Project Title Organisation Council Area Project Description Education and awareness of invasive alien

species is now being raised in a new digital marketing campaign. Under the #AlienInvaders Lough Neagh information can be found on the ecological #AlienInvaders Multiple Partnership damage caused by these species. In addition to this an animated advertising campaign will be produced to raise awareness of how to tackle these natural invaders.

This project will deliver a comprehensive 'Nature Aware' education programme using the varied

and diverse nature of the Drumnaph Nature ‘Nature Aware’ Carntogher Reserve. An existing farm building is to be Education Community Magherafelt refurbished to deliver a sheltered activity area Programme Association together with a portable cruck frame marquee which can be used at various locations on the Nature Reserve. Within their new therapeutic sensory garden the

pupils Mill Strand Primary School will have a safe outdoor space for environmental education. The children will be encouraged to explore the

sensory garden through touch, smell, and taste and are able to learn about the wildlife they can see and hear. In addition to this they have

‘Nature Makes Mill Strand recycled materials to make wind chimes and the Sense’ – A Sensory Integrated Primary garden is to be fertilised with locally sourced Garden School Coleraine seaweed. This project provides a much needed new roof for

the old Lighthouse Keepers cottage on Copeland Island. The cottage which comprises several

dormitories and a kitchen is the central hub on the island, accommodating volunteers carrying A roof over their Copeland Bird North Down out important observatory and conservation heads Observatory work, visiting university researchers and habitat management teams. The new roof also provides the facility with rainwater harvesting which adds to the islands sustainable operations.

Carrickfergus Gasworks Preservation Society have

an exceptional collection of maps and drawings Carrickfergus of old gasworks across . The ACCORDING TO Gasworks collection will now be digitised and made Carrickfergus PLAN! Preservation available online while also preserving the original Society documents for safekeeping. To celebrate this a commemorative booklet will be put together outlining the results of the project.

Adopt a Spot engages groups across Northern

Ireland in a contractual adoption scheme to carry out 4 litter picks per year in their area with the focus this year being on green spaces and urban Keep Northern areas. Clean up kits are provided for all new Adopt a Spot NI WIDE Ireland Beautiful groups, and a top up of supplies provided for existing groups. Participants are also given the opportunity to receive an educational workshop from a range of organisations including RSPB, Forage Ireland and The Conservation Volunteers.

Ar Nós na Gaoithe is Gaelic for as ‘Fast as the Wind’. The Common Swift is a familiar summer

visitor often seen flying at great speed around our towns and cities uttering its characteristic screaming calls. This project engages school

children in a swift conservation campaign, educating local shop owners about the importance of this bird in Ballycastle. Nest boxes Ar nós na Gaoithe - Advocacy and have also been erected to tackle the decline in Conservation the bird population. Action Gaelscoil an Chaistil Moyle The restoration of wetlands is important for the

sustainability of the water cycle. This project is located at one of Northern Ireland's most important sites for nature conservation. Restoration work including the installation of 160 Ballynahone Bog Wildlife Magherafelt dams has been undertaken to move Ballynahone Bog towards favourable conservation status. An ammonia monitoring programme has also been commissioned to provide an early warning system to protect this habitat. For the last decade the Hills Partnership

has built a wide range of relationships with statutory agencies, land managers, farmers, and community groups. Working with key partners,

an integrated management plan is under development which will enable a landscape scale approach to the conservation and management

of the Belfast Hills. The action plan will guide new Belfast Hills ways of working to manage the hills for climate

Integrated change, local biodiversity, and natural capital and Management Belfast Hills as an indicator for local and regional Project Partnership Belfast development

For many years Royal Academy pupils have been participating in litter picks as part of the Duke of

Edinburgh scheme. The NGO Challenge Fund supported 155 participants to participate in the

25th Annual Mournes Clean-up and Environment Day. 120 school pupils (Form 3 to Middle 6) and Belfast Royal Belfast Royal 35 adult volunteers collected approximately 5 Academy, Academy, The Duke tonnes of rubbish from 13 locations across the Mournes' Clean-up of Edinburghs Newry And . Project Award Mourne, Down

ORNI is seeking to develop 8km of walking and family cycling trails, a Nature Play space and

Fermanagh camping facilities at Priory. The NGO Benburb Priory Outdoor Recreation and South Challenge Fund supports the macro and micro Trail Design NI Tyrone trail design including consultation with key stakeholders, as the first key step to delivering these facilities at Benburb. Building on the success of the Bluebell walk

project, Benburb District Community Association are working in partnership with Alliance Youth Benburb District Works to enhance access to the adjoining Benburb Wild Community and South woodland. A group of volunteers with learning Walks Association Tyrone difficulties are developing two looped walks through the forest together with interpretation panels which provide key information on local biodiversity. The Eco-Schools club are erecting bird boxes,

constructing bird and insect hotels, planting hedgerows and sowing wildflowers. The pond is also to be rejuvenated. In order to instil the value

Benefitting of recycling a trip has been organised to a local Biodiversity and landfill site from which the children will develop a the School presentation which they will deliver to the Community Academy Omagh school. Construction work for a new school facility at St

Colman's resulted in the loss of some of the established features on site. The NGO Challenge Fund will enable the pupils to reinstate the

Beyond the wildlife pond, and develop a new hill-side Classroom- classroom, vegetable patch, composting area, Exploring our St Colman’s Primary wildflower meadow, bug accommodation and a Surroundings School, Lambeg Lisburn mini beast trail.

An outdoor environmental hub is being created

by Gortnagahey Community Association to raise awareness of environmental issues and to

contribute to local biodiversity. New wildlife zones are being developed including a wildflower Gortnaghey Biodiversity meadow, bird and bat boxes and bird feeders. Community Limavady Enhancement Working with the local Biodiversity Officer to Association deliver a range of nature workshops, the Association are using gardening to promote physical activity, reconnecting people with the outdoors and thus promoting a sense of local ownership and pride. The BEAK project is designed to reach out to

teachers and children to encourage them to monitor and report the bird population in thirty local areas. Working with the RSPB, the

Speedwell Trust will work with almost 1000 school children to deliver a range of workshops

Bird Education and including teacher training in bird identification Action and Dungannon & and training for pupils to participate in species Knowledge (BEAK) SPEEDWELL TRUST South Tyrone recording such as the nationwide Big Bird Watch. Volunteers have delivered a range of practical

environmental projects along the River Blackwater and . A new aerator insures that the hatchery in Armagh can maintain

Blackwater Dungannon water oxygen levels as part of their brown trout River Blackwater Wildlife and South breeding programme. A red grouse count will be Catchment Trust Volunteers Tyrone undertaken at Sliabh Beagh and five hectares of invasive species will be cleared. Meanwhile in Moy new swift boxes are being erected and the nesting birds in the village square can be monitored. Working in partnership with the local council,

Bush Primary School are developing a biodiversity rich outdoor classroom. The new insect tower complete with log pile will encourage new bugs

while the pollinators paradise encourages butterflies and bees to visit. Bird boxes and

feeders encourage the children to learn about Bringing Dungannon native garden birds and a small orchard complete Biodiversity to the Bush Primary and South with a range of fruit trees and soft fruit bushes Bush School Tyrone adds an edible element to the project. At this reconstructed Bronze Age settlement

visitors will have the opportunity to view replica wattle and daub dwelling complete with an Bronze Age Mid Ulster animal enclosure and implements from that era. Settlement Enterprises Omagh The facility will be open to schools while the Reconstruction (Creggan) Ltd casual visitor will be informed by a range of interpretation. The site complements the numerous megalithic features of the area including Stone Circles.

