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A major €19.2 million cross-border project to restore peatlands, enhance biodiversity and tackle climate change has been launched, with Fermanagh and Omagh among the key areas set to benefit.
The PEAT+ Project was officially launched on World Wetlands Day (February 2) at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre and is of particular significance for the district, which includes internationally important peatland landscapes within the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark.
Led by nature conservation charity Ulster Wildlife, the initiative is funded through PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
Over the next three years, the project will deliver large-scale peatland restoration across 19 priority sites in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. It will also support research and innovation and promote the natural and cultural heritage of peatlands.
Despite progress in recent years, it is estimated that around 80 per cent of Ireland’s peatlands remain degraded and are a significant source of carbon emissions. Restoring them is seen as critical in tackling climate change, while also improving biodiversity, water quality and flood resilience.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is a project partner, alongside Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark and a range of councils, academic institutions and environmental organisations from both sides of the border.
Chairperson of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Barry McElduff, said the district was home to some of Ireland’s most “distinctive and precious” peatland landscapes.
He said: “As a project partner, we warmly welcome the launch of the PEAT+ initiative and the significant investment it represents in conserving these vital habitats. Restoring our peatlands will strengthen biodiversity, support climate resilience and protect a natural heritage that is deeply valued by local communities.”
The project will also help protect threatened species closely associated with peatlands, including the golden plover and the large heath butterfly.
The launch was attended by Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir MLA, SEUPB chief executive Gina McIntyre and project partners. Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan TD also addressed the event via video message.
Minister Muir said the programme provided a unique opportunity for collaboration across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, delivering environmental benefits while also supporting jobs and sustainable economic growth.
