Uplands study selected for EIP
WICKLOW Uplands Council are one of 12 Irish groups selected under the new European Innovations Partnership (EIP) initiative.
Operated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the initiative includes the provision of up to €1 million in funding nationwide.
Wicklow Uplands Council have been notified that their project ‘Sustainable Uplands Agriculture-environment Scheme (SUAS)’ has successfully made it through to the competitive two-stage application process.
The announcement follows several years of extensive study of upland vegetation management, the decline in farming activities and the impact it was having on these environmentally significant habitats.
The SUAS pilot project aims to use innovative means to address these issues.
Brian Dunne, Coordinator for Wicklow Uplands Council, said: ‘SUAS was originally proposed by Wicklow Uplands Council in 2013 as a recommendation of its ‘Study to Identify the Best Management of Upland Habitats in County Wicklow.
‘ That study was completed following extensive research and collaboration with local farmers and upland stakeholder organisations’
‘We are very excited that this project has now been officially selected and recognise that this will be a challenging but very rewarding opportunity, not just for those directly involved with the SUAS project but also for the wider upland community.’
Minister of State, Andrew Doyle TD, has also welcomed the news, which he feels will benefit local landowners and tourists.
‘ These projects offer great potential to help us to build on the success of the agri-food sector in recent years, and to address some of the remaining challenges with a fresh and innovative approach, ‘I look forward to seeing the continued benefits of the project in the Wicklow Uplands. SUAS benefits the entire community in the Wicklow Mountains, from our local communities and land owners to the thousands of visitors who visit Wicklow to enjoy our unique landscape and ecosystem,’ said Deputy Doyle.
Regular updates on the Wicklow Uplands project are available at www.wicklowuplands.ie.