Campsie Residents Association are to transform a

disused wasteland into a working community Campsie allotment. Working with volunteers and the

‘RIVERBEND’ Campsie Residents Youth Justice Agency, the group will plant fruit Omagh Community Association bushes and a herb garden. Pathways will also be Allotments upgraded and a greenhouse installed which will enable the group to run a range of horticultural and wildlife gardening classes.

The Carrickfergus masterplan identified

enhancement of the town walls experience as a critical component of further developing the

tourist potential of the town. The objective of

Carrickfergus this project is to begin the process of realising the Carrickfergus Town Walls potential of the walls in a planned and strategic Regeneration Carrickfergus Tourism manner. The NGO Challenge Fund is supporting Partnership Development the first step in this process - a feasibility study to identify opportunities to develop the town walls experience in the context of enhancing visitor enjoyment whilst acknowledging the over-riding concerns of effective built heritage conservation.

The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society is to revise and update its publication 'Central Belfast' originally published in 1993. The last twenty

years have seen a lot of change in the built heritage of Belfast, particularly since the Good Central Belfast Ulster Architectural Friday Agreement in 1998. The well-known Multiple Gazetteer Heritage Society publication covers the built heritage of the city centre providing detailed descriptions organised street by street and often building by building. The updated version will be of interest to a range of audiences including the general public, visitors students and researchers.

Acceptable Enterprises are transforming derelict land in Larne town centre into a community allotment site, comprising 120 allotments. The

initiative provides a hub for members of the local community to learn new skills encouraging Centrepoint Acceptable community cohesion and provides a sustainable Larne Allotment Project Enterprises Ltd source of fresh produce for the local cafe. The shared space is designed to engage with disadvantaged members of the community and provide them with skills which they can bring to future employment while also utilising an existing derelict facility.

Engaging with all eight Northern Irish red squirre groups this project are studying forests province

wide to gather information on the distribution o red squirrels and pine martens. It is over twelve Citizen science Queen’s University years since the last study of its kind was carried squirrel and pine NI WIDE Belfast out and volunteers have worked together to marten survey produce this report. Information gathered w contribute to the European Habitats Directive and inform the conservation and management o these species within Northern Ireland.

For a beach to be awarded Green Coast Status,

making it suitable for promotion as an Amenity Beach, sea water quality data are needed over a period of years. This project enabled monitoring

to be undertaken for 2015 to ensure Cloughey Cloughey Bay Sea Cloughey and met the EU standard of excellent bathing sea Water Quality District Community Ards water quality. The formal and prestigious series Tests Association of Cloughey Green Coast Awards first gained in 2010 has helped to attract more local and tourist visitors.The project will be complemented by education seminars held in local schools and events such as moth identification mornings, sand sculpturing, and wildflower walks. This project involves the management of two

distinct areas of coastal landscape for coastal grassland enhancement and creation. Working in partnership with the local Biodiversity Officer, Causeway Coast Coastal Meadows Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust has and Glens Heritage Multiple Project implemented a conservation grazing scheme at Trust Magillian and . Paddocks will be created for conservation grazing and public access enhanced with the installation of stiles and kissing gates. The grant will help the young Molly and Mia

Foundation establish their horticultural roots at Benburb while offering woodwork classes. The project will extend on existing the garden while

Community also giving it a facelift enhancing the eco-therapy Molly and Mia Garden Allotments Belfast the site offers. The benefits of the project will be Foundation and Polytunnels reaped by the charity who will be able to generate an income from the leasing the allotments and polytunnels allowing them to continue supporting families across Northern Ireland.

The Field Studies Council are engaging with

Connswater young ambassadors from inner city east Belfast Field Studies Mudflats - Foul is Belfast to encourage learning and appreciation for the Council (FSC) Fair project local environment and wildlife protection. Victoria Park which has been recently

redeveloped is the base for the project.

Killyhommon Primary School are enhancing their

existing garden facilities with new interpretation boards. Under the Challenge Fund they are

creating a butterfly garden with new plants and

seedlings, removing problematic conifers and replacing them with new trees and a hen run is

Continued also to be built. With many of the pupils coming development of from an agricultural background they have been given a new area for crop growing from which School Environmental Killyhommon PS they can develop a business by selling the Garden Area Boho Fermanagh produce. The Plantation heritage of the North West is

being explored in the Plantation villages of Design and Eglinton and Claudy as well as the houses of Installation of Prehen and Ashbrook through a new trail which Plantation Village links them to ~Londonderry. The aim of the Foyle Civic Trust Derry & Houses project is to promote knowledge of these Interpretation locations in a way which is beneficial to local Signage communities. The trail includes everything from personal artefacts and family histories to archaeological ruins and landscape. 1000 plans submitted to the old Londonderry

Corporation are being scanned and catalogued through a grant from DCAL and the Challenge Digitisation of Fund. The collection will be made available online Derry’s Historic Guildhall Press Derry and an additional portable exhibition is being Building Plans created. The resource is helping Derry City Council preserve the archives while also providing a valuable resource to interested parties. Downpatrick Nursery School was the first Eco-

School in Northern Ireland in 1994 and the school has been granted funding to extend its Downpatrick credentials into Forest Schools. The project is

Nursery School funding a substitute teacher while the teaching Forest School Downpatrick principle is at training whilst also providing pupil Training Initiative Nursery School Down with new outdoor learning resources.

Becoming a Green Flag Eco-School can be time

and resource consuming. The Challenge Fund grant is replacing all of the laborious paperwork with a new streamlined system through which

Eco-Schools Going Keep Northern schools can maintain records and submit data. NI WIDE for Green Ireland Beautiful The new school friendly system will enable retaining the Green Flag an easier process and will undoubtedly extend the reach of the Eco- Schools programme which already reaches one fifth of Northern Ireland’s population. The old inefficient heating system at Ardaluin

House is to be replaced with a carbon neutral wood pellet burner along with the installation of an education unit which allows monitoring. Ardaluin Young people will be encouraged to study and Ego Education Unit Down Regeneration Trust monitor the facility and examine the benefits it brings. The outcome of the project will target the hearts and minds of the next generation of home owners who will become advocates for renewable energy. The Education for Sustainable Development

Forum are engaging with a consortium of Land Matters, Freshwater, and Planning Taskforces Education For and other stakeholders to deliver a programme Environmental Sustainable at the Balmoral Show. The Show which is the NI WIDE Education Hub Development largest agri-food event in Ireland will enable Forum those who work in the outdoors and farming communities to attend talks and seminars from high profile speakers in the area of environmental education. An extension to lasts year’s Challenge Fund this

project is developing a nature trail and new fencing. Education on recycling and the use of natural resources will be given at the centre. Environmental Harmony From this new play structures will be created Down Learning for Fun* Community Trust from wood and old tyres and a picnic area constructed which is ideal for visiting families. The main visitors to Glebe House are from urban environments and this experience allows them to get in touch with natural heritage.

