Description:
The Futurescapes programme in Northern Ireland, led by RSPB, applied a range of best practice approaches and innovative solutions to make habitats bigger, better and more connected across the Lough Neagh and Erne Basins.
Location:
Lough Neagh and Lough Erne, Northern Ireland
Partners, organisations and stakeholders involved:
A range of public and private landowners work in partnership to aid in the delivery of Futurescapes in Northern Ireland. Some partners and stakeholders include:
• Northern Ireland Water
• Lough Neagh Partnership
• Northern Ireland Environment Agency
• Local councils
• Waterways Ireland
Aims of the project/initiative:
- Demonstrate habitat management and restoration techniques
- Promote the value of nature conservation and the ecosystem services it provides
- Advocate land-use policy change
- Secure support for delivery of projects elsewhere within the Lough Neagh and Erne Basins
Challenges and lessons learned:
When tendering for the restoration work it became clear that many contractors lacked experience in blocking drains with peat and plastic sheet piling. We managed to overcome this by hiring Moors for the Future to visit Garron Plateau and help oversee restoration works at the beginning to help ensure machinery operators were damming in the correct way.