In the last decade the demand for rural recreation has increased in Ireland as the population has become increasingly urbanised. Increased affluence, mobility and changing values have also brought new demands with respect to landscape, conservation, heritage and recreation, with a greater...

Commonage in the Republic of Ireland has traditionally been used for agricultural activity, mainly livestock grazing. In recent times due to its prevailing common property characteristics and upland landscape, this resource is increasingly attracting the interest of recreational enthusiasts....

Environmental decision-making compares market and non-market outputs, often in terms of willingness to pay. In addition to personal, private ‘consumer’ preferences, individuals may adopt a citizen perspective, judging matters from the point of view of society as a whole. Under such...

In Ireland increased public access for recreation presents challenges to policy makers concerned with tourism and rural development. Recreation activities such as mountaineering, walking and cycling can contribute to the regeneration of marginalised rural areas and enhance residents' quality of...

This paper looks at the factors determining REPS participation among commonage farmers in the West of Ireland and on the impact REPS has had on participating farmers’ income and on their environmental practices and attitudes. The study reveals that sheep farmers are less likely to join REPS...

Two policy instruments, input taxes and regulations, can be used to deal with nitrate pollution. However, in practice command and control (CAC) measures such as input regulations and management practices, as outlined in Action Programmes under the EU Nitrates Directive (Council Directive of 12...

Commonage represents land held under common property which incorporates a system of local cooperative arrangements and rules to conserve and manage the Irish uplands. We analyse the institutional and economic factors which influence the behavior of commonage farmers under a common property...

Despite the growing scientific literature on cold-water corals (CWC) there appears to be no research of an economic nature applied to the resource. This paper presents an overview of the goods and services of CWC and their associated biodiversity. Use and non-use values associated with CWC are...

The Burren landscape which stands out as one of the most magnificent managed landscapes in all of Europe has recently come under threat due to a shift in farm management practices. As a result of evolving market trends and social structures, traditional farming methods are being replaced by more...

The importance of essential fish habitat in supporting commercial fisheries has received increasing attention in recent years. Bottom trawling is known to cause particularly destructive damage to habitat which is effectively non-renewable, such as cold water corals. This paper applies the...