The LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature (WAN) project has become the first Irish project to win a Natura 2000 Award.
LIFE IP WAN, led by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and funded by the EU LIFE programme, has won the 2024 Natura 2000 Award in the category ‘Working together for nature’.
The Natura 2000 Award highlights projects that demonstrate excellence in nature conservation and sustainable land use.
Speaking at the awards in Brussels, project manager Dr. Derek McLoughlin said: ‘We are delighted to receive this award on behalf of everyone involved in the project.
“We have built on the success of other agri-environment projects such as the Burren Programme, and Hen Harrier and Pearl Mussel Project EIPs, and brought their learnings to new areas.
“None of this would be possible without the support and engagement of farmers. Our experiences working with farmers have been extremely positive, and shows that if the right structures are in place, farmers can and will deliver for nature,” McLoughlin added.
In all, over 820 farmers across 63,000ha of Natura 2000 and neighbouring land participated in the Wild Atlantic Nature RBPS, with more than €3m in direct payments to farmers.
The learnings informed the development of the Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme Cooperation Project (ACRES CP).
Minister Darragh O’Brien congratulated the award win and said: “This is an incredible achievement and speaks volumes to the huge progress being made in our engagement with nature in Ireland.
“My congratulations to the NPWS, Derek McLoughlin and his team and to all the farmers and landowners involved in a win that is a truly a great reflection on partnership in nature”
Minister of State for Nature and Heritage, Malcolm Noonan TD said: “I warmly congratulate the Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE IP team for their impressive win.
“This award not only recognises the team’s hard work and dedication, but also celebrates the role of farmers in tirelessly managing and protecting Ireland’s Natura 2000 network.
“Nearly 100 projects vied for five awards and having the European judging panel validate the commitment and results of the Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE project is very special.”
The Wild Atlantic Nature results-based agri-environmental payment scheme (RBPS) was a pilot initiative from NPWS and Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, implemented in 2021-2022.
The project aimed to develop capacity among farmers, farm advisors, policy-makers and scientists to deliver improved ecosystem services – including water quality, biodiversity and climate regulation – in a way that works for both landowners and the environment.
The RBPS directly links farmers’ agri-environment payments to the ecological condition of their land through a scorecard-based approach that assesses different habitat types, and captures the level of environmental services provided.
In this way, good environmental management is rewarded and improvement on lower-scoring lands is incentivised.
Niall Ó Donnchú of the NPWS said the award win “is down to the farmer and landowner participation and to the team involved, led by Derek McLoughlin”.
The project aims to improve the conservation status in the Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) network of blanket bogs, a priority habitat under the EU Habitats Directive.
The primary focus is on 35 Natura 2000 sites in the northwest of Ireland, where the project works with farmers, landowners, policy-makers and others to deliver solutions that benefit local communities and the environment.