Environment Minister Edwin Poots has announced an £800,000 fund to support environmental projects across Northern Ireland.
The fund is available for not-for-profit organisations and councils to deliver key environmental priorities across Northern Ireland.
Launching the competition at Slievenacloy in the Belfast Hills, Minister Poots said: “The impact of Covid-19, alongside the difficult financial climate, means this is a great opportunity to support the work of local organisations who are passionate about improving the environment.
“I have seen at first hand the value of the work carried out by these groups and I have been highly impressed by the levels of partnership working and volunteer enthusiasm. I commend them for this work.
The fund enables environmental not-for-profit organisations to focus on the areas of environmental protection, improvement and monitoring of habitats and species; the quality of fresh and coastal waters and air; promotion of health, well-being, understanding, appreciation and action for the environment and access to the natural environment.
“It will help us to continue to deliver DAERA’s [The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’] strategic aims and those in the Programme for Government.”
Work included
There are two key areas eligible for funding under the competition. They are:
Nature Recovery – building ecological and climate resilience
- Peatland (blanket bog, lowland raised bog, heathlands) climate change mitigation/adaptation measures;
- Blue carbon habitat (saltmarsh, seagrass, kelp, shellfish beds, etc) climate change mitigation/adaptation measures;
- Nature Recovery Networks; and
- Capital purchases essential for conservation.
Outdoor Recreation and Connecting People with the Environment
- Delivery of core path networks and strategic routes;
- Provision of recreation infrastructure; and
- Delivery of outdoor recreation data products essential to underpin decision making and action and information provision.
The department is currently managing a three/four-year Strategic Strand of the Environment Fund and this new Environmental Challenge Competition complements that.
The closing date for applications is noon on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.