This pilot will establish a framework to generate a database of baseline habitat and biodiversity data at the farm-level and will provide the scope for an inventory of farm habitats and biodiversity present and a baseline for future targeting of agri-environmental schemes and measures.
The Pilot Stage of FES will focus on the roll out of farm level habitat surveys on approximately 6,500 farms.
The Agricultural Consultants Association (ACA) will coordinate the roll out of this survey
The FES advisor training module will commence shortly, and the measure will open to farmers in quarter 1 2022. Farm surveys will be carried out over the spring and summer 2022.
Results and outputs of the pilot survey will be presented to the Department in Q4 of 2022