Farming for Nature (FFN) has organised a farm walk this weekend which will focus on beef farming and nature conservation in the Burren, Co. Clare.
Beef farmer and FFN ambassador, Oliver Nagle, and his family farm of 121ac of winterage, meadow and pasture in the Burren at Slieve Carran will play host.
The walk will take place this Saturday (August 13) on Oliver’s farm at 11:00a.m.
During the summer months, Oliver’s cows and their calves are on the lowland part of the farm, before the cows are moved to the mountains over the winter months once their calves are sold.
Winter grazing is an old tradition and the cattle are very important, Oliver said. The animals, the farmer and the mountains are all vital for each other, he added.
“The farmers that came here first must have realised very quickly how good the ground was for their cattle, and that story hasn’t changed. We are doing nothing different on this farm than they did 5,000 years ago.”
“Only the science proved what these guys were doing was correct all along,” according to the FFN ambassador.
Valuing biodiversity on his farm, Oliver said “we are all here together and there is a place for everyone”. Conservation actions on his farm include restoring old field systems and protecting natural springs.
Oliver shares his knowledge with the next generation through farm walks with botany students from the National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway, to spread a real understanding of what it means to farm for nature.
The beef farmer has been involved in the Burren Programme since its start in 2016. The project, which has now grown to 328 farmers, aims to implement solutions to help manage and protect the region.
The programme followed the Burren Farming for Conservation Programme by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), as well as the EU Burren LIFE project.