Working together for nature in the North-West of Ireland brings benefits to local communities and sets an example for the whole of Europe

The Wild Atlantic Nature Programme is a 9-year (2020-2028) project integrated in the EU LIFE programme for the environment and climate action. The aim is to improve the conservation of Ireland’s blanket bogs.  

The benefits of the project and the engagement with various communities from schoolchildren to farmers is so wide that it’s hardly a surprise that the project won the 2024 Natura 2000 Award in the category ‘Working together for nature’.

This project is based in the five North-West counties - Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Galway. It focuses on 35 Natura 2000 sites, the EU-wide network of protected natural reserves, which covers 18% of the EU’s land area and more than 8% of its marine territory.

Dr Gary Goggins, Public Awareness Manager of the LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature Project, said: 

“What is unique about LIFE projects is that they are longer and with bigger budgets and more ambition.”  

The work on the Irish sites hopes to improve the quality of their blanket bogs which support many wildlife habitats and ecosystem. They in turn give back priceless benefits both to the local communities and to the planet - clean water and healthy nature and carbon storage and biodiversity. 

The project benefits directly the local farmers through a payments scheme which rewards the results they achieve when they take good care of the bogs on their land. Over 21,000 farmers have subscribed to the scheme so far. 

“Farmers and landowners assess their local peatland, identify threats and pressures, and then take action on what needs to be done to conserve and restore it”, Dr Goggins explained. 

A similar scheme of incentives has been devised for schools to include bog conservation educational projects in their programmes. It was piloted in 12 local schools and is now embedded in the Heritage and Schools National Programme.  

Although implemented by local people and benefiting Irish nature, this is a truly EU project, with the European Commission providing 60% of its €20 million budget. However, the project has the remit to attract complementary funding, which allows further trials and tests to take place. An additional €30 million in funding has already been secured on top of the core project budget. This money is again benefiting the local rural communities with €3 million paid directly into the bank accounts of 823 farmers. In addition, several new restoration projects amongst farmers and landowners have also commenced.  

“The social and economic benefits of the programme are clear, but what drives us in our work for its delivery, is the hope that thanks to this project the local people shall always be able to pause in their busy days, take a look around and admire the natural beauty that is right on our doorstep, Dr. Goggins concluded.