With the new council structuring in NI comes new planning powers for local authorities.

Complimented by a web resource this handbook Environmental Sustainable will enhance the councillors understanding of Planning for NI WIDE Northern Ireland environmental pressures and inform better Councillors planning decisions. With strong links to economic development the booklet promotes this cohesion in terms of land use planning.

Unique in Ireland this was the only part of the

island’s canals to have a set of staircase locks and is rightly a scheduled monument. Volunteers will Environmental remove the infill which was deposited here in the Works and Public 1960s which will enable archaeologists to bring Lagan Canal Trust Lisburn Access the stone facing back to its original condition. The Improvements towpath will be restored around the perimeter of the site and the Lagan Canal Trust will appoint a landscape architect to plan the development of the area.

Working in the quiet hours at Belfast International Airport as well as Rathlin and six

other sites across the counties Queens in Establishing long- Queen’s University conjunction with Ulster Wildlife, NIEA, National term monitoring NI WIDE Belfast Trust and RSPB are monitoring colonies of the of the Irish hare native Irish hare. The project will aim to chart any relative change in population and the influence of the invasive European hare.

Curry’s cottage was restored by a grant from last year’s Challenge Fund and this year through

working with Fermanagh County Museum Hearth Fermanagh/Hearth will bring the venue to a new audience. The new community Hearth Revolving Fermanagh outreach programme will invite local school Outreach Fund children to learn about the past in an authentic Programme setting. The project will secure the long-term future one of Northern Irelands last remaining cruck framed houses. With their new allotment nursery children will

have the opportunity to watch their food grow from seed to harvest while sensory stimulation is

provided with herbs and flowers. In addition to

this new bug colonies have been able to establish which will provide the new bird nests with a

nearby food source. Butterfly have a new

stimulus to come which adds to the vibrancy of the project. Through social inclusion children and

Foyle Day Care's their families as well as the wider community can Little Blooms Foyle Day Care Ltd Derry develop an appreciation of the work. Funding has been granted to redevelop the

school’s wildlife pond and children will be given a hands on approach in the project constructing their bug hotels and helping to plant a new

community orchard. Henhouses are also included and allow the children to learn about poultry Gillygooley farming. The eggs will be used in the schools

Primary School - breakfast and cookery clubs. The overall project Wildlife and Pond Gillygooley Primary instils a deeper understanding of nature and its Re-development School Omagh processes.

The walled garden at Glebe House had become

overgrown and this project will enable volunteers to reopen it by pruning back bushes and fruit trees. New vegetable patches and a greenhouse Glebe Gardens Harmony Down will be established and supplemented by a Project Community Trust compositing bin. In addition the sensory garden will be reinvigorated with new planting for the enjoyment of older people and those with disabilities. Gracehill was the first designated conservation

area and survives as an example of 1760s town planning. The restoration and conservation plan God’s Acre which has been funded will provide the area with Gracehill Moravian Conservation and Ballymena that vital first step for future action. God’s Acre is Church Restoration Plan the centre piece to a number of listed buildings including the Grade A church and the plan incorporates guidelines regarding built and natural features and any future proposals. All classes within the school are enabled to

familiarise themselves with gardening. A new greenhouse and planters will provide a hands on approach for this and site visits will also increase

their awareness and knowledge in growing plants. Recording their evidence in videos,

Going Green at photographs, and drawings the children will be Naíscoil and able to share their experience at home with the Gaelscoil Eoghain Gaelscoil Eoghain school’s e-learning facility. A new trail mountain bike trail design for

Glen Forest Park will be commissioned by Outdoor Recreation NI and Omagh District

Council. The vision of the project will be to ensure that the park becomes one of Northern Gortin Glen Forest Outdoor Recreation Omagh Ireland’s top visitor attractions. The project has Park – Trail Design NI been identified by a demand from mountain bikers who already use the park but the project will provide a sustainable design which compliments the landscape without any detrimental side effects.

The consortium established the Green Finger’s

Community Allotment Scheme a few years ago

and have built a successful network of participants and contacts. The funding provided

will enable the group to employ a project co- ordinator who will manage the allotments and

seek to expand the network in terms of educational and community benefit. The project co-ordinator will be responsible for designing a

range of community workshops which will be delivered to both young and old to raise

Green Finger’s awareness of wider environmental issues while Allotments Liberty Consortium Derry promoting the grow your own message.

Since last year the benefits of the newly reinstated pathways to Greenlough Crannog have been reaped daily. The site was home to one of

the last Irish chieftains Brian Carrach O’Neill who died in 1586. To expand on the success of the walks in the historic context additional pathways

and a river walk are being constructed for the use of ramblers, cyclists, and fishermen. The work will be carried out over three years and will

involve the cutting back of old laneways to Greenlough provide walkways which are free from the hazards of passing traffic. The cross generational Crannog Pathways Bann Valley & Riverwalk Community Group / project reaches out to young and old alike and Project Clady Angling Club Ballymena includes an edible hedge.

Through horticultural interests this project aims to forge friendships in this newly merged school.

Pupils from both former schools will work together at the plots at the Green fingers

community allotment. The new social enterprise will form on of the new schools eco-clubs and the

project will give students the opportunity to build Ardnashee School bridges and literally grow together. Grow Your Own & College Derry Reaching out to the volunteers at the Rathmore

over 50’s club this school are developing horticultural hobbies in the wider community.

The funding will also enable the school to extend

their new campus’ greenhouse development which will finally give the pupils the space and

opportunity to learn about healthy living and self-

sufficiency. Both the school community and the volunteers participating will be able to reconnect Grow Your Own Intergenerational themselves to nature in this cross-generational Project St Cecilia’s College Derry project.

The success of last year’s Challenge Fund has

increased demand and awareness of local provenance trees. The Conservation Volunteers

have been granted funds which will enable them

to meet the demands through the extension of Growing more The Conservation polytunnels and additional cold rooms. The local provenance North Down Volunteers planting of trees helps combat climate change trees from seed through carbon sequestration and seeds of local provenance enhance biosecurity against Ash Dieback and Sudden Oak Death. The Volunteers hope to extend their efforts to growing 100,000 trees per year.

Working on the repair rather than replace

principle the existing greenhouse has been mended. The space will enable new plants to be grown which will fill out the new raised beds.

