"The MacGillycuddy Reeks Project enhanced the sustainability and economic viability of farming on the MacGillycuddy Reeks, focusing on conserving and managing habitats within the Natura 2000 network. The key project activities included i) Invasive species management, including treatment of bracken and rhododendrons. Ii) Introduce cattle to support vegetation control and enhance biodiversity, iii) Controlled sheep grazing to maintain appropriate vegetation levels, and iv) Path and trail maintenance and establishing a landowner ranger initiative to manage recreational use. Participants received targeted training on habitat management, pesticide application, and invasive species control, empowering them with the skills to manage their land sustainably. The project also engaged the public through talks, workshops, and media outreach, raising awareness about the importance of conservation in the region.
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It summarises the reports from all Cross Visits. During the Cross Visits the AgriSpin team gradually learned how to capture what really matters in the cases that were visited. It is important that the characteristics in the overview are helpful for: ● deepening the understanding of the individual cases and the effect of particular innovation support actions; ● making comparisons between cases, even though they represent different sectors and cover different types of innovation.
What can support services do to stimulate innovations at farm level? This is the central question in AgriSpin. The Cross Visits aim at collecting information about innovations that have taken place or that are in progress. The members of the visiting team are predominantly support agents themselves, which allows for vivid exchanges of experiences. A cross visit creates space for intensive informal interactions between colleagues from different corners of Europe. This provides a basis for continuous contacts after the project.
The inspirational booklet is a guide. It offers a collection of examples of good working practices involving different types of actors such as advisors, researchers, technology suppliers, retailers, civil society groups and administrators. The examples are from the 12 different European countries participating in the AgriSpin project and represent different stages of an innovation process. The booklet also presents some tools and lessons learned, which can help the innovator better understand the innovation process in order to anticipate possible pitfalls.