Visitors centre and peatlands centre of excellence to be established in the midlands
New €10m European Commission funded project an 'investment in peatlands and people'
A new peatlands knowledge centre of excellence, a visitors centre and a range of supports for sustainable businesses will be established in the midlands as part of a new €10 million euro project funded by the European Commission.
The project, Peatlands and People, is being described as a “major national initiative” which will “engage people in Ireland and across the European Union with the benefits of peatlands restoration, in particular to realise the power of peatlands to effect positive climate action”.
Co-ordinated by Bord na Móna, together with National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, National University of Ireland Galway and ERINN Innovation Ltd, with additional co-financing from Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the project will work with peatlands in the midlands and the communities around them to “deliver capacity and support related to a low-carbon economy”.
The three main strands of the project are the establishment of a Peatlands Knowledge Centre of Excellence that will “explore and carry out best practices in peatland restoration and rehabilitation”, an immersive “People's Discovery Attraction” in the midlands that will reinforce the importance of climate action and peatlands rehabilitation and the introduction of a range of supports for sustainable businesses. The locations of the centre of excellence and visitors centre have not been announced.
Announcing the project today, which is World Wetlands Day, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan said that it is an investment in “peatlands and people”.
“Our peatlands are a precious resource in terms of storing carbon, restoring biodiversity and supporting local communities in new jobs taking care of our environment. I am delighted to welcome another major project just months after we announced government support for the rehabilitation of a huge tract of Bord na Móna peatlands. The Peatlands Centre of Excellence, Just Transition Accelerator, and the new Discovery Attraction supported by this EU LIFE project put the spotlight and investment where it should be, on peatlands and people.”
Bord na Móna Chief Executive Tom Donnellan said “I warmly welcome this significant funding from the European Commission for this project that will contribute towards the implementation of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan. Bord na Móna is taking a lead role in this as we are now focused on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancing carbon storage potential through best practice restoration and rehabilitation of peatlands. I am particularly pleased that the project recognises that climate action doesn’t happen in isolation, it will require a new awareness and behaviour change across society. We have been through this fundamental change and I think we can show that you can achieve business growth and place a new value on the environment that sustains all of us”.
The project partners plan to hold a stakeholder engagement day to explore the details of the EU LIFE IP Peatlands and People project when current Covid-19 restrictions ease.