State land purchases for rewilding 'continue to alienate farmers'
The government's efforts to purchase land for the purpose of rewilding land "continues to alienate farmers", according to the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA).
Pheilim Molloy, president of the INHFA, criticised what he said is a government policy that priorities the ongoing purchase of land for rewilding ahead of supporting farmers.
He called instead for a "much needed" hill research farm to be established.
His comments come after the government announced last week the purchase of 98.5ac at White’s Marsh, in Inchydoney, Co. Cork.
"Over the last number of years, we have seen the government actively seek out land on behalf of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in a clear plan to rewild as much of our hill land that they can get their hands on," Molloy claimed.
"There isn't a month that goes by that we don't hear of the state bidding and buying-up hill land, as they look to expand the number and size of our national parks.
"Against this we see growing frustration among hill farmers at the lack of support, especially in the areas of research that is becoming more and more evident as the years go by," Molloy added.
He said that the decision of the state several years ago not to renew its lease on a hill research farm in Lennane, Co. Mayo has led to a "major deficit" in accurate research, especially with regard to the role of farming activity in biodiversity, habitat management and carbon capture.
"This deficit is best understood when you assess the level of peer-reviewed hill research coming from the CAFRE (College of Agricultural, Food and Rural Enterprise) farm at Glenwherry on the Antrim Hills," the INHFA president added.
"Here we see informed research going on that challenges the narrative on carbon emissions from drained peatlands and establish how these lands are actually sequestering carbon instead of emitting.
"However, in the Irish Republic, we have nothing to match this but even more depressing is the fact that the financial resources needed to support such research is not forthcoming," he said.
Molloy claimed that it "seems easier for the state to squander money through the purchase of hill lands for untested rewilding plans than to use some of these resources in developing a hill research farm to support farmers, rural communities and the environment".
"Over the last number of decades we have seen massive levels of research focused on the dairy sector and there is no doubt that this sector has benefitted," he said.
"However, with over 25% of our land area defined as uplands, it is time that the government and state agencies get serious about resourcing the research necessary to support our farmers and the critical habitats that they manage," the INHFA president added.
