Project Partners

Co-ordinating partner:

The European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism (EFNCP) is the co-ordinating partners on this RBAPS project in Ireland and Spain. The EFNCP is a European network providing a direct link between local projects involving low-intensity farming, and policy-making processes at national and EU levels. For more information about the EFNCP visit http://www.efncp.org/

Delivering the project in each pilot area:

IT Sligo is one of Ireland’s most successful third level educational institutions and a regional leader in education, innovation and economic and social development. Within IT Sligo, the Centre for Environmental Research Innovation and Sustainability (CERIS) is focused on providing key solutions in Applied Ecology and Resource Management. IT Sligo are responsible for delivering the project in County Leitrim and providing technical expertise to the project, through James Moran, and the project ecologist Dolores Byrne.

BirdWatch Ireland is the largest independent conservation organisation in Ireland. The primary objective of BirdWatch Ireland is the protection of wild birds and their habitats in Ireland. BirdWatch Ireland are managing the development and administration of the RBAPS project on the Shannon Callows, providing the ornithological expertise in the Leitrim area and feeding in to the overall development of the project also.

Gestión Ambiental de Navarra are our partners in Spain. The team there are developing a results-based approach to delivering a broad range of biodiversity on traditional vineyards, almond and olive groves in the upland Mediterranean region of Navarra.

Supporting partners:

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is part of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It is a governmental authority charged with the protection and conservation of Ireland’s natural heritage, under both Irish and European Law.

The NPWS are providing funding towards the project and are involved in the development of the RBAPS project, particularly in the Shannon Callows and Leitrim.

The Burren Life Programme is a pioneering agri-environmental programme which aims to conserve and support the heritage, environment and communities of the Burren. The approach taken by Burren Life Programme, in terms of both a farmer centered approach (where farmers have the freedom to choose how to farm) and result based payment, which rewards those farmers who deliver the greatest environment benefits, is greatly guiding the development of our RBAPS project.

The Burren Life Programme grew through collaboration with farmers, ecologists and legislative authorities to become now one of the most successful agri-environmental scheme in Europe which rewards farmers who deliver outstanding results in terms of biodiversity delivery in Ireland. The programme operates the award winning scheme from the office in Carron, Co. Clare, where all the participating farmers are free to meet and discuss matters with the dedicated team. For more information about the Burren Life Programme: http://burrenlife.com/

The AranLIFE project is a 4 year demonstration project on the Aran Islands, seeking to develop best conservation practices of local farmers on designated Natura 2000 sites while harnessing local knowledge with scientific expertise of their project partners.

RBAPS elsewhere in Europe…

Results-based Agri-environmental Schemes in Europe

Result based schemes are being trialed for a number of years now across many European countries, including the Species-Rich Grassland Programmes in Germany and France, the Golden Eagle conservation scheme in Finland and in Sweeden, the Conservation Performance payments for Lynx (Lynx lynx) and Wolverine (Gulo gulo) offspring. Read more about these and other results-based schemes across Europe on the European Commissions website ans download their RBAPS guidance handbook.