The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has formally published a document outlining possible measures for which farmers on designated land could be paid for during the next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The document, which is known as the Prioritised Action Framework (PAF) for Natura 2000 land, was published this week on the NPWS website but originally became public knowledge in a draft form in July of last year, as reported by AgriLand at the time.
The plan identifies a range of measures for consideration, and the cost of those measures on a per-hectare basis, indicating the possible level of payments to farmers.
The potential measures outlined by the NPWS range in annual cost from €200/ha to 490/ha.
These measures would differ in requirements and cost based on what the measure is aimed at managing and protecting, i.e. marine and coastal waters; fresh waters; heathlands and shrubs; bogs, mires, fens and other wetlands; grasslands; woodlands and forests; rocky areas; various animal habitats; and animal and plant species.
The measures also differ based on whether they would be once-off or recurring.
The NPWS also outlines a number of measures that would not be carried out on other sites away from Natura 2000 land, as part of a “wider green infrastructure”.
The document proposes that the total annual cost to cover farmer management of Natura 2000 lands under the next CAP would be €15 million.