irish plants

The IDEAL-HNV project identified the distribution and extent of agricultural land of High Nature Value (IDEAL-HNV) in Ireland. This research was carried out to address important knowledge gaps for policymakers on the national scale distribution of potential HNV farmland. We looked at the typical characteristics of HNV farmland and threats to this type of farmland. This information will allow assessment of policy objectives and targeting of financial supports for HNV farmland.

We looked at the typical characteristics of HNV farmland and threats to this type of farmland.This information will allow assessment of policy objectives and targeting of financial supports for HNV farmland.

Project objectives include

  • Estimate the national distribution and extent of potential HNVf in Ireland through indicator-based probability assessments based on existing datasets.
  • Examine the use of remote sensing methods to identify HNV areas at the farm scale.
  • Describe the types of HNV farmland that occur in Ireland. Define and explain priority characteristics of, and threats to HNV farming systems.
  • Develop a user-friendly farm-scale HNV farmland identification app.
  • Profile the socio-economic characteristics of HNV farming systems in Ireland.

For details on the types of HNV farmland in Ireland click here

For a list of team members click here

The project was collaborative research between Teagasc and IT Sligo and was funded by the
Irish Government under the National Development Plan 2007-2013,by the Research Stimulus
Fund of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).