Concerns have been expressed that re-wilding could soon become a reality in many upland parts of Northern Ireland in the not-too-distant future.
Driving this process is the lack of succession currently taking place within the farming industry.
James McHenry farms close to Glenariffe in north Co. Antrim. He has been a sheep farmer for many years and fears that his way of life could soon become a thing of the past.
“Young people, for the most part, do not see hill farming as an attractive career option,” he said.
“The next few years will see the current generation of farmers passing on.
“In many cases I can predict that the assets of these businesses with a meaningful value will be sold off and the land let go back to nature.”
These are issues that have not gone unnoticed amongst policy staff members of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) Northern Ireland.
They want to see meaningful supports made available to hill and upland farmers in recognition of the public good they can deliver in terms of peatland restoration and the encouragement of grazing systems that maximise biodiversity.
These debates are taking place at a time when Northern Ireland’s Environmental Farming Scheme (EFS) is about to be replaced by new farm support measures.
RSPB’s Mark McCormick commented: “Hill farmers must be allowed to invest in the future of their businesses. And this means allowing them to make sustainable incomes.
“The potential of these farm businesses to deliver for the public good is immense. And they must be supported accordingly by central government.”
According to the RSPB representative, peatland management and the introduction of bespoke, conservation-friendly grazing systems are equally valuable within a hill farming scenario.
He believes that hill farming must be made an attractive career option for young farmers. If this is not achieved then the momentum to maintain the conservation value associated with large swathes of Northern Ireland will be lost.
Re-wilding bog walk
RSPB Northern Ireland staff recently hosted a visit to the Garron Plateau area of Co. Antrim for members of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists.
This area of outstanding natural beauty is home to a significant number of farmers currently accessing the support monies made available through the EFS.
And they are deeply concerned that funding has been withdrawn from the scheme for new entrants while replacement measures are agreed.
