Council secures funding for Cross Border Peatland Scoping Project

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, in collaboration with Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark, secured investment of almost £271,000 for a unique Cross Border Peatlands Project.

The project, which has been funded by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) through the Shared Island Peatlands Challenge Fund, aims to enhance peatland restoration across the Fermanagh, Tyrone and Cavan areas.  The sites at Gortin Lakes, in the Sperrins and Cuilcagh Mountain and Cuilcagh Anierin in west Fermanagh and west Cavan, are areas of blanket bog – which is a specific focus for the project.

The funding will enable Fermanagh and Omagh District Council and Cavan County Council to commission essential  baseline scientific surveys at each of the three sites and identify peatland restoration opportunities.  The resulting  Peatland Restoration plans will include arrangements for ongoing and future monitoring at all three sites.

Innovation and knowledge sharing will be key components of the work at Gortin Lakes, which will be developed as a Peatland Restoration Demonstration Site, showcasing  a range of peatland restoration techniques. The Shared Island funding will enable both Councils to support community engagement and education, volunteering and ‘citizen science’ opportunities on a cross border basis, deepening our shared understanding of the critical role these unique landscapes play in tackling the climate emergency.

Commenting on the project, Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir said:

“I am pleased that my department is funding this partnership to make significant progress in this beautiful landscape dominated by peatlands.  On World Peatlands Day on 2^nd June the launch of the ‘Cross-Border Peatlands Scoping Project’ is timely, underlining the vital importance of restoring peatland in Northern Ireland to deliver a range of societal benefits, including tackling climate change, enhancing biodiversity and improving water quality.

Welcoming the funding, Vice Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Elaine Brough said:

“Peatlands are an important priority habitat in Fermanagh and Omagh and represent a significant portion of valuable peatlands in Northern Ireland.

They have a key role to play as we tackle  climate change and the continued loss of biodiversity globally and within our District. I am delighted that the Council is one of only five organisations in Northern Ireland to have secured funding.

The programme will provide excellent opportunities for our residents who have an interest in peatlands restoration or would like to learn more.  It will also help us to ensure that our environment is protected, restored and enhanced.”

Alison McCullagh, Chief Executive of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said:

“The Shared Island Peatlands Scoping Project will enable our two councils to continue to work in partnership. This project will build on our commitment to lead by example and empower local communities to play an active role in the restoration, stewardship and sustainability of these unique ecosystems, teeming with biodiversity, which is so critical for our planet’s health.”

Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Mr Eoin Doyle said:

“Our peatlands are among our most precious natural resources, and I applaud our Geopark partners in Fermanagh and Omagh District Council for their efforts to secure this funding to carry out scoping surveys which will significantly advance our mission to preserve and restore these vital natural habitats”.

Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr TP O’Reilly said:

“Habitats such as our blanket bog among the reasons Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark is regarded as one of the world’s most outstanding areas of natural heritage. I welcome this latest development – another positive milestone in the relationship between Cavan County Council and Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, a successful partnership which has yielded excellent results for habitat preservation in the region”.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is committed to protecting and restoring peatlands on its estate and across the District in partnership with others.  Peatlands are important carbon sinks as they store significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.  This will contribute towards the achievement of the target to be a Net Zero District by 2042 as identified in the Council’s Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategy.

Peatlands also provide important habitats for various species helping to encourage biodiversity conservation.

Details of the programme, including opportunities to participate, will be promoted on the Council’s social media channels and on its Climate Change website (www.climate.fermanaghomagh.com).