Minister Noonan launches 2025 Peatlands Scheme in Clara

Minister for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD has launched the Peatlands and Natura Community Engagement Scheme in Clara today, Tuesday November 5.

Applications are now being accepted for community-led projects, with up to €600,000 in funding available.

The Peatlands and Natura Community Engagement Scheme aims to encourage local communities, organisations, educational institutions, and other stakeholders to actively contribute to the conservation and restoration of Natura 2000 sites and peatland areas.

Applications are invited across a diverse range of initiatives with community benefit from events, education programmes, promotions, publications, exhibitions.

Schemes for the development of conservation management plans, public amenity and recreational measures, maintenance measures that support conservation measures, monitoring or surveying work to inform of restoration/conservation projects

Also invited to join are initiatives for invasive species and fire control measures, anti-littering initiatives to local environmental improvements in the area of the designated sites and other peatland areas.

Welcoming the launch, Minister Noonan said: “I have been so impressed with the broad range of projects funded to date under the Peatlands and Natura Community Engagement Scheme.

"Through collaboration and engagement with local communities we can take action and play a pivotal role to combat climate change and safeguard our most precious and endangered species and habitats for generations to come.”

Successful applicants for this year’s assistance will be awarded funding to support a maximum of 80% of the project's eligible costs, with a maximum grant of €40,000 for Natura 2000 designated sites and up to €20,000 for Non-Natura 2000 peatland sites. Further details of the scheme are available at www.npws.ie.