Land Observatory

Irish Land Observatory

Work is now underway to create a Land Observatory in Ireland, tracking land use changes and the effects of these changes on outcomes of interest such as rural community wellbeing and biodiversity. The case for establishing a land observatory has been strongly made over the last number of years. Read more in the following links.

Please make contact here with questions, or if you’d like to be involved in this work.

 

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: Price 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

 

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