Tyrella beach sand dunes restoration project gets support from Living Spaces Fund
Downpatrick based environmental group Lecale Conservation Association has received funding from the Department of Infrastructure (DfI) ‘Living Places and Spaces Fund’.
This funding has enabled it to continue an ongoing project of sand dune restoration at Tyrella Beach on the Lecale Coast led by Cllr Cadogan Enright and a team of volunteers.
Lecale Conservation have been restoring degraded dunes on beaches around Lecale for the last eight years.
They have had the support and permission from Newry Mourne and Down Council and the Department of the Environment (DAERA), and have built up considerable knowledge and expertise in this area.
Project leader Cadogan Enright welcomed the ‘Living Places and Spaces’ funding.
He said: “Tyrella Beach is one of NI’s best-known public beaches in County Down.
“And its popularity has led to erosion along the front edge of the dune systems with sections being under-cut and falling into the sea.
“The Department of Infrastructure’s funding has been more than matched by Newry Mourne and Down District Council who have also drawn funding from the NIEA Environment Fund.”
David Williams, Chairperson of Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership (SLLP), also welcomed the ‘’Living Places and Spaces’ funding for the restoration of dunes along the Lecale coast.
He said: “The SLLP is a stakeholder partnership of organisations, including Newry Mourne and Down District Council that works with community organisations.
This includes the charity Lecale Conservation which has help to conserve and protect our natural heritage.
“We are very pleased to see local community organisations receiving funding to help protect their much-loved local areas and special habitats.”
Cadogan Enright added: “We use posts and fences to protect the front edge of dunes from footfall or motorised vehicles.
“We plant new dune plants behind the fence, grown from locally sourced seed by seed conservation charity True Harvest Seeds.
“This allows the front side of the dune systems to re-establish.
“Once the new front edge of the dunes is strengthened and established, erosion is stopped. Sand dune systems are also a vitally important habitat for local wildlife.”
“This will be an ongoing project over the next few years, and we will need lots of volunteers to help plant out the new plants this Autumn and next Spring.
“If you are interested in working on this project, please contact :
“or search via Facebook for Lecale Conservation.
Newry Mourne and Down District Council’s Judith Hassard (left) with Lecale Conservation volunteers at Tyrella Beach.
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