Sir, – Your editorial "The Heritage Bill: the case for a new vision" (July 13th) called for a new vision for our landscape whereby farmers and rural communities are properly rewarded as the stewards of the healthy landscapes on which we all depend. You cited some good models on which such a vision could be developed, including the Burren Farming for Conservation Programme and the Native Woodland Scheme, and suggested the Government should resource them adequately.
I would add to those models initiatives such as the Wicklow Uplands Council and a new Heritage Council initiative to develop a series of Uplands Partnerships in association with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Irish Uplands Forum and community representatives. The basis for all of these models is the fact that structures exist (and can be supported) at a local level which can plan for and agree a series of actions that provide for flexibility and local decision making.
However, with the current levels of support available they all really only scratch the surface, and can’t fully realise the undoubted potential that such an approach holds.
We run the risk of taking their work for granted if we don’t find a way to acknowledge and support their efforts to date.
Of course the securing of resources for such initiatives has long been an issue and in some respects this is due to the fact that our legislative processes are viewed as being more directive and restrictive than enabling and empowering. As a contrast, what can be referred to as enabling and empowering landscape legislation exists in nearly every other European country, with our French cousins having very positive and well-resourced legislative frameworks that support local communities to manage and develop their own landscapes (including it has to be said rural towns and villages) in a very proactive manner supported by a range of local, regional, national and international agencies.
We are a democracy, and democracies work best through good legislation. Certainly that is the basis of securing meaningful resources from the legislators, our Governments.
So perhaps the new vision you call for could be founded on a new type of landscape legislation that enables and empowers local communities to collaborate with a range of bodies and agencies on an agreed range of landscape management, development and conservation measures.
Of course they need the robust structures and frameworks at a local level to deliver, and through the Uplands Partnerships that is what we are trying to deliver within one particular sector.
But just imagine the strength such initiatives would have if they were provided for in legislation.
That is one way they would overcome the lack of public and political traction to which you also refer. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL STARRETT,
Chief Executive,
The Heritage Council,
Kilkenny.