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Louth farmer wins Farming for Nature Ambassador Award for 2025
Stabannon farmer becomes first Louth Ambassador in the network
Louth farmer Gareth Culligan
Reporter:
Donard McCabe
17 Nov 2025 9:30 PM
Louth farmer Gareth Culligan has been named as a new Farming for Nature Ambassador for 2025, the first ever for Co. Louth. The award celebrates farmers across Ireland who are leading the way in nature-friendly farming.
Gareth Culligan is a conservation tillage farmer situated in Stabannon. Farming around 242 hectares, he has been experimenting with reduced tillage and no-till systems since 2001. He has since transitioned the entire farm system to principles of conservation agriculture, which has a strong focus on soil health and has three core principles to achieve the best soil for growing crops; no-till, cover crops, and diverse crop rotation.
Gareth grows a wide variety of crops, including wheat, barley, beans, peas, sunflowers and buckwheat alongside up to 35 different cover and companion species. All of these crops perform different functions in the soil and this reduces his reliance on chemical inputs. His use of fungicide and herbicides are down considerably and he uses no insecticides.
He is continuously tailoring his inputs to support both a better profit margin for the farm and to support the environment. Beyond his farm, Gareth is a founding member of BASE Ireland, helping to inspire and train other farmers in nature-friendly, soil-first farming methods.
Gareth is one of 12 new Farming for Nature Ambassadors demonstrating that that caring for nature is happening on farms across the country, and that it goes hand in hand with food production.
“Wanting to leave the land in a better place for the next generation was a common theme among this year’s nominees,” said Sarah Coonan, spokesperson for Farming for Nature. “It reminds us that preparations for climate change need to start today, to ensure Irish farming continues for generations to come.”
In total, 18 nominees were put forward by a panel of agri-environmental organisations, government bodies, and the wider Ambassador network for their commitment to biodiversity, community, and producing good food. Each farmer was interviewed and their farm visited by members of the Executive Committee of Farming for Nature before being chosen for the Ambassador Award.
These new ambassadors join a growing network of land stewards across Ireland who are building a healthier, more nature-friendly countryside. The Ambassador Network now comprises 115 farmers, representing every county and farming system in Ireland. This network is committed to learning from each other, sharing knowledge, and showing that farming for nature is a source of pride and purpose.
Farming For Nature was set up in 2018 as a non-profit project. Its mission is to support and inspire farmers who farm, or who wish to farm, in a way that will improve the natural health of our countryside. The Farming for Nature Ambassador Awards are an annual celebration of farmers across Ireland who are leading the way in nature-friendly practices.
Nominated by their peers, these farmers demonstrate that protecting nature and running a viable farm business can go hand in hand. These awards are funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
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