Decision to pay farmers for protecting birds ‘offers hope’ to endangered species

With Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney widely expected to be moving to greener pastures, Birdwatch Ireland has welcomed his "significant decision" to pay farmers to protect endangered farmland birds.

Birdwatch conservation officer, Dr Alex Copland, said that if properly implemented, the new scheme “offers hope of halting declines and restoring bird populations”.

Under the scheme, participating farmers would have to farm more sensitively, agreeing for instance to delay cutting crops like silage and hay until at least August so that particular chicks and nests, such as that of the corncrake, wouldn’t be disturbed.