Action No.
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Area of Application
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Description of Action and Objective
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Payment
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Controls
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1.
Commonage land outside Natura network
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Commonage areas not designated as Natura sites
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Objective: Conservation and regeneration of commonage land.
Core Actions: Habitats on these non-designated commonages must be maintained under voluntary agri-environmental commitments. Farmers with non-Natura commonage cannot, inter alia, afforest the lands, carry out any land improvement works including drainage, or cut turf commercially. In addition to abiding by the GAEC requirement to implement the reduced stocking requirement set out in the relevant Commonage Framework Plan, farmers must implement a sustainable grazing regime contributing to the maintenance of the habitat and avoidance of land abandonment. This may require a farmer to maintain a sheep flock that is economically unviable.
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€75 /ha
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OtSC: visual inspection
Cross checks to IACS databases
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2.
Establishment and maintenance of habitats
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National
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Objective: Conservation & creation of areas of high biodiversity on farmland.
Core Actions: New Grass Habitats
Create 2.5m uncultivated field margin resulting in loss of production
Fence habitat to restrict livestock access at certain points in the year.#
Maintenance of margin by grazing with animals
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€0.05/m
€0.03/m
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OtSC: visual inspection
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3.
Tree Planting & Management
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National
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Objective: Conservation & creation of areas of high biodiversity on farmland.#
Core Action:
Planting and maintenance in each year of undertaking of native trees with particular emphasis on broad leaved species.
a) Standard:
Tree (broadleaf tree) €20.00
9m of fence @ €3.30 /m €29.70
Supporting stake & Guard €3.00
Planting 1 hr @ €10/hr €10.00
TOTAL PER TREE €62.70/ tree
b) Planting whips (min 1.2m high)
cost of whip €2.50
supporting stake €2.00
tree planting and guard €5.00
TOTAL COST PER WHIP* €9.50
*these costs have been independently verified by Teagasc
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4.
Traditional Hay Meadows
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National
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Objective To provide greater biodiversity by allowing grasses and wild flowers to mature and seed.
Core Actions:
Meadow must not be mowed before 1st July.
Inefficient work practices
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€314/ha
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OtSC: visual inspection
Cross checks to IACS databases
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5.
Species Rich Grasslands
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National
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Objective To provide greater biodiversity by allowing grasses and wild flowers to mature and seed.
Core Action:
Maintaining species rich grasslands by
-fertilizer limited to 30kg per hectare
-specific grazing regime to preserve the habitat.
-topping permitted only after 15th July.
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€314/ha
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OtSC: visual inspection
Cross checks to IACS databases
Reduced to €314/ha
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6.
Animal Genetic Resources
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National
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Objective: The conservation of genetic resources in danger of being lost to farming.
Core Actions:
Rear & mate herbivore of specific native breeds.
Be a member of the approved breed society.
Register offspring with the relevant breed society.
Maintain records
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€200/LU
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Animal G Resources:
Cross check with databases.
Cross check with relevant breed society.
Records & herd books.
OtSC.
Inspection of supporting documentation. Annual declaration by beneficiary
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7.
Traditional Orchards
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National
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Objective: The conservation of genetic resources in danger of being lost to farming.
Core Actions:
Establish non-commercial orchard with traditional top fruit varieties selected from a published list on vigorous rootstocks.#
10 trees planted at 7 m spacings, to a minimum of 0.05 ha
Income foregone
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€5/tree
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8.
Wild bird Cover
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National
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Objective: to provide a food source for wild birds and alleviate the trend of landscape homogenisation and simplification by encouraging the small-scale production of cereal plots, especially in areas dominated by grassland.
Core Actions:
Establish, on suitable, grassland plots a low –input arable crop to provide cover and winter food source for farmland birds
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€869/ha
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Wild Bird Cover:
OtSC: visual inspection
Cross checks to IACS databases.
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9.
Hedgerow Planting & Rejuvenation
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National
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Objective: To maintain and enhance immovable boundary fences, stonewalls and hedgerows in the interest of stock control, bio-security, wildlife and the scenic appearance of the area
Core Actions:
Plant new additional hedgerows on suitable sites#
Income forgone
Laying of existing hedgerows
Labour
Coppicing of existing hedgerows
Labour and machine hire |
€2.50/m/yr
€8m
€5/m
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Cons. of wild bird habitats:
OtSC: visual inspection
Cross checks to IACS databases.
Certificate of compliance from BirdWatch Ireland
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10.
Traditional Dry Stone wall Maintenance
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| Objective: To maintain and enhance immovable boundary fences, stonewalls and hedgerows in the interest of stock control, bio-security, wildlife and the scenic appearance of the area
Core Actions:
Follow an annual wall maintenance programme for the farm. Livestock must be present on the farm and commonage lands are not eligible. |
€50 per 100m
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OtSC: visual inspection
Cross checks to IACS databases
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