The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is seeking to develop a new pilot programme focused on upland farms.

The programme is being developed as part of the Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE Integrated Project (IP).

The nine-year environmental project, running until 2029, is led by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

It aims to improve Ireland’s performance in conserving habitats, and in particular to improve the conservation status in the Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) network of blanket bog.

The primary focus is on 35 Natura 2000 sites in the north-west of the country.

Upland farms

As part of the project, the NPWS is now seeking to appoint a service provider to deliver a one-year upland monitoring and demonstration pilot programme.

It will seek to support the development of sustainable upland farming systems through monitoring, demonstration and knowledge transfer.

The estimated total budget for this project is approximately €125,000, excluding VAT, inclusive of all costs.

This estimated budget is for an initial 12-month period. However, depending on progress, it is envisaged to expand the project for a further two years.

The initiative is supported through public funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), and includes Shared Island Initiative funding through the NPWS.

In order to meet the objectives of the Shared Island Initiative, the proposed project must include "close liaison" with agriculture stakeholders in Northern Ireland.

Project

Among the key themes for the project are farm economics, farming systems and good practice agricultural management, rural development and environmental issues.

According to the tender documents, the objectives of this contract are to:

Establish a network of pilot upland farms;
Monitor and demonstrate sustainable farming practices;
Generate data and insights to support environmental and economic performance;
Promote knowledge transfer and stakeholder engagement;
Inform the development of a potential multi-annual programme.

At a minimum, the programme shall deliver the "establishment and effective management of a pilot cohort of 10 upland farms, with sustained engagement throughout the project duration".

The documents state that these farms should be recruited within the first four months of the project and have a good geographical spread across the uplands in Ireland.

The successful contractor will work closely with the NPWS, DAFM and the ACRES CP teams, farming organisations, Teagasc and the private advisory sector.

The service provide will be expected to produce reports based on their findings, including "informed recommendations to support the potential development of a future multi-annual programme".

They will also have to produce a report or handbook for farmers on practical land management and nature restoration measures suitable for upland farming systems.

The closing date for receipt of tenders is 3:00p.m on Friday, August 14, 2026.