Kerry Green Party representative Cleo Murphy has welcomed the announcement by Minister of State Malcolm Noonan of grant funding for 25 community peatland initiatives across the country.
“I’m glad that, under the Peatland Communities Engagement Scheme, North East and West Kerry Development (NEWKD) is to receive €2,000 towards a brochure on Kerry bogs,” said the Kenmare based Ms. Murphy.
Appreciation of Kerry Bogs
“This is a great initiative from NEWKD to spread an appreciation of Kerry bogs. We all need a greater understanding of the importance of bogs, their habitat, wildlife and vegetation.
“Minister Malcolm Noonan is a keen supporter of peatland communities. I’m looking forward to seeing the Kerry bogs brochure when it’s published,” she said.
Ministerial Announcement
Malcolm Noonan T.D., Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform announced that he has approved grant funding of just under €230,000 to 25 local community groups and organisations for a variety of peatlands related projects across Ireland.
Community Engagement Scheme
Announcing the funding under the Peatlands Community Engagement Scheme, which has been operating for the last number of years, the Minister stated that he was delighted to see the diverse range of initiatives put forward by such active community and volunteer groups and environmental organisations.
The Minister said that the amount of high quality applications received for 2021 was impressive and he was delighted there was such a geographic spread – with projects in 15 counties set to benefit.
Application Quality and Volume
“The high volume and quality of applications to the scheme shows just how much communities care about and value their local peatlands, and how much enthusiasm there is across the country for local people to work together to protect, explore and enjoy these precious habitats. These bottom-up initiatives are inspiring and I’m proud to have the opportunity to support them.”
Peatland Restoration Plans
This funding allocation – a two-fold increase on last year’s allocation to the scheme – will support various projects in local peatland areas from boardwalks, maintenance of bog trails, peatland restoration plans, information signage and way finder markers, the surveying of bog habitats and birds, promotional material and publications, oral history projects, invasive species control and peatland education programmes to nature awareness, wellness and sensory experiences.
Praise for Work Done
The Minister went on to praise the important peatland work being done by communities and organisations:
“I know from my own experience that hands-on local action can have enormous positive impacts – not just for nature and biodiversity, but also for people in terms of physical and mental health and well-being.
“Investments in nature deliver enormous social value, which is especially important in these challenging times,” he concluded.
Areas to Benefit
Projects to benefit include five in Roscommon, four in Galway, two in Westmeath and Laois and one apiece in counties Kildare, Offaly, Kerry, Clare, Cavan, Monaghan, Dublin, Carlow, Wicklow, Tipperary and Louth.
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