A landmark €20.8 million cross-border conservation initiative, PeacePlus Nature, has been officially launched, marking a significant environmental investment for nature. The programme, led by RSPB NI, creating 49 new roles, was inaugurated at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre by Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and Christopher O’Sullivan TD, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity.
This major project, which aims to reverse the decline of key priority species and habitats across 23 sites in Northern Ireland and border counties of Ireland, is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
The project is designed to deliver major gains for nature by uniting nine partner organisations to deliver this much-needed nature recovery. The partnership, led by RSPB NI, brings together the collective expertise of BirdWatch Ireland, Butterfly Conservation, Monaghan County Council, River Blackwater Catchment Trust, Truagh Development Association, Lough Neagh Partnership, NI Water, and An Taisce – National Trust for Ireland.
By working across borders, the programme aims to create a resilient landscape where nature can thrive, ensuring the long-term survival of some of our most iconic and threatened wildlife while fostering shared environmental stewardship.
Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, said:
“Nature does not recognise borders, and neither should our efforts to protect and restore it. The launch of the €20.8 million PeacePlus Nature programme is a powerful example of what can be achieved when we work collaboratively across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to tackle the shared challenge of biodiversity loss.
“This significant investment will help reverse the decline of some of our most threatened species and habitats, while supporting communities, creating new jobs and building a more resilient natural environment. It directly supports the delivery of my department’s Environmental Improvement Plan and our wider ambition to halt and reverse nature’s decline.
“I commend RSPB NI and its partners for their leadership in bringing together environmental expertise, local knowledge and cross border cooperation. Programmes like PeacePlus Nature demonstrate that protecting our natural environment is not only essential for wildlife, but fundamental to the wellbeing, prosperity and shared future of our communities.”
Minister for Housing, Heritage and Local Government, James Browne TD said:
“The PEACEPLUS programme continues to bring people together, fostering understanding, and collaboration. This €20.8 million investment in PEACEPLUS Nature is a positive signal of our ambition to support communities to thrive, connect and shape lasting peace and their natural environment for generations to come.”
Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD said:
“This wide-ranging project drives a coordinated, cross-border approach to restore vital peatlands, secure the future of threatened wader birds, and manage critical habitats for our butterflies and moths. By taking targeted action for threatened wader birds and iconic species like the Hen Harrier, we are safeguarding a landscape that defines our shared natural heritage. Healthy ecosystems are not only home to precious wildlife, but are also essential to our collective health, wellbeing, and economic resilience.”
SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “Investing in environmental protection plays a part in nurturing peace. It strengthens the places where people live, creates shared spaces for connection, and reminds us that renewal is possible. Through PEACEPLUS, we support projects that bring communities together with a common purpose, and nature restoration does exactly that. It improves wellbeing, encourages cooperation between agencies across the island, and reflects the wider vision of PEACEPLUS: a future that is healthier, more resilient and shaped by communities working side by side.”
Dr. Andrew Kelly, BirdWatch Ireland’s Chief Executive Officer, shared:
“After several years of careful planning across the partnership, BirdWatch Ireland is delighted to be part of PeacePlus Nature. Through previous Interreg projects, we have been working to protect breeding waders in the border counties for the last 15 years and this new funding commitment allows us to continue that effort. Working with RSPB NI as lead partner and our other project partners, we hope to build on our successes and take on some new challenges. We will be focusing on the conservation of coastal breeding waders at key sites in Co. Donegal, including Tory Island, where we will be employing a warden and other sites where we have installed predator exclusion fences. We look forward to working closely with local communities and landowners and with other projects including Donegal Acres, the Breeding Wader EIP and Life on Machair; we would also like to thank NPWS for their ongoing support. We hope that our combined efforts will help safeguard these iconic species into the future. ”
To find out more, visit: www.peaceplusnature.org.uk
