AS I SEE IT
BY MARIANNE HERON
From where I sit at home watching goldfinches feeding on Niger seed and a queen bumblebee searching for the first dandelion flowers, nature restoration sounds great. The same thing goes for Eurocrats, concerned about climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainability but, like me, they are far removed from farmers’ realities of fields and food production.
The EU’s new Nature Restoration Legislation (NRL) sounds fine in theory, as Garret FitzGerald would have said, but how will it work in practice? The draft legislation to stop biodiversity loss will require that 20% of EU land and sea should be restored by 2030 and that land damaged by human intervention where, according to the EU, 80% of habitats are in poor shape, should be revived by 2050.
The law will set legally binding restoration targets for a broad group of habitats and species to restore the EU’s ecosystems. In Ireland’s case, among other things, this means addressing the poor condition of extensive wetlands and protected habitats affected by drainage and peat extraction.
Farmers both here and throughout the EU have been up in arms and on their tractors protesting over what they see as undue bureaucratic red tape and the impact of the looming law on food production and farm income.
“It tips the balance towards nature and not towards food production,” one Kilkenny tillage farmer commented. He maintains that, while farmers are all in favour of good conditions like clean water setting aside 20% for nature will mean that land will be taken out of production while at the same time nature will still have to be managed.” It is going to hit our pockets, but if they pay us we will do it,” he told me.
There are fears that the move will result in rising costs and lower food production at a time when our population is growing and where farmers are impacted by climate change and increases like the price of fertiliser and energy due to Russia’s war on Ukraine. There are concerns that the consequence may be that that cheaper food will be imported from countries where standards are lower.
At present, a certain amount of farm land is protected with hedgerows, grass buffers and wild areas traditionally known as the ‘Hare’s Corner’ but the jump to a 20% protected land is a big one.
“We have had years of EU policy which has destroyed habitat and now we are required to change and it is closing the door after the horse has bolted,” said another contact who combines mixed farming with tourism. It doesn’t make sense to take good land out of production when using poor land for restoration would be a win/ win situation, he points out.
Increasing knowledge to help nature revival is on the cards and I heard how small details can make a difference. “A slight change in management can have a huge effect,” says Alan Moore, Secretary of Hedgerows Ireland. Ireland’s 700,000 kilometres of hedgerows could be big contributors to nature restoration and carbon sequestration but currently only a third are in good condition.
Recent research by Teagasc has found, though, that when hedges are cut annually to a low level they can cause carbon emissions. Allowing hedges to grow higher and cutting them in rotation so that some are allowed to flower and fruit aids nature and carbon sequestration.
Farms incomes vary widely according to sector, size and region with dairying the most profitable. According to Teagasc, only 42% of farms are viable, 29% are sustainable and 29% classed as vulnerable in size and region. On the plus side I wonder what kind of opportunities nature could provide?
The Greens’ Malcolm Noonan, Minster for State for Housing Local Government and Heritage is upbeat. “Large-scale restoration of nature has the potential to provide additional income streams for farmers, foresters, fishers and other landowners. It will create jobs and stimulate downstream industries, such as eco-tourism,” says the Kilkenny Carlow TD.
Tens of thousands of farmers and communities across the country are already taking part in projects to restore nature, according to Minister Noonan. While funding NRL has yet to be decided, Mr Noonan hopes the Climate and Nature Investment Fund of €14bn by 2030 could be used.
“It is my intention to work with the Minister for Finance to ensure that the Government’s €3.15bn Climate and Nature Fund, of Budget 2024, will underpin the implementation of nature restoration measure and deliver real benefits for rural economies,” the minister said.
I bet Mother Nature has her fingers crossed.
