April 2022
Restoring biodiversity in Irish farmland: the role of results-based payment schemes
27/04/2022
by Stephen Mulkearn When Melissa Jeuken was appointed to her new job as a shepherd to a 25-strong flock of old Irish goats on Howth Head last September, the news caught national and international attention. A rare breed of feral goats was being employed in an innovative attempt to keep the heather in check to […]
Restoration of Irish farmland biodiversity: The role of results-based payment schemes
13/04/2022
by Fergal Scully Traditionally, Irish agriculture has been extensively managed; large hedgerows, semi-natural grasslands, wetland habitats, and low-input arable systems supported a complex assemblage of farmland biodiversity. Agricultural intensification on the back of ill-informed government subsidies has resulted in large scale habitat destruction and degradation. Agriculture is one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss […]