This article is from page 2 of the 2009-08-04 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
THREE out of every 10 farmers in the protected Burren region intend to wind up their businesses and stop farming over the next number of years.
This is according to the first ever major survey of farm activity in the area, published this week by the Bur- renBeo Trust. The survey, which was compiled from more 240 individual interviews undertaken over the last year, shows that only 72 per cent of interviewees intended to continue farming in the area into the future.
The survey also showed that only a
small amount of farm families, just under 8 per cent, gained directly from the millions of tourists who visit the area every year. While tourism was an issue which divided the respond- ents, most respondents agreed that a way should be found to share the spoils of Burren tourism amongst all the people of the area.
There were many positive elements to the survey with the farmers large- ly agreeing that farmers needed to be involved in any future planning about the Burren area and that farm- ers were central to the projection of the fragile Burren environment.
“One of the BurrenBeo Trusts core
objectives is to engage farming fami- lies and local communities in the de- cision-making processes affecting the Burren,” said Brendan Dunford, founder of BurrenBeo and head of the BurrenLIFE farming for conver- sation organisation.
“This objective derives from our conviction that any future manage- ment plan for the Burren must be built on real and meaningful local in- put, enabling the people of the Bur- ren to play a greater role in defining, participating in, and benefiting from the sustainable future development of their landscape. It also addresses one of the most common complaints
from Burren farm families — that they rarely have any real say in how their region is being managed.
“The findings of the survey are very positive and a cause for great optimism. Burren farmers are proud to live and work in the Burren, are appreciative of the area’s unique at- tributes and are anxious and enthusi- astic about being involved in shaping the future of this place, their home.”
The survey was coordinated by Kathy Walsh and undertaken in partnership by the Burrenbeo Trust in conjunction with the Burren IFA and with the support of the Heritage Council.