Burren farmers get landscape protection funds

SOME 117 farmers have received payments averaging €6,000 under the new DAFF-NPWS-funded Burren Farming for Conservation Programme (BFCP).

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Simon Coveney, has confirmed the issuing of payments, which area aimed at preserving the landscape of this unique area in the west of Ireland.

Minister Coveney said: “In its first year the BFCP has already generated significant environmental benefits, including a major shift away from the feeding of silage to ration-based feeding systems, the repair of 18km of broken walls, the provision of new water supplies and the removal of scrub from species rich grassland.

“These developments will result in improved water quality in this very sensitive karst landscape, protect sensitive limestone springs from pollution and allow the Burren’s famous rare flora to emerge every spring.”

Minister Coveney said: “Without doubt the BFCP guarantees excellent value for money — farmers are paid on the basis of work done and outputs generated and all works are co-financed by the farmer — and are improving the biodiversity, water quality, cultural and landscape attributes on almost 13,000 hectares of Ireland’s flagship heritage landscape, the Burren.”