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Action 18. Rural Environment Protection Scheme

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. In the 1970s and 1980s, agriculture schemes and payments concentrated on bringing more land into production and promoting intensification in order to stimulate output. They had a major impact, albeit mostly unquantified, on wildlife habitats, water quality, the landscape and the archaeological heritage.

In the early 1990s, environmental issues began to assume more significance in agriculture schemes, mainly because of the requirement to comply with EEC directives. As part of these changes a so called " agri-environment regulation" (EC 2078/92) was passed requiring all member states to implement a series of measures designed to integrate the environment into main stream agricultural support. Ireland implemented the regulation by introducing the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (REPS) in 1994. Under the scheme farmers are paid for positive environmental management of their farms. One of the principal objectives of REPS is to protect wildlife habitats and endangered species of flora and fauna.

To enter the scheme a farmer must have an agri-environmental plan drawn up by a recognised REPS planner. There are eleven measures that must be complied with. Penalties apply if it is found that the farmer has not complied with the various measures. Supplementary measures for which farmers may receive extra payments include management of NHAs/SACs, rearing of rare local breeds of livestock, management of a riparian zones (long term setaside) and organic farming.

Peatlands (including cutover, raised bog, blanket bog, moors and fen) are listed as habitat types that must be retained on a REPS farm. There are a number of practices that shall not take place on such habitats.

In excess of 44,000 farmers partook in REPS Scheme I (1994-2000) and a total area of 1.5 million hectares were incorporated in the scheme. The average farm size was 40 hectares (DAF 2000).

IPCC believe that REPS is a very important scheme and has the potential to make a positive impact on the conservation of Ireland's peatlands. There are however a number of deficiencies that need to be addressed in order for the scheme to meet its objectives of environmental improvement and habitat and wildlife conservation. Although the DAF have statistics on the number of applicants, the area in hectares and the payments made, these data do not reveal the performance of the scheme in meeting its environmental objectives.

In a report by the Heritage Council in 1999 the authors expressed concern over the standards of REPS planners. Over 70% of REPS planners are agricultural graduates, it is suspected that planners are unlikely to completely reverse years of training and experience in intensifying production. Some planners were found to miss habitats due to poor habitat identification skills. REPS may also be viewed by farmers as just another income provider and it has been found that there is no greater environmental awareness among REPS farmers than non-REPS farmers (Heritage Council 1999a).

IPCC are concerned about a new allowance for forestry in the new REPS Scheme launched in November 2000. Under this scheme the REPS planner is being asked to identify suitable areas on the farm for forestry. From the REPS Specifications published recently it appears that habitats deemed suitable for forestry can be afforested so long as a viable proportion of the habitat remains. Given the fact that planners are known to have poor habitat identification skills it is likely that wetland areas such as marsh and bog will be recommended for afforestation and planted with up to 80% exotic coniferous species. This is unacceptable given the principal objectives of REPS.

General Objective
To have the weaknesses within this well meaning agri-environmental scheme rectified to protect peatlands.

IPCC's campaign work on REPS has concentrated on the formulation of conditions for the conservation of Blanket Bogs, Heaths and Upland Grasslands as defined in Appendix 9.7 of the REPS specifications. The book 'The IPCC Peatland Conservation and Management Handbook' was published by IPCC in 1998 as a guide to people interested in actively conserving and restoring peatland habitats. It is hoped that this book is referred to by REPS planners and participants.

Actions
3.18.1 REPS planners should be given more ecological training. Ecological experts should be employed by the Department of Agriculture and Food to monitor the environmental quality of REPS planning and offer advice to REPS planners.

3.18.2 The new allowance for forestry in REPS on identified habitats should be removed from the scheme. It is not compatible with the objectives of the scheme. Existing natural habitats should be given priority for conservation and ecological surveys done before tree planting is considered.

3.18.3 Conditions for the conservation of Fens and other habitats within NHAs under the REPS scheme need to be drafted in consultation with Dúchas as soon as possible.

3.18.4 The conditions for the conservation of blanket bog should also extend to peatland areas outside of NHAs/SACs that occur on farms.

3.18.5 More consultation should take place between REPS planners and Dúchas.

3.18.6 Dúchas should have a more active role in the policing of REPS and the monitoring of the effectiveness of the scheme for our wildlife conservation.

3.18.7 A greater environmental awareness and appreciation by farmers needs to be created and the merits of environmentally friendly farming techniques should be passed onto the participants. Extra encouragement is needed to convince farmers as to the benefits of REPS.

3.18.8 While the new REPS specifications allow for greater monitoring of the effectiveness of REPS there needs to be a more formal and quantitative research into the impacts of REPS on the environment. This would allow for further improvement in the scheme.