Mournes and Slieve Gullion feature in Cross Border Peatland Restoration Project

The Mournes and Slieve Gullion feature in a major €19.2 million cross-border project to restore peatlands, enhance biodiversity and combat climate change.

The PEAT+ Project is led by nature conservation charity Ulster Wildlife and funded by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

The project will deliver large-scale peatland restoration across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland on 19 priority sites over the next three years and will include innovation and research, along with promoting the heritage of peatlands.

The work in the Mournes will focus on the Pot of Doan, where the views from the mountain peak are breathtaking, and on the southern half of the stunning Slieve Gullion, with the new cross-border project paving the way for partnership working between all those involved.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Mourne Heritage Trust are among the project delivery partners who also include Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon District Council, Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Donegal; Crichton Carbon Centre, Cuilcagh; Lakelands Geopark, Fermanagh & Omagh District Council and RTÉ, along with associate partners NI Water and National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). 

Despite huge progress in delivering restoration works on peatlands across Ireland in recent years, it is estimated that 80% of Irish peatland is still in a degraded state and a source of carbon emissions, with the new cross-border project paving the way for partnership working between landowners, project partners and statutory agencies.

Restoring the landscapes is critical for tackling climate change, along with restoring nature, improving water quality and reducing flood risk, with the PEAT+ Project also helping recover threatened species closely associated with peatland habitats, including golden plover and the large heath butterfly. 

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir said, “The PEAT+ programme provides a unique opportunity for collaboration between landowners, project partners, and statutory agencies across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This partnership approach will not only enable effective delivery of peatland restoration but also foster lasting legacy relationships to support future initiatives.

“My Department is delighted to support this initiative, recognising that peatland restoration will deliver on multiple strategic objectives - enhancing biodiversity, improving climate resilience, and increasing carbon storage - while also creating opportunities for local communities through job creation and sustainable economic growth.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Philip Campbell said, “This is an important peatland restoration initiative which will leave a lasting legacy.

“The Peat+ Project funded by PEACEPLUS will have a positively significant impact and promote the heritage of peatlands which are remarkable landscapes. It is important we all work to protect these fragile environments for future generations,” he said.

“Peatlands are unique and this new initiative will also ensure they help combat climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and play its part in reducing emissions and help a precious ecosystem thrive.”

SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said, “PEAT+ will make a direct contribution to the objectives of PEACEPLUS. By restoring habitats and species within protected sites, the project will help create more resilient ecosystems. Our natural environment is one of our most valuable assets and its protection is essential for the long-term wellbeing of all our communities across the region.

“PEAT+ aims to protect habitats and species of international significance, while also addressing carbon storage and water regulation. This partnership brings together scientific knowledge, land management experience and community engagement skills. It is a partnership that reflects the cross-border nature of the challenge and the shared responsibility to address it.”

Ulster Wildlife Chief Executive Officer, Dawn Miskelly said, “We’re very proud to be leading this really significant project that will make a lasting difference for nature, people and climate. Our peatlands are real powerhouses of habitats that provide multiple benefits for wildlife, for communities and for the economy. 

“We’re looking forward to working closely with our project partners, landowners and communities, along with our funding partner SEUPB through the PEACEPLUS Programme to deliver meaningful change - because investing in our natural environment, is investing in all our shared futures.”