€50m Landscape Actions Fund Opens Under ACRES Scheme

The Department of Agriculture has launched a new strand of environmental funding for farmers under the Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES), aimed at delivering large-scale, landscape-level improvements in biodiversity and water quality.

From today (18 July), applications are open for Landscape Actions — targeted environmental measures available to participants in the ACRES Co-operation approach. These actions include habitat restoration for threatened species, protection of watercourses, invasive species management, and the control of scrub encroachment on species-rich grassland.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, said the new element of the scheme represents “a further step up in ambition on previous agri-environmental schemes,” and is designed to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges at a regional level.

The Landscape Actions are only available to farmers located in eight high-priority environmental areas under ACRES Co-operation. These zones, already supported by dedicated local project teams, will work directly with farmers to design and implement “Annual Works Plans” that suit their farms and surrounding landscapes.

Unlike smaller-scale Non-Productive Investments (NPIs), Landscape Actions are coordinated across wider areas to maximise impact. Each plan will contribute to local action strategies already developed for issues like biodiversity restoration and water quality improvement.

A public consultation is now under way on the draft list of proposed actions, which is required before final approval under environmental legislation. While farmers and project teams can prepare applications now, decisions will only be made once the consultation — on the Natura Impact Report — concludes.

Minister Heydon said the initiative will channel €50 million over the next three years into meaningful on-the-ground work:“This funding will not only benefit the local environment, but it will also help participating farmers improve their ACRES scores and ultimately increase their results-based core payments.”

ACRES: The Bigger Picture

ACRES is Ireland’s flagship agri-environmental scheme under the 2023–2027 Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), jointly funded by the EU and the Irish government. There are currently almost 54,000 farmers enrolled, with over 22,500 in the more targeted ACRES Co-operation zones.

To date, the Department has paid out €513 million under the scheme — €264 million of that in respect of 2024 activity alone.

More information, including the draft Landscape Action list and public consultation documents, is available at: gov.ie/acres