Alliance South Down MLA Andrew McMurray has welcomed the establishment of a new Strategic Group for the Mourne Mountains by DAERA Minister Andrew Muir.

The new group, chaired by Minister Muir, will bring together representatives from a range of Executive departments and arms-length bodies, alongside an observer from the Forever Mournes Partnership. It has been established to provide strategic leadership, coordination and oversight for the protection and enhancement of the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Mr McMurray said the creation of the group represented an important step towards a more coordinated approach to managing the challenges facing the region.

"I am delighted that Minister Muir has established this high-level group. This move reflects the Minister's recognition of the significance of this special place to the people who work and live in the area and to the many people across Northern Ireland who value this treasured landscape.

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"Organisations working in the Mournes have long called for a cross-departmental strategic approach to sustainably manage and promote this special part of Northern Ireland, taking into account community interests while also protecting the natural heritage of the area.

"The Mournes are regionally important as a place for recreation and tourism and a vital source of employment and business in the area. I myself have been very lucky to work in this special landscape for many years as an outdoor instructor.

"But the area has seen increasing challenges, which have been brought into sharp focus in the last few years. Our relationship with this landscape has changed over the decades, and there is now much greater pressure on local resources and the fragile natural environment: from parking issues, path erosion and biodiversity loss to littering and rural arson. It is time for a more coordinated approach to addressing these challenges.

"I welcome this development, which is a really positive step towards ensuring the sustainability of the Mournes, and I commend Minister Muir for showing the required leadership on this strategically important issue."