Financial supports for farmers are key to the effectiveness of the ‘Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan’, according to the findings published.
The plan was developed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in collaboration with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC).
It was launched by Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD at the Slieve Bloom Mountains, Co. Laois yesterday (Tuesday, September 10).
The plan stated: “The effectiveness of the ‘Hen Harrier Threat Response Plan’ can only be successful if adequate support (financial and otherwise) is in place to enable farmers and other landowners to manage their land appropriately for the species.”
The Threat Response Plan also recognised that landowners who depend on the land within Hen Harrier special protected areas (SPAs) for their livelihood, and upon whom the Hen Harrier depends for its habitat, “must be supported and incentivised to implement management measures relating to hen harrier conservation, whether the land is farmed or afforested”.
The plan detailed that this will be taken into consideration in the design of agri-environmental or similar schemes.
Regulation 39 of the European Comission (Birds and Natural Habitats) recognises that threat response plans, such as this, may need to be supported by sectoral incentive measures.
In order for this to be effective, the plan found it will be important that landowners can benefit from taking action to improve the condition of hen harrier habitat, and thus, the potential for increasing the number of birds that use their lands.
Speaking to Agriland at the launch, Minister Noonan said that farmers want to see the return of the hen harrier.
Minister Noonan said farmers have a “huge role to play” in the conservation of the species.
“They are doing it because they care, it’s not just because there’s an economic value to it, because they know themselves that if we have healthy habitats and healthy nature, that they’re going to have better farming productivity,” he said.
Decline of the hen harrier
The hen harrier’s decline is due to a number of factors, but primarily the loss of suitable habitat through afforestation/forest maturation, agricultural reclamation and intensification, and wind energy development, according to the findings of the plan.
These factors were prioritised for attention in the development of the plan.
Other potential threats to hen harrier include disturbance from recreational activities, persecution, wildfires and turf cutting, predation and climate change, all of which can affect other species and habitats.
Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Plan commits to the publication of a National Restoration Plan by 2026, to ensure there are synergies within that plan between nature restoration, that climate change mitigation/adaptation and disaster prevention that will be prioritised, and to ensure implementation of the plan has commenced by 2027.
Furthermore, the publication of this plan contributes to the delivery of the publication and implementation of threat response plans for species that are in decline.
As such, measures included in the plan will be eligible for funding under the Climate and Nature Fund.
Minister Noonan told Agriland that these measures in the National Restoration Plan for farmers and landowners to undertake will be “voluntary”.
He added there has been a “lot of background work” done since the Nature Restoration Law was passed in the EU Environment Council in June.
Habitats
Heather, rush and scrub are among the most important habitats for Hen Harrier. However, the eligibility of such land for entry to the Basic Payment Scheme has been “problematic,” the plan found.
The plan detailed that in addition, “many landowners have cleared or burned extensive areas of such habitats to maximise eligibility for payments”.
An action in the plan is to monitor the effectiveness of the new rules in ensuring landscape features (that are typically beneficial for Hen Harrier) are supported throughout the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-27.
Continue to engage and communicate with farmers (e.g. via farm advisors) on the year-round ecological needs of hen harrier for nesting, roosting and foraging, is a further action in the plan.
Ammonia deposition can also contribute to habitat degradation, by causing a reduction in heather dominance, a decline in lichens and mosses, while increasing graminoids and nitrogen leaching.
Lowland tillage, in combination with open heath/bog and rough grasslands, is important for both foraging and roosting outside the breeding season, which constitutes a significant portion of the year.
The quality of rough grassland, or indeed improved grassland, for Hen Harrier can be influenced by a range of agricultural practices, including grazing intensity, grazing periods, grazing types, fertiliser/slurry usage, rush control etc.
Hedgerows are also important, providing foraging networks throughout the year.
Habitat degradation and loss due to agricultural intensification is considered to be a significant pressure, having reduced the area of suitable habitats for harriers.
Reseeding of grasslands and other semi-natural habitats, leading to a monoculture of rye grass, is not likely to benefit harriers which are known not to favour intensively managed grasslands.
Drainage and land reclamation can result in loss of suitable roosting habitats for wintering birds in particular, with almost a third of winter roost sites at risk.