Ráðunautafundur - 15.02.2001, Page 28

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the general aims of sustainable
agriculture (Table 2). It is ap-
parent that although sorne prod-
ucts may be attainable at the
íarm scale, others would require
an integrated agricultural policy
crossing the borders of individ-
ual holdings and managed at the
landscape level.
THE WELSH SCENARIO
Wales has a land area just over
2.1 million ha, measures ap-
proximatelylöO miles long by 60 miles wide and has a population of 3 million people. There
are extensive tracts of high plateaux with mountain ranges deeply dissected by river valleys
radiating from the centre of the upland area. The lowland area is confined mainly to the rela-
tively narrow coastal belts and the valley floors. Snowdon is the highest mountain at 3650
feet. The coastline is almost 750 miles long (1200 km.)
Tourism is a key employer and revenue earner for Wales and there are a wealth of holi-
day cottages and private hotels, renowned for their hospitality. The peace and tranquillity of
the Welsh landscape belies a turbulent history. The Romans occupied Britain for 400 years
but never succeeded in entirely subduing Wales. Following the Romans came the Saxons,
Picts, Vikings and Normans who all succeeded in pushing the Welsh further into the rnoun-
tainous regions of the country. The history of the medieval period is dominated by the ex-
ploits of the rebellious Welsh princes such as Owain Glyndwr. In 1536 the Act of Union with
England was passed and Wales became a principality within Britain.
This history of struggle against invaders from within and without mainland Britain has
left Wales with more castles per square mile than any other country in Western Europe.
Thus the appeal of Wales and indeed it’s very identity are inextricably linked to its
unique blend of history, culture and environment.
The main natural resources of Wales for the past 200 years were iron ore and coal. How-
ever. since the 1940s falling demand for coal has combined with competition ffom cheaper
imports to force the closure of rnany Welsh mines. The rocks of north and mid-Wales also
contain manganese, gold, lead, uranium. copper, and zinc. The soils of the Welsh uplands are
of infertile rocky or leached types. The most fertile soils are in the south-east, along the coast,
and in the valleys. Much of Wales has high rainfall and thus water has become a valuable re-
source. There are over 150 large resen'oirs giving a storage capacity 312 million cubic meters
of water. The largest reservoirs are to be found in the uplands area of mid-Wales known as
the Elan valley and supply Birmingham with over 300 million litres of water a day. In total,
about 40% of the average available rainfall in Wales is licensed for abstraction from fresh-
waters, mainly from surface waters. River surveys identified the high quality of water within
Welsh rivers compared to English waters (75 and 33% of rivers classified as Targely unrnodi-
fied’ for Welsh and English rivers respectively). However, a recent survey detected Oragno-
phosphates and/or synthetic Pyrethroids in 75% of streams in sheep rearing areas.
About 80% of land in Wales has been designated as ‘Less Favoured areas’ (a classifica-
tion where farming activities are affected by natural handicaps which restrict the choice and
structure of agricultural production, wider socio-economic disadvantages (e.g. lack of em-
Table 2. Quality components within the concept of sustainable agri-
culture (Kirchmann and Thorvaldsson 2000).
Protection of soil
Protection of other biospheres
Conservation practices
Agricultural Products
Landscape and countryside
Ethics
Erosion, fertility, compaction,
pollution
Atmosphere, groundwater (pesti-
cides, nutrients, gasses)
Water, nutrients, energy, diversity
Nutritiousness, contamination ffee,
hygiene
Appearance at landscape and farm
scale
People, livestock, environment