By Hugh Brady
A CONSERVATION ‘RAIN CHECK’
T
he environment has become a pressing issue in recent years. Some believe this is part of the normal cyclical patterns of the earth’s weather and a new geological chapter. On the other hand, under the epoch of the Age of Man, our existence is ultimately determining our destruction. Whatever the choice may be, climate change is happening. Green is the logo of our time. What better symbol for products such as food consumption, textiles, construction, than a representation of renewable and regrowth. Everyone wants to be green. It is the easiest marketing sell for all demographics; the aged wish for legacy and the survival of their descendants, while the young want to survive and prosper. Contrary to popular belief, hunters are also green. Social media of hunters decry the removal of hedgerows, highlight drainage of wet spots and anguish at the reclamation of bogs. Sporting clubs plant vegetation, fill grain hoppers, sow game crops that also benefits a host of other non-game
species. Ireland has 73 hunters per 1,000 people and this is significantly ahead of other EU nations with almost 1,000 game conservation clubs. There were conflicting messages in 2020 when various Ministers spoke passionately about climate change, while at the same time planning permission was signed by the Minister for Culture and the Gaeltacht to commercially harvest peat on one of the last intact bogs in Kildare. It is not that we should not care or not be affected by the plight of polar bears on melting ice caps or orangutans in the rapidly deforested Rain Forests of Brazil, but much can be achieved on our own island that will make a difference to the climate, economic prosperity, brand and population of Ireland. In these times of extreme categorisations, partly driven by the development of social media, people are defined as left or right, capitalist or socialist, conservatives or liberalists. But the Irish psyche has always been one of moderation, and that has held us in good stead. As most people do not fit
neatly into a single categorisation, hunters are often the greatest conservationists. They probably need to be more public about their good works. The French philosopher Voltaire over 350 years ago warned about those who possess moral righteousness saying “those who can make you believe absurdities; can make you commit atrocities.” From those who are regularly out and about in the countryside, there is a great extinction happening over the past few years. Many well-intended initiatives have hastened this occurrence by unintended consequences. An example is the Blas scheme, which is an initiative to plant perennial wild flowers on set aside farm land. The consequence is that native plants or rushy fields are ploughed to plant these wildflower seeds. Within two years, when the scheme ends it is easily transformed into weed less, nitrogen fertilised pasture land. The relaunch of a REPS type scheme would be an immediately positive step to reimburse set aside land with no stipulations.
Agricultural land versus housing needs
Before and after photos showing a small area of garden prepared for wildflowers 30
Winter 2021 Irish Country Sports and Country Life
With the demand for housing in Ireland, there are building sites all over the country. While planning requirements consider such factors as infrastructure and proximity to towns, there does not seem to be much consideration to the current productivity levels of farmland. In Kildare and Meath where some of the most productive land in the country exist, it seems counterintuitive to build vast housing estates on such fertile ground. With a growing Irish population, in years to come, there will be pressure to reclaim some of the last remaining
