A Co Down park boasting ancient woodlands has been awarded £2.5 million for work to enhance the attraction.
The windfall for Mourne Park in Co Down, which is set to re-open following damage from Storms Darragh and Eowyn, has come from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
It is home to 73 hectares of ancient woodland, recognised as rare in Northern Ireland where there is just 0.04% of such cover, and restoration efforts have already begun with the clearing of invasive rhododendrons.
Mourne Park (Woodland Trust Northern Ireland)
Now the Woodland Trust Northern Ireland has been awarded £2.5 million – the largest Heritage Fund grant it has received in the region – to enhance the natural heritage of the woodland, expand public access, and strengthen community engagement.
It will support a £3.3 million five-year project dedicated to restoring ancient woodland, planting new native trees, and developing additional walking trails.
Some of the key initiatives at the park, which is nestled between the Mourne Mountains and the Irish Sea, include creating 6km of walking trails and restoring the historic stone bridge at the old Newry Road within the boundary of the park.
There are also plans to establish new native woodland to protect the edges of the existing ancient woodland, and create corridors for wildlife.
Dave Scott, estate and project manager, said restoring Mourne Park’s ancient woodland is essential to preserving hundreds of veteran trees and ensuring their survival for future generations.
Dr Paul Mullan with Dave Scott at Mourne Park (RaphaelMasonPhotography/PA).
“Thanks to this generous funding, we can continue removing invasive species, regenerating native trees, creating more access to green space for people including those with limited mobility, create employment opportunities during the project, engage with the local community through our volunteering and community work and share conservation knowledge through skills training and wildlife monitoring,” he said.
Dr Paul Mullan, Northern Ireland director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said it is one of the UK’s largest investors in natural heritage and strongly believe that everyone benefits from landscapes rich in nature and beauty.
“At a time when Northern Ireland is ranked as the least wooded area in Europe with under 9% total tree cover and our most precious places are facing immense challenges due to a changing climate, we’re pleased to support The Woodland Trust in protecting and reinvigorating Mourne Park’s precious native woodland which has stood for five centuries,” he said.
“Increasing people’s access to nature by providing new, accessible paths is an integral part of this heritage project, meaning more people can connect with nature and this impressive landscape.”
Lynsey Nixon, country director for the Woodland Trust Northern Ireland, added: “With this funding, Mourne Park is set to become a leading example of conservation and community engagement, preserving one of Northern Ireland’s most precious landscapes for generations to come.”