Provide a comprehensive approach to the conservation and/or regeneration of designated target areas5
|
NHAs designated as Natura sites
|
a) Comply with the General Basic REPS Programme
b) Sustainable stocking
Maintaining stock numbers at an environmentally sustainable level
c) Habitat retention and prohibited practices
The following practices shall not be carried out in SACs and NHAs lands:
-
The areas shall not be drained, ploughed cultivated or reseeded.
-
There shall be no infilling or rock removal.
-
Planting trees or other crops is not permitted.
-
No new tracks or paths shall be created.
-
Burning will only be allowed as a planned management practice.
-
Invasive scrub may be controlled by cutting, spot spraying or exceptionally by burning outside of the bird-nesting season (late February to 31 August).
d) Restrictions on the use of fertilisers, pesticides and plant protection products
Soil phosphate levels shall not exceed Index 2 Level.
|
€131.57
21
60
nil
|
Practise farming while meeting requirements in relation to waste management, water, air, trees and wildlife, target areas, planning and building, the Statutory Code of Good Plant Protection Practice, national monuments and litter.
Maintain livestock at an agriculturally sustainable level per hectare while meeting the statutory requirements in relation to waste management, water, target areas and wildlife.
Maximise land, labour and machinery productivity by improving land through reclamation, reseeding, burning vegetation and building roadways which may involve the removal of wildlife habitats not protected under legislation.
Maximise use of pesticides, fertilisers and lime while meeting the requirements in relation to water, target areas, wildlife, the Statutory Code of Good Plant Protection Practice and the Nitrate Code.
Advice from environmentalist not compulsory
|
REPS Programme 1 Costings are 179€/ha. See REPS Programme 1 for breakdown of costs.
Market losses based on average stock reduction of 2 ewes/ha to prevent overgrazing. Alternatively, prevention of undergrazing may require maintenance of non–viable stock.
There is a significant impact on land and labour productivity and the viability of farming in these areas.
Unless the opportunity costs arising from these restrictions are adequately compensated for, farming in commonage areas will not be sustainable, the area will be abandoned, and the habitat value lost.
This costing is additional to the costs involved in the conservation of wildlife habitats that has already been accounted for under Measures 4 and 5 of the REPS Programme 1 Costings.
Where fertilisers are being applied the initial soil sampling will be relatively intensive with at least one sample per 2-4 hectares. The use of plant protection products is also restricted. The estimated opportunity cost of complying with these practices has already been accounted for under Measure 1 of the REPS Programme 1 Costings.
Additional costs associated with involving an environmentalist with the preparation of a REPS plan with privately-owned NH.
|