Existing planting is also enhanced with a relaxing new lavender border in an area designated for Growing Plants teenagers and the garden will be kept tidy with and Minds Omagh High School Omagh the provision of new bins. 10 hectares of new trees are being planted by the

Woodland Trust in partnership with the Glens Red Squirrel Group and Causeway Coast and

Glens Heritage Trust who are engaging local Improving Our Moyle, Larne communities. Every interested household will Woodland The Woodland and have the opportunity to claim a tree and Landscape in the Trust Ballymoney pollinators to plant in their garden. In addition a Glen new woodland will extend into the old and will include the introduction of fruit trees which will enhance the wildlife corridor and support the ecosystem. The volunteers are maintaining and upgrading

the Clandeboye Way footpath by cutting back overgrown bushes and cutting back to the paths

Improving the original width. In areas where it will be required The Conservation Clandeboye Way North Down the path will be replaced. The network of local Volunteers at Helen’s Bay pathways as a result of their efforts will be restored and access to Crawfordsburn Country Park for walkers, runners and cyclists will be much easier. Working in an established site funding for

interpretation will help to help build the importance of native species trees. New boards designed by adults with learning difficulties will In the Shadow of Alliance Youth help visitors to identify trees according to English, Craigavon Greatness Works Irish, and Latin names. New rarer native trees are to be planted along with wildflower seeds and bulbs too. For the biosecurity of the site seeds will be collected and grown. These saplings will planted to help support the woodland. The Follies Trust have secured funding from several

parties to restore the Beresford Obelisk and the Challenge Fund is replacing lost and damaged plaques which will complete the whole project. The Inscribed plaques for inscribed plaques will be situated on the plinth and the Beresford The Follies Trust Limavady Obelisk be inscribed with the original text. The Challenge Fund grant will complete the partnership The Follies Trust have with NIEA, The Pilgrim Trust, Ulster Garden Villages, The Honourable The Irish Society and several generous philanthropists.

The Appalachians were formed 480 million years

ago but continental drift has spread them along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean with greatest

concentration in eastern North America. The funding has provided the trail with new furniture International Causeway Coast and enhanced interpretation which will extend Appalachian Trail and Glens Heritage Larne the enjoymjent of visitors while also informing Access Trust them of the significance of the geology of the Enhancement ground beneath them. The route is ideally located to the urban centre of Larne and the smaller communities of and Ballygally and will develop the connection between the three.

The charity through working with multiple

councils across Northern Ireland are delivering a wide ranging education programme. In Fermanagh and Tyrone the work with five

Interpreting councils from 2012 will amalgamate into a print Butterfly Butterflies and Down leaflet. In Craigavon a Cryptic Challenge has been Conservation Moths developed to increase understanding of the Cryptic Wood White. Meanwhile in Sheepland an eco-tourism initiative will be enhanced with new interpretation to highlight two priority species of the area, the Grayling and Wall.

With interactive workshops funding will raise enthusiasm in young people for the natural

environment and how to combat invasive species. Volunteers will have the confidence to Invaders of the Field Studies Fermanagh independently map invasive species and provide natural kind Council (FSC) the solutions. The council will be providing school teachers with the competency to lead and deliver outdoor learning and are working on developing the learning resources to compliment this.

Three groups of different ages have come

together in Dunloy to work on tackling littering in the area. The local school are designing a new Dunloy leaflet which will create fresh awareness of the Just Bin It Development Ballymoney issue while they are also getting out and Association collecting litter in the community. A local artist will be appointed to make an interpretation from the collected litter.

The Partnership are designing leaflets which inform people of key species and how to identify

them. When spotted the data can be recorded Key Species Belfast Hills and submitted to CEDaR enabling relative change Recording in the Multiple Partnersip to be monitored. Key species identified will Belfast Hills include upland birds of prey and butterflies and moths and the data and research will be collated into publications. At this site new trees and bushes are being

planted and a wildflower meadow sown in unused area of the grounds. New homes for birds and bats have been erected along with feeders

and additional mini-beast homes will provide a natural feasting area. By using rocks and logs new habitats will be provided for small mammals like

Langfield Primary the hedgehog. The pond will also be restored for School Wildlife Langfield Primary the amphibious frogs and other wildlife and new Hotel School Omagh bins are also included for recycling.

Unused grassy areas will be planted with sensory gardens and new pathway with an edible herby

border. Connection to the existing woodland will be extended in a new willow tunnel and newly planted trees. The Challenge Fund will also be

used to improve safety around the schools existing assets enabling the outdoor classes to Last child in the continue. In the classes children can get up close woods at St Patrick’s PS Newry and to nature and study the wildlife around them. Cullyhanna Cullyhanna Mourne This refurbishment project will be carried out to

help promote the eco-schools development. The paths are being repaired and where trees have fallen they will be incorporated into outdoor

classrooms. To protect the site the exterior fence will be mended and new wildflowers planted. This will be integrated with the school’s existing

recycling and composting facilities along with Learning from Gilnahirk Primary nature trails and experiments in science and Nature School Castlereagh geography. Funded as a part of the Learning in the Natural

Environment natural heritage education for primary school children will be enabled in field Learning in the Dungannon excursions. Study of nature at this site Natural SPEEDWELL TRUST and South encompasses seasonal changes, diversity studies, Environment Tyrone and learning about habitats. As well as this the (LINE) value of conserving and protecting our environment will be instilled throughout the education programme. In the Lough Beg area outdoor learning will be

used to enthuse young people about the landscape and the need for environmental conservation. With the homestudy toolkit local Lough Beg: Our RSPB Multiple unique features can be identified which are Secret Landscape recorded on the memory map poster. For their participation in the project the children are rewarded with certificate and their work is published online. This project is unifying a number of

archaeological sites and producing a report LOUGH NEAGH costing for digs at five of these sites alongside HERITAGE TRAIL built heritage conservation. To add to this a Lough Neagh AND Multiple budget will be drafted for the signage and Partnership ARCHAELOGICAL interpretation of the Lough Neagh heritage trail. STUDY The sites identified include Mountjoy, Bridghead, Abbey, Church Island, Rams Island, and Coney Island.

At their new community facility a facelift is being

given and an overgrown garden area is in the process of being rejuvenated to provide a community allotment and garden area.

Lower Shankill Volunteers have worked to create a new space LSCA Community Community Belfast for the community to come to and build the pride Allotment Association in the community. The space provided has given the older generation much needed social space and helps the younger generation get a hands on appreciation of caring and nurturing their living environment.

At Magheramason the community have Magheramason purchased a storage space for their gardening Magheramason Community needs. This will enable easier development of the Storage Development garden as local gardeners are now able to access Association their tools as and when they wish and have secure overnight storage for them. This project is mapping the estimated one

hundred and fifty community growing projects across Northern Ireland. The digital database Mapping Federation of City contains information on the area of the project, community Farms and Belfast the type, disabled access and areas of special growing in Community interest including rare breeds, bees, and Northern Ireland Gardens (FCFCG) orchards. The mapping exercise will be printed for local libraries so that interested people can engage in their locality. The Macro-moth document is a crucial resource

in ensuring that the correct species are Mapping Macro Butterfly NI WIDE highlighted. The project is updating the records Moths Conservation to ensure that locally native species are included for monitoring. This two day conference discusses the issues facing marine biodiversity and has been driven to

address the new legislation as well as discuss Measuring And topics such as off shore energy projects and the Monitoring British Trust for designation of marine conservation zones. Biodiversity North Down Ornithology Attracting speakers from outside of Northern Offshore 2 Ireland it will build a wider professional Conference community and ultimately the underlying message was the health and wellbeing of our sea directly affects our own. An unused patch is being transformed and

diversified into a mini fruit orchard which includes dwarf apple and plum trees at its centre which attract pollinating insects. Blossom fruit

St Mary’s Nursery adds to the seasonality of the garden which will Unit, St Mary’s help the children to understand annual cycles. A Mini Orchard and Primary School new shelter belt of raspberries and blackcurrants Forest Garden Newcastle Down has been added to protect the area also.

