Agri-environment scheme monitoring

The Biodiversity Unit based at Newforge Lane has been responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of DAERA’s agri-environment (AE) schemes in Northern Ireland for over 20 years. Specifically, AFBI scientific staff have expertise in biodiversity assessments in relation to habitats, plants, invertebrates and mammal species.

Previous AE scheme monitoring

Orchid

Since their first introduction in 1989, DARD (now DAERA) has been obliged to monitor the performance of AE schemes in relation to their environmental objectives of maintaining or enhancing biodiversity and landscape.

A long-term monitoring programme was established in 1992 to determine whether the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) scheme was fulfilling these objectives. This programme aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of ESA management prescriptions on target habitats and landscape features. Botanical, invertebrate and landscape monitoring was undertaken in all ESAs between 1993 and 2005. Monitoring of the Countryside Management Scheme (CMS) was initiated in 2002/03 with resurveys completed in 2011/12.

Monitoring of the NICMS

Ground beetle

Previous schemes were replaced by the Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS) which opened in 2008. The NICMS is an integral part of the AE programme within the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (NIRDP) 2007-2013.

A 3-year research and monitoring project funded by DARD commenced in 2010 based on additional indicators in the NIRDP for biodiversity on farmland under scheme agreement. In addition to monitoring of habitats and hedgerows under scheme management, this has included surveys of scheme options designed to enhance farmland for birds, Irish hares and invertebrates. A final report detailing progress on the targets for all the biodiversity indicators for the NIRDP was completed in 2013.

Key references

Flexen, M., O'Mahony, D., McAdam, J.H. (2013). Monitoring of farmland biodiversity indicators in Northern Ireland. Aspects of Applied Biology 118: 41-46.

Flexen, M., O'Mahony, D., McAdam, J.H. (2013). Habitat Monitoring of the Countryside Management Scheme 2002-2012. Report to Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland.

Flexen, M., O'Mahony, D., McAdam, J.H. (2013). Monitoring of Agri-Environment Additional Indicators within the NIRDP 2007-2013. Report to Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland.

Flexen, M, O’Mahony, D and McAdam, J.H. (2010) Review of agri-environment scheme monitoring in Northern Ireland. Aspects of Applied Biology 100:69-76

McEvoy, P. M., Flexen, M., McAdam, J. H. (2007). The Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) Scheme in Northern Ireland: Ten years of agri-environment monitoring. Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 106B, 1-11.

McEvoy, P. M., Flexen, M., McAdam, J. H. (2006). The effects of livestock grazing on ground flora in broadleaf woodlands in Northern Ireland. Forest Ecology and Management 225, 39-50.

Flexen, M., McEvoy, P. M., O'Mahony, D., McAdam, J. H., Hoppe, G. M. (2006). Landscape monitoring of the ESA scheme 1995-2005. Report to Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland.