Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has welcomed the official launch of PEAT+, a landmark €19.2 million cross-border initiative dedicated to peatland restoration.

The project was inaugurated on World Wetlands Day at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, marking a significant step forward for the internationally recognised landscapes within the Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark.

Managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) under the PEACEPLUS programme, PEAT+ is led by Ulster Wildlife. The project brings together a diverse range of delivery partners, including local councils from Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon and Newry, Mourne & Down, alongside academic institutions and environmental trusts such as Atlantic Technological University Donegal and the Mourne Heritage Trust.

Over the next three years, the initiative will focus on 19 priority sites across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The primary goal is to repair degraded peatlands—currently estimated to account for 80% of Irish peatland—which are currently sources of carbon emissions rather than storage. Restoration efforts will involve blocking drains to rewet the land, protecting nature, and reducing regional flood risks.

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Cllr Barry McElduff, Chairperson of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, stated: "Fermanagh and Omagh District is home to some of Ireland's most distinctive and precious peatland landscapes. The Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark is a case in point, a gem in our midst. The Sperrins AONB is another and there are plenty more. As a project partner, we warmly welcome the launch of the PEAT+ initiative and the significant investment it represents for conserving these vital habitats."

The project also aims to protect rare species like the golden plover and the large heath butterfly. Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir MLA, who attended the launch, highlighted the collaborative nature of the scheme: "The PEAT+ programme provides a unique opportunity for collaboration between landowners, project partners, and statutory agencies across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This partnership approach will not only enable effective delivery of peatland restoration but also foster lasting legacy relationships to support future initiatives."

Ulster Wildlife's CEO, Dawn Miskelly, added that the project represents an investment in "all our shared futures," noting that healthy bogs are "powerhouses of habitats" that benefit both the environment and the economy.