The Edge Youth Club have launched the programme to empower young people and adults and build intergenerational community

relationships within the town’s estates. The volunteers have begun working to create a safe Moredge The Edge Down and open environment for their neighbours while restoring a sense of ownership. The Edge are tackling ownership of Ballynahinch’s open space by encouraging people from differing backgrounds and giving them recognition for their efforts through Millennium Volunteers. At this school many pupils have major motor and

sensory issues and the new sensory garden benefits the learning experience with different stimuli and challenges. Working with the

established wooded copse the project will include a new gardening aspect for children and Dungannon their parents with a new club. Built on strong eco Motor & Sensory St Brigid's PS, and South principles the garden will also include a vegetable Garden Brocagh Tyrone growing area. Funding for this project has enabled Mourne Heritage Trust to purchase an all-terrain vehicle Mourne Upland to get out to remote sites. This will facilitate Vehicular Access Mourne Heritage Multiple control of wildfire hazards and erosion and for Conservation Trust enable heathland management to take place. Projects With the vehicle the NIFRS, NIW and NIEA can also get to these remote locations.

Building on the success of last year’s programme this project has brought engaged school pupils

with salmon and Dollaghan trout fishing through visits to hatcheries. The programme outreach to Moyola Salmon Gateway local hatcheries has allowed for learning in how and Dollaghan in Landscape Magherafelt to raise the fish from eggs and the pupils will also the Classroom Partnership release these into the Moyola catchment area. Issues surrounding native species, river habitats, conservation in action and biodiversity will also be demonstrated through this interactive project.

In order to support the work from previous

Challenge Fund projects the Trust are undertaking scrub control at several of their sites North Coast with the help of volunteers, corporate groups biodiversity National Trust Coleraine and communities. Furthermore hedge restoration management has begun, trees and wildflower plugs have been planted. Bee boxes built by 15 local schools will provide homes for these pollinators ensuring the perennial renewal of the sites.

Steered by the National Trust and engaging with

NIEA, North Down and Ards borough councils along with the local community this project improves the visitor experience along the North North Down Down Coastal Path which is part of the Ulster Coastal North Down National Trust Way. The volunteers are upgrading the path Improvement Path and Ards connecting two National Trust sites which are Project within a fifteen minute travel time for half of the Northern Irish population. The project has combatted damage from tidal surges and manages access across the ASSI. Working to promote the Sperrins AONB in

partnership with Derry City Council this project is North Sperrin and researching new access routes for walkers by RAPID (Rural Area working with landowners to increase the links Access and Partnership in Derry between the urban and rural networks. By Walking Derry) Ltd designing a journey across the Sperrins from Programme Sawel Mountain along the Faughan Valley into Derry~Londonderry this project will build on the City of Culture legacy. Complimentary to the NI curriculum this project

promotes bats to schools as well statutory bodies such as local councils, housing associations, as well as tree surgeons, roofing contractors, builders and anglers. It combats the myths about Northern Ireland Creggan Country Derry and the species and raises awareness of the legal Bat Conference Park Strabane obligations to be observed. The conference will be delivered by experts from Northern Ireland Bat Group, Bat Conservation Trust, and Bat Conservation Ireland to help promote the Local Biodiversity Action Plans. In this project the benefits of green space for

those who suffer ADHD have been reaped through different training initiatives for families and professionals. The junior youth club will be Phoenix ADHD granted the freedom to roam and discover their Nurture by Nature Coleraine Project strengths while the seniors will learn how to develop leadership skills. The underlying theme of the work is been to teaching children about nature and establishing a connection to it through team building. The group established this project to promote

rural and community development, environmental and heritage management and NW Geodiversity local regeneration. They are in the process of RAPID (Rural Area Trial Feasibility identifying and recording geosites as part of the Partnership in Derry and Options NW Geodiversity Trail and establishing access Derry) Ltd Appraisal agreements to the selected sites. The work has been undertaken to lead people to significant geological features in the Derry and Strabane area with the view to connect to the North Coast

and Donegal.

In their project the association are seeking to

improve the existing infrastructure for walkers and anglers by replacing broken and worn signage. In addition to this field boundaries will Opening up Broughderg Area be protected with the construction of new stiles. Broughderg and Development Cookstown The project will help to improve the access for the River Valley Association visitors to the Beaghmore Stone Circles and tombs within the area. Building on existing relations the association engaged with local volunteers and landowners to deliver the work. This inter primary and secondary level project is

enabling pupils to get hands on with the planting of shrubs and hedges as well as the sowing of seeds. The new bird and bat boxes and raised

pond have been designed and will be built by the older pupils. The project works across many subject areas including home economics,

technology, and ICT. The learning outcome Our Diversity Maghera Primary demonstrates that both nature and culture are Project School Magherafelt dependent on working relationships. This new outdoor space will provide the 3 and 4

year old children with a sustainable and ecological outdoor room. The willow tunnel transports them to another land with

wildflowers, bugs, fire pit, and vegetable plot. The beehives will also give the children the

opportunity to watch the honey making process Magherafelt which they can enjoy as a treat. The initiative Our Secret Garden Nursery School Magherafelt allows for education in nature and cooking.

Children from the ages of 8-11 will participate in the workshops run by Habitat for Humanity raising

awareness of the ReStore programme. They will Habitat for Our Waste, Our learn where donated goods come from, what Humanity Northern Lisburn World happens to the product and how it is diverted Ireland from landfill, and how waste in Northern Ireland can impact negatively on poor and vulnerable families in the developing world.

This new eco classroom and improved woodland access proposal gives the children new space to

build dens, erect bird boxes, and build bug hotels. Outdoor The area is to be complimented with benches for Classroom and sitting on and a new raised bed allows the Woodland Trail children to sow seeds which when established development at Ballycraigy Primary can be planted out in the grounds. Ballycraigy School Antrim The school gardening club are to benefit from the

raised beds and tools for classes to cultivate their own plants. The new polytunnel will also allow a wider variety of plants to be grown while new

composting facilities ensure the longevity of the work. A new wormery and bug hotel will be built to help maintain a good soil composition while

Outdoor gardening Kilmoyle Primary information is given by newly erected boards. area for pupils and School & Nursery The produce is to be divided among the pupils to community Unit Ballymoney be cooked at home. Working on advice from Kew Garden this pilot

scheme is aiming to fill the gap in the national Pilot National Seed seed bank. True Harvest Seeds are undertaking a Collection True Harvest Seeds Multiple roadshow across the six counties informing the Programme local interest groups in the best practice for seed harvesting and training them according to the protocols of Kew.

