Natura 2000 payments and payments

Articles 36 (a) (iii) and 38 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005

Point 5.3.2.1.5 of Annex II of Regulation 1974/2006.
Measure Code: 213
Rationale for intervention:

The previous Natura 2000 scheme under this measure code was closed to new applicants with effect from 9^th July 2009 and, in light of this, a new scheme to reflect the new lower payment rates was created to replace it.
The legal basis for selection and designation of Natura 2000 sites is Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 and Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992. These provide for the establishment of a network of protected areas throughout the European Community. In Ireland these sites are selected and designated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. These Directives were transposed into Irish law through the European Communities (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1997. The Wildlife Act of 1997 (as amended in 2001) is the main statute governing the protection of wildlife in Ireland and takes into account the Birds and Habitats Directives.
As part of the designation process, a series of notifiable actions were developed which include a list of activities that may alter, damage, destroy or interfere with the integrity of the site. Landowners were advised of these notifiable actions, and must comply with the restrictions on them as part of cross-compliance under Statutory Management Requirements 1 (SMR1) and Statutory Management Requirements 5 (SMR5). NPWS develop Conservation Plans for these Natura sites, which outline the conservation issues and objectives for the management of the site. These Conservation Plans do not prescribe farming activities to achieve the conservation objectives, but are used for guidance when preparing farm plans under Natura and agri-environment measures.

Objectives of the measure

To contribute to positive environmental management of farmed Natura 2000 sites and river catchments in the implementation of the Birds Directive, the Habitats Directive and the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

Farmers actively farming designated Natura 2000 sites.

To put in place and implement Sustainable Management Plans in order to enhance the conservation status of the sites.

Measure 1 of BFCS relates to Production of Species Rich Limestone Grassland, Measure 2 relates to Site Enhancement Works and Measure 3 relates to Protection of Designated land and other areas of Annex1 Habitat.

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  Applicants under both the BFCS and this measure will be paid under this measure in respect of actions under Measure 3 of the BFCS
  
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  Applicants under the BFCS only, will receive payment under the BFCS
  

GAEC/Cross compliance requires a farmer to comply with the mandatory notifiable actions for Natura 2000 sites which are designated under Directives 79/409/EEC and 92/43/EEC. On Natura commonages, a farmer must comply with the relevant Commonage Framework Plan. While these notifiable actions restrict changes in land use of the site, they do not outline the management practices necessary to conserve the site. GAEC does not require the engagement of an environmentalist for the management of these sites.

Participants in this Measure must comply with the mandatory requirements for Natura 2000 sites, which comprise notifiable actions (details set out in Appendix 2) communicated to the farmer in the designation process.

In addition, in order to meet the requirements under this Measure, farmers must engage the services of an environmentalist to prepare a Sustainable Management Plan setting out appropriate farming practices compatible with the conservation of the site.

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  Conditions for the conservation of the Burren
  
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  Blanket bogs, heaths and upland grasslands
  
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  Sand dune and machair areas
  
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  Shannon Callows, Wet Grassland and Corncrake Habitat.
  

In the case of Corncrake Habitats, farmers must register with the NPWS and follow the NPWS prescription for the site.

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  *€75 per hectare up to the maximum financial limit set for the scheme
  
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  *€314 per hectare for conservation of priority wild bird habitats
  

*Payment will be made for UAA only.

Compliance will be checked during on-farm audits, and non-compliance will result in the application of penalties. These Natura 2000 sites are also subject to additional monitoring and checking in accordance with cross-compliance provisions relating to the Birds and Habitats Directives.