Heritage Council

The Heritage Council seeks to protect and enhance the richness, quality and diversity of our national heritage for everyone. It works with its partners to increase awareness of our national heritage.

High nature value farming case studies in north Connemara and the Aran Islands

Traditional extensive farming practices have helped to create the Irish landscape, as we know it today. Much of the natural and cultural heritage that we encounter in Ireland today is influenced by, or has evolved, in response to these interactions, such as our flower-rich grasslands, and our networks of stone walls. Maintaining that heritage relies on maintaining the more traditional extensive type of farming that influenced its development. This type of farming is often referred to as “high nature value farming”, and the farmers’ role in this dynamic is critical.

The Heritage Council, with support from DAFF, has commissioned the preparation of case studies on high nature value farming in north Connemara and the Aran Islands, which propose recommendations that need to be developed and implemented in order to support this type of farming, and farming communities, effectively. The report is still being prepared for publication, but in the meantime, a summary is available here.

Click here to download information in PDF format [890K].

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