Talk on sustainability future in the Mournes

Talk on sustainability future in the Mournes

10 September 2025

A KEY meeting last week discussed building a sustainable future for the Mournes.

Organised by the National Trust at Murlough House, it brought together representatives from a number of organisations who were joined by local politicians.

The focus was on building a sustainable future for the fragile and special landscape, a large swathe of which was destroyed by malicious fires over recent years and is slowly starting to recover.

Also at the Murlough House event were people from the local community, businesses, landowners and land managers, with speakers including representatives from stakeholder groups, elected representatives, and some of those currently involved in caring for the Mournes.

The event began with short presentations from Landscapes NI, Mourne Heritage Trust, Friends of Donard, Mountaineering Ireland and the Forever Mournes Partnership, sharing their ideas on how to secure a resilient future for this precious landscape.

Attendees then participated in an interactive session where they explored ideas for balancing landscape protection, nature recovery, sustainable access and developing the local tourism economy.

The event concluded with a panel discussion where representatives from five political parties shared their vision and ideas for how partners can work together towards a sustainable future for the Mournes.

Mr Patrick Nelson, chairman of the National Trust Regional Advisory Group, who chaired the event, explained a number of groups wanted to take part in a discussion of the way forward for the Mournes.

He said it was “wonderful” to see so many people interested in the Mournes gathering in one room to discuss how everyone can work together to look after this regionally and internationally significant landscape.

“Globally, we are in the midst of a nature and biodiversity crisis, and it was heard loud and clear in the room that any future development in the Mournes needs to truly serve the long-term conservation and sustainable enjoyment of this irreplaceable natural heritage,” he said.

Mike McClure, from Landscape NI who facilitated the workshop, said looking after “this cherished landscape” not only benefits local nature, but local people.

“We discussed the need for stable funding and a long-term holistic management approach to our landscapes as being essential for both the local community and a resilient economy,” he explained.

“The key recommendations coming out of the workshop were the need for investment in local community infrastructure, a clear local structure for collaboration with strong leadership making things happen, sustainable long term maintenance funds for visitor paths, habitats and facilities and the development of range of ‘visitor hubs and experiences’ to support access and developing the visitor economy.”

The Mournes Heritage Trust’s outgoing director, Martin Carey, said he was pleased to be able to take part in an “important conversation” about how key players can best work together for the long term future of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“In my almost 20 years working with this community to look after the landscape, I’ve seen the importance of connecting local people with caring for places and the vital role that sustained investment plays in looking after landscapes which are key to local prosperity,” he said.

“I urged the room to consider how both central and local government can better engage with looking after our cherished places and in particular what an effective structure for policy formulation and delivery should look like.”

The various ideas raised at the event will be gathered and shared with a range of key stakeholders, with a commitment made to bring together a further session in six months’ time to support progress.