In partnership with RSPB the Trust are establishing a site at Portmore Lough from where Portmore valuable bird population data can be collected Environmental British Trust for and used locally, regionally and nationally. The Monitoring Craigavon Ornithology facilities will establish a connection to a wet reed Constant Effort bed site and install a ring workshop. It is the Ringing Site second site in NI dedicated to bird population monitoring, the vision is that six will be required. Cutting the existing forest back in parts where it

has become over grown will increase manageability and enable space to be created for an outdoor learning area. The work is being

carried out by a local Conservation Volunteer who will maintain and improve the existing biodiversity. Parents are also helping in the work

Portrush Primary which will provide a new space for the school, Outdoor Education Portrush Primary local playgroup and holiday makers who use the and Nature Zone School Coleraine site during the summer months.

The forum here have continued an existing

project working with disadvantaged communities and working with Maydown Seniors are building

Positive Growth an allotment which works from the ground up Enagh Youth Forum Derry Project through composting food and establishing worm colonies. In addition to this they are constructing hen coops with the eggs and produce of the garden will be distributed among the community. This project has sought to educate the pupils on

the importance of pollinators by developing a paradise for them on the school grounds. As well as the pupils the wider community will be

informed through a series of practical Project Pollination presentations given by the local council’s - 5 Star St Mary’s Primary conservation service based at the Lough Neagh Accommodation! School Craigavon Discovery centre. Based at Carnfunnock Country Park this project

seeks to remove the invasive grey squirrel and Protect Our Native Glens Red Squirrel Larne allow native songbirds, which they prey on, and Species Group the red squirrel to return. In doing this trees such as young oak and ash would be protected. At this joint project students from both

communities at two schools will gain a facility to bird watch and participate in the RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch. In order to attract the birds

nesting boxes and bird feeders have been made for school and home and berried shrubs have St Macartan’s been introduced as another food source. This will Protection of birds Primary School and Dungannon enhance the existing hedgerow and trees around in the Carntall Primary and South the area and the impact of the different Valley School Tyrone interventions will be measured. Spanning from Portrush to Ballycastle this booklet

explores the past and present mining industries and will be produced by working with local residents. Information gathering will be facilitated Quarries, mines & Causeway Coast through hosting community workshops and the life underground and Glens Heritage Multiple publication celebrates the geodiversity of the in the North Coast Trust Causeway Coast AONB. The work bridges the gap between the historic landscape and the present day and will promote local knowledge of this trade.

Funding will aid the creation of a plan for 3km of walking and cycling trails that will connect two Railway Park and Dungannon parks in Dungannon. The design encourages Outdoor Recreation Windmill Wood and South woodland access and provides a mountain biking NI Trail Design Tyrone facility to give youths an outdoor activity. The design will also highlight heritage features and give new access to viewpoints across the town. Challenge Fund is supporting PAWNI in raising

awareness of the need for recording and Partnership for preventing wildlife crime in Northern Ireland. The Action Against project will develop several different Raising Awareness Wildlife Crime NI WIDE communication tools and fund a spokesperson of Wildlife Crime (PAWNI) c/o Ulster who has expertise in the different topics this area Wildlife concerns. The project will be delivered through an implementation plan, promotional material and press templates. This funding has enabled the monitoring of birds

of prey in their nesting habitat on the Ards Peninsula while engaging and educating people about the conservation of raptors in Northern Northern Ireland North Down Raptor Cam Ireland. The footage is broadcast through NI Raptor Study Group and Ards Raptor Study’s website and is captured by solar powered cameras. The project will enable a robust and portable solution for the video capture of nesting birds. Building on the success of previous roadshows

the NIRSG is now moving into developing seminars in other languages and integrating with Raptor Education other partners to further promote their work. Northern Ireland & Awareness NI WIDE Raptors are commonly misunderstood creatures Raptor Study Group Programme and with the funding new leaflets will be printed which inform the public of further events and locations where they can learn more about the project.

These volunteers are restoring the reedbed in Kinnego Bay which is one of the largest remaining portions within Lough Neaghs Wetlands. The

work will be completed with the help of Rare Breeds in Lough Neagh Armagh Craigavon Borough Council’s rare breed grazing Rare Reeds Partnership animals to the area which reduced the need for resource intensive cutting in a natural way. The overarching outcome allows for greater biodiversity while also removing invasive species.

Landscape is the culmination of man’s input on

the land: in this project architecture of the Reading the Sperrins Gateway Sperrins will be highlighted and celebrated in this landscape through Landscape Magherafelt new publication. The old everyday features of the its built heritage Partnership landscape including lime kilns, gate pillars, and stone walls which add to the character of the area will also be incorporated and highlighted.

Building and awareness of the need to protect

our native red squirrel this campaign tackles the issue through advertising to raise awareness of Red Squirrel & Fermanagh Red the organisation. With the new banner stand and Mammal Squirrel Group Fermanagh branded clothing the organisation can raise its Conservation (FRSG) profile at events. Through the distribution of Outreach Project mammal tracking sheets information will be gathered while a bin sticker campaign will warn drivers to kill their speed not our squirrels. Working in the area of 0KM food, this pilot project

will be sited at St. Anne’s Square in the Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. Northern Ireland is becoming renowned for its locally sourced produce and this

Restaurants' Edible Sustainable Northern project will bring the ability to grow food on the Belfast Garden Toolkit Ireland restaurant’s or hotel’s or pub’s own doorstep whether urban or rural. Specific to the NI climate the plants will highlight seasonal edible flowers, herbs, seeds and berries, fruits vegetables and trees that you can rarely buy in shops. Set within the Sperrins this project will drive the

sympathetic restoration of the Grade B listed “Masters Cottage” in a cost effective way. The Learmount findings of the report will guide on the best Restoration of the Community Derry approach to implement a restoration project and "Masters Cottage" Development the outcome of this will provide the Learmount Group Ltd Community Centre with sleeping accommodation for visiting groups as well as space for community classes.

Riddel’s Warehouse is a significant building at risk

in Ann Street. In order to begin the restoration of

the project this feasibility study will enable the identification of the key needs of the projects.

The funding will also address the remedial issues such as roof leaks which are detrimental to the

fabric of the building. The building’s new caretaker will also be a new custodian for the

premises and can monitor any changes while

Riddel’s deterring damage to the building by vandals. The work undertaken here will ensure that the Warehouse - Exploratory and Hearth Revolving building will be preserved in its present condition Holding Works Fund Belfast pending full restoration.

The interactive river in a box (EM2) will be the

first of its kind to be introduced to the classroom in Ireland. The facility encourages learning of Rivers on the Rivers fluvial geomorphology as well as giving a practical Cookstown Move Trust insight into the impact of change to waterways. The Rivers on the Move roadshow will visit schools, colleges, and public events bringing learning to all generations.

This is the sister project of Walking with Wildlife

developed by Mountaineering Ireland. The project spans the whole island of Ireland but within NI has been delivered in partnership with Rocks, Soils and Mountaineering the University of Ulster and Geological Survey of NI WIDE Landforms Ireland Northern Ireland. The guide combines the latest research of the geological events and processes which have shaped our landscape and is available online and distributed in hardcopy to interested parties. Saintfield, a designated conservation area, is a

village of architectural and historical interest is surrounded by many notable green spaces which provide environmental assets. The masterplan Saintfield Saintfield aims to incorporate these assets into the existing Landscape Development Down Saintfield Heritage Development Plan which was Masterplan Association funded by the Challenge Fund 2014. The new masterplan will engage the community in decision making for the future development of Saintfield. Working with the RHS principle that gardening in

schools helps children become independent thinkers and more active learners the primary school are investing in a garden for native

flowers, fruit, and vegetables and giving an observation space for nature. The garden has St Patrick’s Primary been designed by the schools eco council who Saul About Nature School, Saul Down have been elected by the students. Throughout this project children will be able to

get a hands on approach to grown and nurture fruit and vegetables. A new wildlife garden will also give the children the opportunity to observe

the habitats of mini-beasts while the outdoor School Garden Gortin Primary classroom will provide a space for learning and Development School Omagh storytelling. Incorporating archaeology and natural heritage

into a trail this group’s design sets out to encourage visits to Neolithic and Bronze Age sites Scoping Study - along with encouraging study of the aquatic flora archaeological and Community Omagh and fauna of Loughmacrory. The project will natural heritage Development engage with the local community, history groups, trail Association local rambling groups, and The Conservation Volunteers while giving the opportunity to young people for learning and development.

Local residents are busy building space saving

vertical gardens created from ladders and doors to provide the community with somewhere to

Scrapheap grow their own. A new garden will be planted in a Compass Advocacy Community Ballymoney derelict space and the centrepiece will be a Network Ltd Challenge sculpture created from waste materials. The cross-community project will cement new working relationships and help to dispel prejudice. Here the existing wildlife area is to be revamped

with a multisensory garden and nature walk. With the new facilities pupils, parents, and staff are able to learn about plant care and food

production alongside wildlife and biodiversity under the topics of The World Around Us and Personal Development and Mutual

Understanding parts of the curriculum. To deliver Blessed Patrick Dungannon this the school will bring in the expertise of The Seeders and O’Loughran Primary and South Speedwell Trust and the local horticultural Weeders School Tyrone society. Within the college’s ground an area of woodland

had been incorporated into an outdoor learning experience in a previous Challenge Fund. The valued educational resource is to be further

enhanced for nursery children and students of all ages. This year the dangerous and damaged trees will be removed in preparation for crown

clearance next year which will rejuvenate the wood. The local nursery and primary school have been involved directly with the design and

implementation of the education programme and an app will be developed to further enrich the

SERC South Eastern learning outcomes. The project has been led by a Woodland:School Regional College group of young enthusiastic animal management Programme (SERC) North Down students. At this site the existing pathways and cycle routes are being extended and improved to build on the

success of the path at Smiths Strand on Upper Share Cycling and Share Discovery Fermanagh Lough Erne. Walkers and cyclists will now have a Walking Pathway Village greater length of path to enjoy all year round which connects it to the Share Discovery Village and a young forest.

A project delivery in two parts the first involves

production of literature to demonstrate the good practice of residents who have encouraged wildlife to share their homes. The second

practical part of the project will be the erection of Sharing our homes Lecale Conservation Down swift boxes, one in Killough and another at with birds Ardglass Golf Club on the other side of the bay; the erection of house marten shelves at the largest house marten colony in and the placing of house sparrow boxes along the village’s main thoroughfare. With CGI modelling the visitor to can

take an interactive journey through time. The use Sion Stables CGI Sion Mills of creative videos and animation means industrial Modelling & APP Preservation Strabane life can be explored at ease with this experiential development. Buildings Trust heritage trail. The project provides the next stage for the development of the museum facilities at Sion Stables. This interface project will employ guerrilla

gardeners of varied backgrounds who will come together and plant an urban garden and help to Skegoneill & form new relationships across the divide. The Skegoneill & Glandore derelict site will been transformed into a vibrant Glandore Common Belfast Community space full of flowers and vegetables. Through the Purpose Garden workers’ personal initiative the neighbourhood will be changed in a positive way and children will now have a space to play freely, safely, and creatively. Working with youth in the interface at

Forthspring a sense of pride will be instilled through an education programme. Encouragement will be given to young people to Skills for Garden Forthspring Belfast foster gardening as a possible career and they Horticulture will receive advice in how to undertake OCNs in horticulture. The project has built on the previous success of community based learning giving a sense of achievement and wellbeing.

By working to enhance an existing copse a new outdoor learning space will be created. To deliver

the project the school have reached out to another local school who will share the space. A

new play area is to be installed complete with its own tree hut and space for birdwatching. St Francis's Children are busy planting bulbs for pollinators Primary School St Francis's Primary and will gain new access to the dipping pond. Woodland Project School Craigavon

As part of the aesthetic enhancement of the

school an opportunity has been realised to plant apple and plum trees and create new growing beds for vegetables and flowers. In addition to

this log piles and other bug accommodation will be built as a home for the food source for the birds nesting in their new boxes. A new planted

sensory garden will be kept tidy as the school has St. Brigid’s Primary St. Brigid’s Primary implemented new litter picking and recycling School Go Green! School (Carnhill) Derry initiatives. By involving the parent teacher association the

school will regenerate the eco garden. The pond is to be enhanced with access for dipping while in another area new vegetable beds are being built

and new seats will also be installed to accommodate outdoor lessons. Butterflies, bees, and other insects are encouraged to visit as new

plants for them are being grown. The after school St. Malachy’s Eco St Malachy’s gardening club will benefit considerably from the School Garden Primary School North Down work. Erne and Melvin Enhancement Company are

expanding their education programme into five StreamScapes further schools which allow pupils in the Erne and Melvin Erne: Catchment catchment area to participate in a state of the art Enhancement Fermanagh Waters and environmental education experience. Through Company (EMEC) Wildlife working with various local anglers a leaflet will be produced for educating in geo-spatial awareness and how to monitor species. The marine litter survey assesses beaches from

the northwest to the south east including those located at the three main fishing harbours in County Down. The surveys use the international

protocol OSPAR and count every piece of litter NI WIDE and large item found on the beaches four times a year. The rubbish is then gathered by volunteers.

All data is recorded and reported with the Tackling marine information being shared with local groups and litter: Involving Keep Northern broadcast to help influence the behaviour of communities Ireland Beautiful people. This seminar will provide encouragement to a

range of stakeholders to help take bio-diversity forward in their areas. The skills gained will help

the interested parties to identify locations and

Taking Your Urban types of project, possible funding sources, how to Business in the Biodiversity Initiative Belfast access technical advice, while also promoting Community Forward Seminar partnership. Held in Belfast the delivered message will demonstrate the correlation between bio-diversity and well-being. Attendees will be able to use this seminar as a springboard for projects in years to come.

Aiming to get the Eco-Schools Green Flag the

Bunscoil are building a new greenhouse which is to irrigated with harvested water from the new water butts and produce will be grown from new

onsite composting facilities. To help the existing pond a new water filter is being added to encourage frogs and tadpoles and attract other

species and bird boxes complete with cameras Newry and will encourage learning about their growth and The Green Club Bunscoil an Iúir Mourne development.

