Land Observatory

A Land Observatory Defined (the What)

A land observatory is a repository of information regarding the status of land, its management, and its change over time. This is important work to reveal the impact of land use change within our bioregions. To date, no such observatory exists in Ireland.

Establishing a Land Observatory in Ireland (the How)

In response to the growing calls for a land observatory for Ireland, BWL SE Ireland is inspired to be involved in the development of an Irish Land Observatory with a pilot observatory tracking local land use change. Land use and the impacts of its change over time is a critical thread of connection running through much of the work we undertake. It relates to so much, from the health of our soils, to biodiversity loss (or gain), to rural community well-being and generational renewal of farms. We also believe these changes should be observed and reported on a bioregional level, as national averages can not paint an accurate picture of changes in local contexts.

As a first step to addressing Ireland’s lack of such an observatory, BWL SE Ireland will serve as the host organisation for an SETU post-doctoral research position from 2025. In this research project, a land observatory will be piloted in the area, to describe land use change, and the impact of such change will be studied utilising the 4 Returns as an assessment framework.

The Need for an Irish Land Observatory (the Why)

The case for establishing a land observatory has been strongly made over the last number of years.

As explained in this ARC2020 article: the case for a land observatory in Ireland:

‘The picturesque landscape of Ireland, with its patchwork of fields bordered by hedgerows and dotted with livestock, is an image deeply ingrained in the national consciousness.

However, this idyllic scene is under threat from a trend that is reshaping the countryside not only in Ireland but across Europe: land consolidation. This process, which involves the merging of smaller agricultural plots into larger farms, is altering the fabric of rural life, impacting generational renewal, and challenging the basis of the Irish farm system…

…The proposed land observatory would serve as a guardian of the public interest, ensuring that land management practices adhere to the constitutional commitment to secure economic security for as many families as possible on the land. Article 45 paragraph (v) of the 1937 Constitution underscores this principle, yet the current trend of land acquisition and consolidation seems to contradict this foundational value.’

Further related reading:

Journal.ie article on farming consolidation in Ireland

RTE primetime: Priced out: concern rising land costs could alter the face of farming

Journal.ie article on October 2024 Clonmel protest

IPES food report on ‘the land squeeze’

Agriland: I want farming to entice young people, says next Ag Commissioner

Please contact Daniel Long here with questions, or to get involved.