James Moran

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• Doctor of Philosophy
• Senior Lecturer at Atlantic Technological University

Question: What is the influence of hydrological regime, soils and management on the plant community composition and species richness of Skealoghan turlough (groundwater dependent calcareous wetland). Location: Skealoghan turlough, County Mayo, Ireland. Methods: Percentage cover of vascular plants and bryophytes were recorded, and data on hydrologic...

Turloughs are groundwater dependent grazed wetlands of conservation importance that occur in limestone depressions in the karst landscape, mostly in the west of Ireland. Data on Carabidae, hydrological regime, soils and management (using grazing exclosures) were collected to assess the effects of both hydrological regime and grazing management on g...

Farmlands are currently among the dominant uses of the land. When managed under low‐input farming systems, farmlands are associated with diverse cultural and natural heritages around the world. Known in Europe as high nature value (HNV) farmlands, these agricultural landscapes and their associated farming systems evolved as tightly coupled socioeco...

The effective conservation of high nature value farmland (HNV) will be crucial for the conservation of European and Irish biodiversity, and to meet the growing demand for a wide range of private and public goods and services from farmland. Here, we describe the evolution of policy and management of HNV farmland in the Republic of Ireland over the l...

Due to their elusive nature, some species are hard to survey. This can present challenges for conserving rare and vulnerable species. However, conservation projects need reliable population data to understand the species status and prioritise strategies. We acoustically monitored the corncrake (Crex crex), a nationally endangered ground-nesting bir...

Ecologically functioning soils are increasingly viewed as a key component of sustainable agriculture, a means of sequestering carbon and a major contributor to farmland biodiversity. It is generally considered that intensively managed agricultural systems are associated with reduced soil health and require high chemical inputs to maintain soil nutr...

Movement ecology data are often collected by catching animals and fitting GPS tags. This technique is expensive, biased and comes at an extra cost for the caught individuals. New conservation technologies allow noninvasive data collection, providing ecological knowledge to aid the conservation of endangered species. Using bioacoustics, we investiga...

For Ireland to achieve its ambitious carbon budget targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, significant changes of land and sea use are necessary over the coming years. The required changes, particularly in the agriculture, energy and forestry sectors, will have implications for the health and condition of habitats and the spatial distribution o...

Conservation science and planning, by measuring proxies of biodiversity and ecosystem services provision, aim to identify priority areas for nature conservation and ecosystem services. In Ireland, fine-scale data on ecosystems functioning and biodiversity are limited, making it challenging to map conservation value (CV) and natural capital value (N...

High Nature Value (HNV) farmland and forest systems play a vital role in supporting biodiversity and delivery of ecosystem services. Estimates of HNV forest area and distribution in the European Union (EU) are rarely conducted, despite having been a requirement of Rural Development Programmes. This work represents the first attempt to identify and...

Globally, pollinating insects face significant pressure, largely due to intensively managed agricultural systems. There has been considerable focus on the provision of resources for pollinators in agricultural landscapes, but without understanding how existing farmland habitats affect pollinators there is a risk these conservation actions could fai...

Low-intensity agricultural activities have found to greatly promote biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. High nature value (HNV) agricultural landscapes are generally characterised by low-intensity agricultural systems and high cover of semi-natural habitats, providing valuable areas for biodiversity conservation. Considering the importance of...

High Nature Value (HNV) forests support biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services. In recognition of this role, a framework for defining and identifying HNV forest in Ireland has recently been developed and applied to Irish National Forest Inventory (NFI) forest plots. This study aimed to identify different types of HNV forest, using ava...

Ireland's High Nature Value Farmland and Forests in a changing landscape. A Heritage Week 2023 public talk (copy of slides). Across Europe High Nature Value farmland and forests (HNVFF) are those areas with a high proportion of natural and semi-natural vegetation supporting high biodiversity including various rare and threatened species. These ar...

Conserving natural resources and halting biodiversity loss are key environmental objectives of the European Union. High Nature Value farmland and forest (HNVFF) areas are associated with high biodiversity and other public goods. Currently, there are few dedicated HNV farmland and no HNV forest quality and quantity monitoring systems implemented in...

