Calls for ACRES to better support bird habitats

Birds like curlews rely heavily on rough and damp pastures. Picture: Andy Gibson.

Public representatives have sought better access to the agri-climate rural environment scheme, ACRES, for farmers with designated lands and breeding birds in the winter.

According to Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) officials, applications to install riparian buffer zones from farmers with designated lands, such as special areas of conservation (SACs), had to be blocked, because of the short window for applications to the first tranche of ACRES.