Northern Ireland contractor Lowry Building & Civil Engineering has been crowned a 'Green Champion' for its work delivering local dams.

The firm was recognised at the 2019 Green Apple Environment Awards for its work to install dams for NI Water, as part of the restoration of Garron Plateau Blanket Bog.

The catchment area around Dungonnell Service Reservoir, located in the Garron Plateau, Co Antrim, is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protected Area (SPA) and Area of Scientific Interest (ASSI), as well as a Ramsar Site (wetland of international importance). It is home to rare and endangered species such a Hen Harrier, Merlin and Marsh Saxifrage. Using a combination of stone, timber and peat dams, the work will improve the hydrological effectiveness of the peatlands, re-establishing the habitat to endangered species and helping counteract the effects of climate change.

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Lowry Building & Civil Engineering was presented with the 'Green Champion Award' under the Building and Construction Sector at the Palace of Westminster, London on Monday 25 November.

Roy Taylor, NI Water Catchment Manager said: "NI Water are delighted that Lowry Building and Civil Engineering have won this major world-class environmental award, proving that the Garron Plateau bog Restoration ranks alongside the best environmental projects in the world. 

"NI Water have worked closely with RSPB to deliberately block drains to raise the water levels in the peat, recreating bog pools. This gives the ideal conditions for sphagnum mosses and vegetation to grow, which then naturally filters the water, aiming to produce high quality water with fewer chemicals needed to clean the water. The blanket bog restoration is not only a win for NI Water in terms of raw water quality, but it is also a win for the environment as it absorbs carbon and creates an improved habitat for wildlife.

"Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and one of our customer promises is to protect and enhance the natural environment - which this scheme undoubtedly delivers. I would like to congratulate the team who worked at the Garron Plateau Bog Restoration Project on this achievement, including Lowry Building and Civil Engineering.

"None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of the RSPB, the entire Co-operation Across Borders for Biodiversity (CABB) project team and of course the funding provided through the EU's INTERREG VA Programme. We sincerely thank them all for making this possible."

(CM/MH)