High Nature Value (HNV) forests contribute to maintaining European biodiversity and public good supply. This study aimed to a) develop an objective and quantitative Nature Value (NV) index for the identification of HNV forests in the Republic of Ireland; and b) apply and validate the index using available data from the Irish National Forest Invento...

Results-based agri-environment schemes are emerging as a valuable tool to incentivise optimal management of farmed habitats for biodiversity targets. Results-based payment schemes in Ireland use multicriteria assessments to score habitat integrity for specific targets, linking outcomes to farmer payments. Habitat integrity for a specific target is...

Land use in Ireland is dominated by grasslands, with significant areas of forestry and wetland, which are not distributed evenly across the country. Changes to Irelands climate have already been observed and are projected to increase over the coming decades, impacting the land system. AFOLU in Ireland is a substantial GHG source and achieving net-z...

High Nature Value (HNV) farmlands currently retain most of the biodiversity associated with agricultural landscapes in Europe. In a time of globalized food systems, the social-ecological conditions to maintain these low-intensity and thus less productive HNV farming systems are difficult to meet. Halting the loss of HNV farmland requires fostering...

This paper aims to present the results of the Erasmus + RUR’UP project that developed educational tools for scientists, public managers, practitioners, and agricultural advisors living and working in peripheral rural areas. Based on the assessment of the educational needs and gaps for the sustainable development of the EU peripheral rural areas of...

Stone walls are ubiquitous field boundaries used to restrict livestock movement or to separate property. Bryophytes and lichens are often the dominant vegetation in dry stone walls and are strongly affected by local microhabitat characteristics. Bryophytes and lichens related metrics can be used to define habitat quality of stone walls. The current...

The intensification and specialisation of agriculture has contributed to farmland wildlife decline, including farmland birds. Grey partridge is a farmland species which has experienced a significant decline across Europe in recent decades. Chick survival rate is a key determinant of grey partridge population change and depends essentially on the av...

Erasmus+ Land Mobility Project Multiplier Event Hosted by Macra na Feirme and Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Thursday 2nd Dec 2021 Online. Theme: Innovative and Sustainable Ways of Farming

Bringing Science to Society through Co-Innovation and Co-Creation – The Soil-Health and Food Mission. EURAGRI conference, 27-28th September 2021, Évora (Portugal) “Uptake and Out-scaling: How to make it happen?”. The case of hybrid result-based and locally adapted agri-environment payments for ecosystem services (nature, water, carbon).

High Nature Value Farmland in Ireland: Marginal farming or central role in combating climate and biodiversity challenges? Teagasc Signpost Webinar Series-02/07/2021. Available online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAhwzOvZpBU

This study presents a novel landscape classification map of the Republic of Ireland and is the first to identify broad landscape classes by incorporating physiographic and land cover data. The landscape classification responds to commitments to identify and classify the Irish landscape as a signatory to the European Landscape Convention. The method...

Agri-Environment Schemes (AES) have long been implemented across Europe to incentivise farmers to alter their management practices to improve biodiversity and water, air and soil quality. However, the cost-effectiveness of traditional action-based schemes has been questioned, and Result-Based Payment (RBP) schemes have been recommended as an altern...

Results-Based Payments for Conservation in the Life In Common Land Project (LICL): INTERNATIONAL ONLINE WORKSHOP OF THE WORKING GROUP 1 OF THE LICL PROJECT Online workshop, 26 May 2021

This data provides a landscape classification map of the Republic of Ireland. The dataset was generated by applying a series of clustering iterations to determine an objective multivariate classification of physiographic landscape units and land cover. The classification results determined nine statistically significant landscape classes and the de...

Agriculture Education for Sustainable Development. PEOPLE FOOD AND NATURE- The GMIT Sustainability Session 2021. Introduces the work of the Erasmus+ RUR'UP project - Innovative Education for sustainable development in peripheral rural areas.

The following workshop report follows the template prepared by the coordinating group for this project consisting of iDiv Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, the Thünen Institute Federal Research Institute for. Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Universität Rostock (following a request for such workshops from the European Commiss...

A thematic network called HNV-Link (High Nature Value Farming: Learning, Innovation and Knowledge) was launched under Horizon 2020 in 2016. It brought together 13 research, advisory, regional administration organizations, farmer, LEADER and other civic groups from 10 countries in an innovation brokering process. These agricultural areas are renowne...

