AGRICULTURAL land in the Island should be given greater protection and the uses to which the land is being put should be subject to a more robust system of monitoring.
These are the main conclusions of the Jersey Environment Forum, an advisory body which has issued its first ‘position paper’, tackling the issue of the changing use of agricultural land.
The forum says that there has been a clear loss of agricultural land in the Island and makes three recommendations: 1 An analysis of land coming out of production should be undertaken and the results monitored.
2 Agricultural land should retain a high degree of protection as a major part of the Island’s economic countryside resource.
The legislative framework to cover this should be reviewed with a view to extending powers to include all agricultural land.
3 A countryside stewardship scheme should be introduced and be adequately funded to ensure that sufficient investment takes place in the countryside to maintain its value to the Island.
Article posted on 5th July, 2004 - 12.00am
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