CAFRE and Teagasc to host Upland Open Day at Glenwherry

Date published: 29 July 2025

The event is being held at the CAFRE Hill Farm Centre, Glenwherry on Wednesday 3 September 2025. You are invited to attend to hear from a range of speakers about how integrated upland management delivers outcomes for everyone.

Mark Scott, Head of Sustainable Land Management at CAFRE, says: “The aim of the event is to bring environmental outcomes and livestock production in the uplands together as one. Join us to discover how there is no conflict between the two.”

Mark continues: “The Hill Farm Open Day will have four stops. We will focus on the upland sheep and suckler cow enterprises, habitat management for birds and mammals, peatland carbon emission figures and associated research and practical steps for peatland restoration. To attend the event, please visit the events section of the CAFRE website.

Register for a designated tour time of the CAFRE Hill Farm, which is expected to last approximately 3½ hours.

The first stop on the tour will focus on hill sheep and habitat management. Dr Eileen McCloskey, Senior Livestock Technologist explains, “Visitors will hear about the flock performance and how sheep are an integral part of managing the upland habitat at Glenwherry. Michael Gottstein, Sheep Specialist, Teagasc will join this stop to highlight the importance both of animal type and of productivity, explaining how the grazing behaviour of our hill sheep can be used to manage and improve the habitat of the hill.” Eileen and Michael will also be joined by Merlin Becker, Glenwherry Head-keeper, Irish Grouse Conservation Trust. He will describe the habitat required for ground nesting birds and the practices employed at CAFRE to encourage an increase in the population of birds that use the site.

The second stop of the tour will focus specifically on the emissions issue associated with peatland across Ireland using the Glenwherry site as a case study. Dr Elizabeth Earle, Senior Carbon Technologist, CAFRE will be joined by Phil Jordan, Professor of Catchment Science, Ulster University and Aaron Fox, Carbon Researcher, Teagasc. Elizabeth will outline the baseline and current carbon emission figures for the CAFRE Hill Farm and the plans for future restoration and the impact this will have on overall emissions generated by the farm. Phil will describe the research being carried out at the Glenwherry site, and how some of the findings can be used to better refine emission factors for peatland across the island of Ireland. Aaron will provide insights on Teagasc's carbon research projects.

The third stop will focus on peatland restoration in practice. Nicola Warden, Senior Biodiversity Technologist, CAFRE explains: “Alongside Simon Gray, Head of Peatland Recovery, Ulster Wildlife and Patrick Browne, ACRES Adviser, Teagasc we will inform the audience of the importance of having a plan and the multiple benefits habitat restoration can have in addition to the reduction of emissions.”

Stop four will concentrate on the Hill Farm suckler cow enterprise and how they have been instrumental in improving the habitat ahead of the bird nesting season. Martin Kirk, Beef and Sheep Technologist, CAFRE will discuss the suckler cow enterprise, highlighting the importance of producing animals that will deliver a commercial carcase demanded by processors and the use of these animals in upland management to benefit biodiversity and deliver profit. Stephen Magennis, Conservation Officer, RSPB will highlight the clear improvements in the breeding wader habitat that have been created through the grazing behaviour of the cattle. He will present the promising findings from Glenwherry, focusing on their significance for endangered bird species.

Mark concludes: “This Open Day promises to be a key knowledge transfer event for upland farmers, livestock managers, habitat and peatland researchers, advisers and practitioners.”

For more information and to register to attend the event, please visit the CAFRE website.