1. While the value of linear farm habitats for the protection and enhancement of farmland biodiversity in general is known, less is understood about their contribution to Diptera, especially those with different ecological requirements. In this study, we examined the impact of a range of linear farm habitats in agricultural grassland on Syrphidae a...

1. While the value of linear farm habitats for the protection and enhancement of farmland biodiversity in general is known, less is understood about their contribution to Diptera, especially those with different ecological requirements. In this study, we examined the impact of a range of linear farm habitats in agricultural grassland on Syrphidae a...

Moran, J. (2020) Ireland’s Results Based Payment System: Focus on Results Indicators. Results Based Payments Network Seminar-Assessing Results-Based Indicators”. 20th June 2020. Available to view at https://youtu.be/lh-nI6N5_1k

Concerns over the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in farmland have prompted the development of agri-environment policy measures aimed at reducing farming pressure and maintaining semi-natural habitats in farmed landscapes. However, further knowledge is needed to guarantee successful agri-environment measures implementation. The current...

Key messages: There are six core considerations in our proposals for the CAP green architecture in Ireland. These are value for money; farmer engagement; evidence-based; integrated and simplified; results-based and auditable; and relevance. We propose an integrated framework across Pillar I and II of the CAP that has three tiers with increasing env...

In Chapter 8, James Moran, brings the discussion back to the policy environment within which results-based approaches are introduced. He considers the environmental priorities that need to be better addressed in international policy making, and the role that agriculture can play in providing a range of ecosystem services and disservices. He reflect...

Across Europe, Greenways upcycle disused railway infrastructure into non-motorised public infrastructure, often with limited consideration to potential ecological synergies. Pre-development, disused transport corridors become relatively undisturbed and potentially host diverse semi-natural habitats. The study objectives were 1) to produce a highly...

Addressing the climate and ecological crises in Ireland within the context of agriculture. A workshop for environmental NGOs in Ireland Oct 4th 2019, Dublin.

High Nature Value farmland (HNVf) is managed farmland that has high biodiversity and often supports species of conservation concern. Assessing the distribution and extent of such farmlands is useful for appropriate targeting of conservation measures and supporting associated rural communities. The conservation of species and habitats within HNVf is...

Over the past decades, Western European hedgerows have been declining as a result of land use change. Disused infrastructure corridors such as railways and tramways can host a range of existing and returning semi-natural habitats, including extensive hedgerow networks. However, long term corridor abandonment can result in network deterioration to g...

Fragmentation of ecosystems is continuing worldwide, posing increasing pressures to and loss of biodiversity. Disused transport corridors such as old railways and tramways often return to semi-naturalness, and are increasingly upcycled into multi-use, non-motorised public Greenway infrastructure. This study examines bat activity within a proposed r...

This policy paper builds upon the work carried out in the framework of HNV-Link (H2020 Project, 2016-2019, www.hnvlink.eu), a thematic multi-actor network on High Nature Value (HNV) Farming involving 13 partners from 10 European countries. The goal of this network is to support HNV farming systems by inspiring and sharing innovations/practices that...

Habitat diversity is fundamental to the preservation of biodiversity and to the delivery of ecosystem services in farmed landscapes. Acknowledging farms according to habitat composition and configuration is key to ensuring the sustainability of farms; facilitating production goals, but also supporting the protection of biodiversity and associated e...

Biodiversity has undergone significant declines in agricultural ecosystems throughout Europe due to changes in farming practices. Conservation of natural resources, including biodiversity, and halting the degradation of habitats in these systems are key environmental objectives of the European Union. The EU has allocated significant resources to th...

Cite as: Beglane, F., Bonsall, J., Nugent, L., Moran, J. & Meehan, H. 2018. ‘An oasis in the desert: the early ecclesiastical site of Disert, Co. Donegal’. Journal of Irish Archaeology, Volume XXVII, Wordwell, Dublin, pp57-79. This paper presents the results of an ongoing interdisciplinary project to investigate the archaeological, natural and cul...

High Nature Value (HNV) farmland designates "those areas in Europe where agriculture is a major land use and where that agriculture supports, or is associated with, either a high species and habitat diversity […]" Their conservation needs adapted strategies at a territorial level. HNV-Link is a H2020 thematic network (2016-2019) aiming at demonstra...