The community garden is to be built to encourage pupils and the local community to

improve the area around them. An area of rough

ground will be transformed into an asset for leisure and education. The outreach of the The Hazelwood project will engage many other schools and help Community Hazelwood to build better relations across the divide. Garden Integrated College Belfast

With their publication the residents of Rathlin will create their biodiversity action plan. The work is Rathlin the culmination of two years of consultations and The Nature of Development & Moyle will directly assist the delivery of the Northern Community Ireland Biodiversity Strategy and set out a plan of Association sustainable economic development as a part of a five year strategy.

This garden will provide a natural play area and

therapeutic space which will welcome the whole community. Over one hundred native trees are

being planted along with native nectar borders. Raised vegetable gardens are also being built as The Secret Garden Omagh well as a living willow structure. Wildlife will be Enterprise Ltd given a home in the form of bird, bat, and bug boxes. To enjoy this space a meandering path has been designed and there will be picnic tables installed. A wooden replica train station complete with carriages celebrates the sites history.

The Challenge Fund grant for this competition

has enabled PLACE to encourage designers to create biodegradable and sustainable beehive The Unbearable designs. The design entries will be put into an Lightness of PLACE Belfast exhibition where the public will be able to submit Beeing their judging. The final selection of hives will be gifted to the community groups who participated in the project. In Cloughmills funding has given the community

the opportunity to plant an orchard corridor in their own gardens. Both primary schools in the

village will plant their own orchards and the Cloughmills village’s “Bee great for Cloughmills” campaign The Village Community Action Ballymoney has encouraged people to garden for pollinators. Orchard Team When the orchard has established itself grafting classes will be given to maintain the project and bring variety into the harvest. The harvest will then be divided up and shared among the community.

Children, parents and grandparents are coming together to build an active eco-zone. The school

has championed a community approach to the project in order to reduce the waste and inform the children of the benefits of recycling, while

education in diet and lifestyle will also be given. A

new sensory garden will be planted for the St. Joseph’s Primary benefit of outdoor education complete with a School and Ederney Together we can buddy bench on which the children can socialise. make a difference Community Nursery Fermanagh Raising awareness of the value in upcycling the

workshop will deliver twelve interactive sessions which will look at inventive ways of repurposing and reusing bottles, wooden furniture, leather Transforming Your Compass Advocacy Ballymoney and wool, belts, underwear, and glass. The Truck Network Ltd travelling workshop will be held in different community facilities and provide tuition on how to come up with solutions to waste in a creative way. Parts of the Cityside area will be transformed

under the Challenge Fund by recruited volunteers who will install fencing to protect vulnerable habitats, new signage and remove graffiti. Triax Community Creggan Country Environmental vandalism will be tackled with a Engagement Derry Park new education programme. A clean-up will also Project be undertaken to combat littering and fire damaged footpaths and new habitats in the form of hedgerows and wildflower meadows will be created by ten planters in five neighbourhoods.

Voluntary aquatic invertebrate monitoring is key Upper Derg in helping supplement the monitoring carried out Invertebrate Pettigo and District by NIEA already. The funding has enabled the Strabane Monitoring Angling Association volunteers to purchase equipment to carry out Initiative their own monitoring which means that pollutants can be reported as quickly as possible. The community at Victoria Bridge are putting the

village plan into action and are liaising with a local garden centre to create a plantation in a derelict site at the heart of the village. The local VICTORIA Victoria Bridge you club under the stewardship of the older BRIDGE’S FLOWER Cross Community Strabane residents will plant a new forest while another POWER PROJECT Forum will create a stone focal point. The site will be filled in with a vibrant space and will unite the spirit of the community who have been involved from the planning stages.

Funding will help the school build its new

outdoor classroom complete with a blackboard and natural seating in which pupils can enjoy the outdoors. New raised beds will enable the

growing of herbs and seasonal produce while a greenhouse extends the growing season and facilities for experimenting with growing

methods will be provided. This is complimented with a compost bin and wormery which allows W.I.P.S outdoor Windmill Integrated Dungannon the children to see nature’s processes in action. classroom and Primary and and South Around the classroom a wildlife garden has been garden Nursery School Tyrone designed for birds and insects. Due to demand for the successful publication

produced last year a grant has been awarded to Mountaineering Ireland to run more copies. The work is available to those who participate Walking With Mountaineering regularly in upland walking and actively NI WIDE Wildlife Ireland encourages species monitoring with CEDaR. The publication is distributed for free among AONB management bodies, outdoor education centres, youth groups, walking and climbing clubs, and outdoor activity providers among others. The wider west Belfast community will be able to

engage with this portable outdoor classroom West Belfast which will move around the area to various Mobile West Belfast underused green spaces. The temporary space Belfast Environmental Partnership Board will be used to promote environmental Education Unit awareness to school children and help to raise awareness of the need to protect flora and fauna within west Belfast.

This project is being carried out under the ‘Dig it Eat it’ programme and enabling local residents to

combat derelict wasted space in alleyways which West Belfast can be prone to antisocial behaviour. A diverse

Partnership West Belfast section of the community are helping to create Belfast Alleyways Project Partnership Board raised beds for vegetables and fruit alongside II hanging baskets and compost bins. In addition to this the education programme has helped build knowledge of areas which include green infrastructure and healthy lifestyles.

Over the last three years the Challenge Fund has

enabled this group to create wildlife gardens, manage woodlands, and build new habitats. As

Wet, Wild and Alliance Youth an extension to this new ponds are being created Multiple Worth it Works and waterways renovated adding to the visual focus and biodiversity. The project is encouraging learning about the interconnected water cycle and the impact it has on the ecosystem.

With the rise in global temperatures wildfires are

likely to become much more common place. This Wildfire / practical demonstration has been developed to controlled burn Beltrim Charitable educate in the used of controlled burn in upland Omagh Demonstration Trust areas by using fire as a tool in management. Event Lessons learned include teaching burning patterns and how to construct natural control lines. Belfast Hills Partnership are carrying out a study

into the lifespan of hedgerows to monitor the condition of the wildlife corridors they provide and determine areas for improvement. From the Wildlife Corridor Belfast Hills findings the charity aims to build upon the Multiple of the Belfast Hills Partnership existing network and increase the connectivity between urban and rural wildlife. As wildlife will inhabit these spaces as a refuge from human activity and preying animals it is a key asset to biodiversity management. To build on the success of last year’s sensory

garden the school are installing a new willow dome classroom which provides a new habitat. Staff, parents, and pupils will be able to learn

how to maintain and grow the structure. Beyond Willow Dome this a new plant growing initiative has been classroom, seating implemented in the garden. The project has been and wildflower Windsor Hill Newry and planned and designed by the eco committee area Primary School Mourne elected by the pupils. Working with a local craft worker a range of

willow installations will be built. The project also involved the work of the local council’s conservation service and Lough Neagh Discovery

Centre. The projects outcome will enhance the St, Patrick’s Primary bio diversity of the grounds and engaged with the Wonderful Willow School, wider community in a series of engaging Weaving Aghacommon Craigavon presentations. Under the shingle roof outdoor lessons can take

place encouraging enhanced exploration of the world around. The meeting area will be used for Woodland Liberty Consortium Derry storytelling and nature arts and crafts. This will Wonderland complement the events already undertaken in the wood such as fairy searches, Halloween and Christmas programmes.