Sheep grazing rights in national parks

getoutadodge · 13-01-2023 11:34AM #1

I notice that sheep farmers seem to have free access for their herds to graze Wicklow National Park and Nephin in MW Mayo. Presumably this applies to all the national parks and Coillte land too. Any idea why ? Some historical right of access? Same applies to Croagh Patrick which I know is not a national park ...but should be.

Timfy · 13-01-2023 11:49AM

I cannot speak definitively about the specific examples given but certainly in my corner of North West Connemara much of the designated National Parklands are still under private ownership. The slopes of Mweelrea, areas of the Maumturks and Party mountains as well as the Connemara National park itself would fall under Commonage laws, with multiple sheep farmers having access to the areas, following fairly strict rules of total flock numbers and animal density etc

getoutadodge · 13-01-2023 12:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120102221#Comment_120102221

Txs for that. Any idea how these "commonage Laws " work....with a view to ending them. There should be no commercial grazing in a national park I would have thought....or the landscape can never recover from a century plus of overgrazing.

Count Dracula · 13-01-2023 12:26PM

Ahem, did you not ask the sheep what they think?

Packrat · 13-01-2023 12:33PM

Another - "let's try to steal someone else's private property because I'm too poor/lazy to get my own" thread.

Yawn. Won't be happening.

Edit to add: Most national parks strictly prohibit domestic animal grazing as do Coilte, so you presume wrong

maninasia · 13-01-2023 02:45PM

Is commonage private property ?

Not so thick question is it.

Eventually grazing will be banned in many areas, it will happen sooner or later.

getoutadodge · 13-01-2023 03:23PM

I found this so far on commonages. Wow.,,,a million acres of it countrywide. All private property. Seems the National Parks have to tread lightly in this matter...otherwise adios national park. The National Parks are in effect tenants to be tolerated. Any overt griping about grazing etc etc ...and you're out. It explains much about the lack of ambition of the NPWS.

https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/there-is-little-common-ground-on-irelands-commonages-and-a-one-size-fits-all-approach-wont-work/

https://www.npws.ie/research-projects/agri-environment-research/commonage-framework-planning

Sheep grazing rights in national parks

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