European Greenway developments typically ‘upcycle’ disused transport corridors for multi-use, non-motorised public infrastructure. The linear and relatively undisturbed nature of these disused infrastructures means many currently function as high quality ecological corridors. Corridors providing connectivity among habitat patches can mitigate the e...

A book of maps generated using ArcGIS 10.2.2 and ArcGIS Imagery Basemap (Imagery_Prime_World) (coordinate system GCS_WGS_1984). The maps illustrate photointerpreted habitats to Level 3 Fossit (2000) Irish Habitat Classification. Classification accuracy was assessed through groundtruthing of random stratified sampling sites (14% total study area rep...

www.rbaps.eu

This article summarises the views of a panel of experts from the areas of agricultural economics, ecology, agri-environmental policy and agricultural extension who were bought together for a novel workshop on agri-environment schemes conducted at the Agricultural Economics Society's 91st Annual Conference. The panel discussed the past, present and...

Non-Technical Summary. Project: Results Based Agri-Environmental Payment Schemes in Ireland and Navarra Region (Spain)

Non-technical summary of the Results-based Agri-environmental Pilot Scheme (RBAPS) in Ireland and Spain (2015-2018)

(abstract) European Greenway developments typically ‘recycle’ disused transport corridors into multi- use, non- motorised public infrastructure. Prior to development, these linear landscape corridors are often regained by wildlife. Bat species strongly associate with linear landscape features and broadleaf woodland habitat, but little is known abou...

Results-based agri-environmental payment schemes (RBAPS) and their role in future sustainability of HNV farmland Byrne, D.1, Alzaga, V.3, Astrain, C.3, Beaufoy, G.2, Berastegi, A.3, Bleasdale, A.4, Clavería, V.3, Donaghy, A.5, Finney, K.5, Kelly, S.5, Iragui, U. 3, Jones, G.2, McLoughlin, D.2, Moran, J.1, Lopez, F. 3, Maher, C.2, O’Donoghue, B.4 an...

Abstract High Nature Value farmland (HNVf) plays an important role in delivering biodiversity and has the capacity to deliver many important environmental public goods such as clean air, clean water, climate regulation and aesthetic landscapes. A lack of information on what exactly characterises a HNV farm is a major impediment to the application o...

High Nature Value (HNV) farmland is typically characterised by low-intensity farming associated with high biodiversity and species of conservation concern. Mapping the occurrence and distribution of such farmland are useful for appropriate targeting of conservation measures and supporting associated rural communities. We mapped the likely distribut...

Sixty percent of the land surface of the Republic of Ireland is farmland of which up to 12 % is estimated to sustain high species richness. Given that this farmland is predominantly pasture-based, the ecological status of semi-natural grasslands is particularly important for biodiversity. Recent studies indicate that those grasslands with high natu...

Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems dependent on agriculture focusing on biodiversity - including Natura 2000 areas and High Nature Value farmland is one of the main objectives of the European Union’s Rural Development Policy post-2013. Agri-environment programmes are the main tool that allows Member States to achieve this objective. How...

Turloughs are temporary wetlands almost unique to the west of Ireland. A transect of six vegetation zones across a well-studied turlough in County Mayo was investigated. At each station along the transect, the relative frequency of vascular plants was recorded and environmental variables (soil pH, soil moisture, soil loss-on-ignition) and plant tis...

Question: What is the influence of hydrological regime, soils and management on the plant community composition and species richness of Skealoghan turlough (groundwater dependent calcareous wetland). Location: Skealoghan turlough, County Mayo, Ireland. Methods: Percentage cover of vascular plants and bryophytes were recorded, and data on hydrologic...

Question: Can GIS and GPS technology be used to quantify the hydrological regime of different plant communities on turloughs (groundwater dependent calcareous wetlands)? Location: Skealoghan turlough, County Mayo, Ireland. Methods: Plant communities were mapped and digitised with GIS software and a digital elevation model of the site was constructe...

Managing marginal farmland with high nature value can be a strong source of conflict between farmers and conservationists. In the West of Ireland, marginal farmland is at the heart of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) designation and turloughs are an example of marginal grazing land with the status of EU Natura 2000 Priority Habitat. A turlough...