Fires in Designated and Iconic Landscapes
The recent spate of fires has devastated habitats and species but also negatively impacted the people who live, work or enjoy our iconic and designated landscapes. It is the people who have deliberately ignited such fires who are responsible for this devastation and it is gratifying to see the PSNI taking such a pro-active role to establish the cause and ultimately prosecute those culpable. It seems clear that most of these fires have been started deliberately and yet the focus of messaging is about visitors not using BBQ’s or lighting campfires. While that remains good advice – the message must be clear on reporting anyone who is deliberately igniting such devastating fires.
Most of these fires have been on upland, “less favourable” (for agriculture) lands and many, but not all, have taken place in designated sites and/or landscapes or indeed on lands periphery to them. Designation is vitally important to recognise and protect those areas where wildlife is more abundant, where there are specific rare and endangered species or where the landscape is of extremely high aesthetic value. These sites have other intrinsic values for the provision of clean water and for tourism and recreation supporting local economies and employment.
However, as per the recent Office for Environmental Protection report, only 51.5% of these designated sites are in “favourable condition” for the habitats and species for which they were originally designated.
Geoff Nuttall, the chair of Landscapes NI said: “There is increasing recognition from the public about the multi-functional benefits designated landscapes provide for nature, people and the planet and we need government to step up and resource appropriate management that ensures these amazing assets can provide benefits for generations to come.”
In Northern Ireland, we have lost over 50% of biodiversity from a 1970’s baseline and this is not on a trajectory of improvement despite the valiant efforts of those who are passionate about the importance of the natural environment and how it affects humankind. Having designated sites that are rich in plant and animal species is critical to try and turn this trend. Our landscapes are not just about the visual sights of hills, water and woodlands, they are about the smells, sounds, feel and indeed tastes that can be gained from these areas.
Smoke charred remains of heather, gorse and burnt peatlands are the polar opposite of what we need. Every year, if we get a dry spell in April – most of these fires are started deliberately and readily get out of control. There is a need for greater resource and flexibility to be able to manage land effectively, especially in designated areas, that can provide rich habitats for wildlife, facilitate the health and well-being of visitors and local people alike and provide a sustainable living for those who rely on them. Diversification, partnership working and collaboration are key to this and we hope that new environmental farming schemes will take cognisance of the real need there is in our upland, less favourable areas and support those trying to make a difference for wildlife.
The landscapes NI manifesto calls for significant changes to policy and resource to support much more effective area based management and decision making.
Images courtesy of Mourne Heritage Trust.