Last week the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Alun Davies AM, made a statement on the future of Glastir following a period of review. The Deputy Minister made it very clear that the ‘Government takes its obligations towards biodiversity and other environmental objectives very seriously’. RSPB Cymru has been a strong supporter of Glastir as we believe it has the potential to make a significant contribution to improving the quality of the Welsh environment. This includes halting the declines of Welsh wildlife by rewarding farmers who already manage their land in ways that benefit scare species such as lapwings, water voles and rare arable plants and by encouraging others to do the same.
This will only be achieved if Glastir is implemented successfully, and we agree with the move to simplify and streamline the application and management process.
As announced by the Deputy Minister the scheme now needs a period of stability in order to build confidence within the farming community. We support the Minister’s unequivocal message that the purpose of agri-environment is to provide the wider Welsh society with environmental benefits. This is in line with the Welsh Governments developing new approach to managing the natural environment, recognising the importance of ecosystems and the wider public benefits they deliver.
Going forward, the Deputy Minister needs to ensure that increased popularity will not compromise effectiveness. Therefore, we urge the Government to continue working towards improving the balance and content of scheme prescriptions to ensure that they deliver against stated environmental objectives. Once this has been achieved we believe that Glastir may genuinely become an excellent agri-environment scheme fit for purpose.
Arfon Williams is Countryside Manager for RSPB Cymru