifies the “restoration and rewetting of drained peatlands under agricultural use and in peat extraction sites”.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has previously highlighted his concerns over the definition of “restoring” peatlands.

During his briefing Rosa told members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine that the “level of restoration and rewetting and climate benefits will have to be defined by the member states themselves”.

Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice asked Rosa how the proposed EU Nature Restoration Law would impact on some areas in Ireland and highlighted that “approximately 95%” of peatlands are located in the northwest, west, midlands and southwest.

“Land types are totally different in different parts of Ireland. What would Dr. Delgado Rosa say to those farmers who would basically have to abandon their lands?” the Roscommon-Galway Independent TD, who is also the chairperson of the Turf Cutters and Contractors Association, asked.

Rosa said member states will have to follow new restoration targets but “the way in which they follow them does not impose anything against private ownership”.

He also stressed that the new law “would not be a one size fits all proposal”.

The director for biodiversity added:

“What would I say to a farmer who has all of his land in drained peatland?

“The first thing I would say is that it depends on the decision of the member state that he can fully maintain, as is, his own activity. That specific farm does not need to be put under restoration. It will depend on national decisions and conveniences”.

Rosa stressed to committee members that the EU “does not propose to remove people from anywhere or to disallow families to live. On the contrary, the flexibility provided allows us to maintain every family with their own production”.

Sinn Féin TD for Cavan-Monaghan Matt Carthy also highlighted that the current draft regulation states “that 70% of each member state’s drained, farmed peatlands must be restored by 2050, with half of this area to be placed specifically under rewetting measures”.

Deputy Carthy, who is also the Sinn Féin spokesperson on agriculture, asked Rosa how the 35% of drained, farmed peatlands – that would be restored but not necessarily rewetted – would look for a sheep or beef farmer in Ireland?

“We consider that restoration measures in some conditions are compatible with maintaining – possibly with some changes – the same kind of production they had,” Rosa stated.

One other key issue that was raised by members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine was in relation to how the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) would support rewetting or nature restoration schemes.

Rosa told members:

“With regard to the CAP fund, in Ireland’s case as far as I know the plan proposes the Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions’ (GAECs) protection of wetlands and peatland to be applicable from 2024 onwards.

“This is the lead time required to define and map these areas. Ireland will set applicable practices for the standard and there are CAP strategic plan amendments. This is the understanding we have with Ireland.”