Northern Ireland’s farming and land management sector is set to benefit from nearly £1m of new investment, as the government funds nature recovery projects that will help restore habitats, strengthen biodiversity and support more sustainable use of rural landscapes.
The funding, provided through the Environment Fund (EF) Strategic Strand, will support 13 projects delivering work that affects the farmed environment — from invasive species control and catchment restoration to wildfire management, habitat improvements and farmer-focused engagement on nature-based solutions.
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said he was pleased to provide “additional investment of almost £1 million through the Environment Fund’s Multi-Year Strategic Strand”, adding that EF-backed projects were already “delivering nature recovery across Northern Ireland”.
He said “urgent and sustained action is needed to halt and reverse biodiversity decline”, describing the funding as “a much-needed boost for our natural environment”.
Among the key initiatives is RSPB’s extension of the LIFE Raft programme on Rathlin Island, where the eradication of invasive rats is expected to improve conditions for ground-nesting birds and wider wildlife connected to surrounding farmland.
Several land management and habitat projects will also go ahead through the National Trust, including work within the Forever Lough Neagh programme and enhanced biosecurity measures on Sheep Island — both areas with strong links to farming, water quality and protected species.
Practical on-the-ground activity will be carried out by The Conservation Volunteers, including freshwater habitat training, vegetation management and the removal of invasive Sitka spruce at upland sites. Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful will expand its Adopt A Spot scheme, supporting community-led stewardship of rural areas.
Mourne Heritage Trust will deliver erosion control on Slieve Binnian, additional wildfire recovery work, and enhanced tree nursery capacity at Dunnywater and Silent Valley — actions directly linked to landscape resilience, grazing management and soil stability.
Ulster Wildlife will continue species recovery work, including Black Guillemot nesting measures, while Northern Ireland Environment Link will use its grant to deepen engagement with farmers and the wider agri-sector on practical nature-based solutions and land-use innovation.
The Lough Neagh Partnership will progress agricultural consultations and contribute expertise to curlew survey and tracking efforts — a key species of concern for farmland biodiversity. The River Blackwater Trust will extend a part-time role to support catchment enhancement, an area of growing importance for farms located along waterways.
The investment represents a significant uplift in support for environmental groups working directly on landscapes farmed and managed across Northern Ireland.
With increasing pressure to strengthen soils, improve water quality, manage wildfire and reverse biodiversity decline, the Minister said the funding will help maintain momentum behind nature projects that underpin the long-term sustainability of the rural economy.
