The AranLIFE project is a project now operating on the three Aran Islands which, working together with farmers, seeks to develop and demonstrate the best conservation management practices of local farmers on the designated Natura 2000 sites of the three islands (protected habitats for flora and fauna of European importance).
Set to run over a four year period from 2014-2017 and co-funded under the EU LIFE Nature programme, the project focuses on farming activities on the islands within the Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) designated sites, harnessing local farming knowledge and experience with the scientific expertise of other project partners to overcome some of the challenges of island farming and to improve the conservation status of the designated sites.
Over 75% of the islands are designated as SAC owing to the species-rich grassland and habitats that have developed over years of management by the local farming community.
The low intensity agricultural system has created a unique farmed landscape of small fields, enclosed by stone walls, with high associated biodiversity.
The Aran Islands have supported farming communities for over 4,000 years and left behind a rich cultural legacy most dramatically seen in the spectacular great forts and the dense web of field walls.
Changing agricultural practices threaten the conservation value of the project area's habitats. The area's farms have a highly fragmented and small structure. Poor economic return from such small holdings is leading to a reduction of farming on the islands which is having a negative impact on the species-rich Annex I priority habitats which are targeted by the project, Orchid-rich grassland/Calcareous grassland (6210), Limestone pavement (8240) and Machair (21AO).
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 Sesleria caerulea (blue moor-grass |
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The Aran Islands grasslands are characterised by a rich diversity of species.
One year in to the AranLIFE project and significant progress has been made. Over half the islands farmers expressed an interest to participate in the demonstration project, a further indication of the high level of support the project receives from the local farming community. A selection criteria based on the suitability of the land for the project was applied and 68 farms were selected. Farm plans have been prepared and actions such as scrub cutting, grazing level adjustments and provision of water infrastructure has been prescribed.
Actions such as scrub removal from fields and boreens (narrow paths to access fragmented parts of the farm) have been started by the farmers and a detailed monitoring programme to document the changes in vegetation following scrub removal is underway.
Below: Scrub clearance on priority habitats on the Aran Islands, before and after photos. In the absence of hand clearance the scrub shades out the variety of pants species which form part of these important species rich calcareous grasslands.
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The next stage of the project is now underway, looking at the feeding value the grassland to determine the best grazing practises that both maintain the biodiversity of the grasslands and also maximise animal performance. This work also forms part of PhD being completed by Louise Duignan under the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship PhD in conjunction with IT Sligo.
www.aranlife.ie https://www.facebook.com/AranLIFE https://twitter.com/AranLIFE