Hill farmers, habitats and time: the potential of historical ecology in upland management and conservation

Abstract

This article responds to calls for the historical sciences to inform adaptation in the Anthropocene, in this case, the sustainability of hill farming in view of EU habitat conservation. Focusing on Kerry, Ireland, it highlights the difficulties that conservation of upland bog, heath and grassland habitats faces due to rural depopulation. It then uses landscape history to assess the long-term feasibility of conserving/restoring these habitats according to EU directives, pointing to the remarkably recent disappearance of woodland due to grazing and deforestation. Instead of being 'traditional', as conservation discourse holds it to be, historical management of uplands by farmers could vary greatly depending on sociopolitical factors and economic trends. I discuss how this historical ecology of change helps to explain the failure of conservation in parts of Ireland, and outline how 'lessons from the past' may contribute to sustainable upland management if co-evolution is accepted as an ongoing process.

The effects of pastoral hill country natural landscape features and land management practices on nitrate losses and its potential attenuation for improved water quality

“…It also highlights the need for plans, specifically geared towards achieving freshwater quality, to focus on understanding the farm/catchment's natural features, including geology and soil types, as these strongly influence nitrate transport from agricultural systems to receiving waters (Burkitt & Bretherton, 2022). Such integrative management approaches that consider not only the economic and environmental gains but also the social and ecological needs of the area have been recommended in similar agricultural landscapes in Scotland, England and Ireland (Costello, 2020; Hanley et al, 2008; Short & Dwyer, 2012).…”

Historical Ecology: A Robust Bridge between Archaeology and Ecology

“…While scaling, politics, and other issues impede more recent global-scale management, mountains, uplands, and forests are often studied at regional and trans-border scales [45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52]. Landscapes that were once managed as commons have been brought back into view, using a historical ecology approach termed 'environing' [53].…”