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Balancing Land Use Needs in Northern Ireland

JNCC is working with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) on a project called “Balancing Land Use Needs in Northern Ireland” (BALUNNI). The project is about making better use of land so it works for nature, people and the economy, now and in the future. By bringing together the best available evidence, BALUNNI supports smarter, more joined-up decisions about how land is managed. 

Land in Northern Ireland is under growing pressure from farming, nature recovery, climate action and development. BALUNNI helps bring these competing needs together, providing the insight needed to strike balance and track progress against environmental goals.

The project brings together work on modelling, evidence gathering, monitoring, and measuring environmental outcomes, helping Northern Ireland meet its environmental ambitions and contribute to wider UK and international commitments, including biodiversity targets.

 

Contents

  1. Key areas of work
    1. Land Use Modelling
    2. Delivering 30by30 on land
    3. Peatland natural capital assessment
    4. Indicator development
  2. How we support land use decisions in Northern Ireland

Key areas of work

Land Use Modelling

Tractor in field graphic

We work with DAERA and NIEA to understand how land is currently used and how it could be used differently in future.  This includes:

  • Support the Farming with Nature (FwN) agri-environment scheme, by modelling the impact of different land management options across multiple ecosystem services (e.g. carbon capture, habitat quality and pollution reduction).
  • Explore how land use can support wider goals, such as achieving net zero and supporting energy transition.

Delivering 30by30 on land

Landscape graphic

We support DAERA in developing a plan for meeting the 30by30 target (protecting and managing 30% of land for nature by 2030). This includes:

  • Identifying areas that could contribute to the 30by30 target.
  • Co-developing a framework for:
    • How areas are selected and managed
    • Considering support for land managers through incentives
    • Engaging stakeholders
    • Improving how progress is monitored and tracked
  • Bringing insights from other UK countries and international practice to inform policy development and ensure consistency with global standards.

Peatland natural capital assessment

Peatland Landscape graphic

We support the NI Peatland Strategy, by working with DAERA to identify and assess the best available evidence for peatland restoration. This includes:

  • Reviewing existing data and information
  • Using this information to identify areas for peatland restoration.
  • Identifying relevant knowledge from across the UK and working with partners to share learning and best practice.

Indicator development

Computer graphic

We are helping develop measures to track environmental progress as part of the NI Environmental Improvement Plan. This includes:

  • Developing indicators that capture the economic, social and cultural benefits people get from nature.
  • Helping decision-makers understand the impacts of land use changes.
  • Supporting the design of sustainable funding and investment models.

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How we support land use decisions in Northern Ireland

We work closely with DAERA, NIEA and other partners, including the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), to:

  • Compliment and build on existing work already underway..
  • Identify gaps in evidence and understanding.
  • Support and advise DAERA on commissioning of evidence gathering and research projects.
  • Provide independent advice and review
  • Help ensure evidence is used effectively in policy and decision-making.


For more information about BALUNNI please get in touch.

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