Minister opens improved country park facilities

Environment Minister Edwin Poots today officially opened the extension to County Londonderry’s Ness Country Park and its new visitor facilities.

Accessed from Oughtagh Road just off the A6 at the Brackfield Bawn junction, the 14 hectare (35 acre) addition to the Country Park will give the people of Northern Ireland a fresh perspective on this beautiful natural retreat in which to enjoy the woodland which flanks the Burntollet River - one of our few remaining extensive areas of ancient woodland.

The Country Park extension has been developed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in co-operation with Derry City Council and the Rural Area Partnership in Derry (RAPID). The development work was part-funded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s (DARD) Rural Development Programme under the EU Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity and the OFMDFM Integrated Development Fund.

The development work, which has taken over three years, links the popular sites of Ness Wood and Ervey Wood with land purchased by NIEA (then Environment and Heritage Service) in 2005. This land provides easy access and tranquil walks along the banks of the Burntollet River for the less able, with level ground and only slight inclines from the lower car park.

Opening the Country Park extension, the Minister said: “With this Country Park NIEA provides an invaluable resource for the people of Northern Ireland to get out and enjoy the natural beauty of our countryside.

“The new property is a truly ‘wonderful’ facility. It affords magnificent views towards the Faughan Valley, now has car parking, recreational grassland and wildflower-rich meadows, newly planted woods, ponds and picnic areas, and provides links to seven kilometres of woodland, parkland and riverside walks connected by bridges and boardwalks.

“The brand new, cottage-style Visitor Centre tells the story of the Park, its history and wildlife through a new exhibition.”

Speaking at the launch, the Mayor of the City, Councillor Paul Fleming said: “The Ness Country Park is set to provide an accessible facility for both locals and visitors alike to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the area. Congratulations to everyone involved”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Minister was greeted by Dr Roy Ramsay, Chief Executive of NIEA, the City’s Mayor, Councillor Paul Fleming and Mr Jim McColgan, Chairman of RAPID.

2. NIEA manages seven country parks across Northern Ireland.

3. The purchase of 50 acres at Ness Wood for development as a country park in 1967 was one of the first acquisitions under the Amenity Lands Act passed in 1965. Acquisitions continued as land became available until 1991. No more land was added until 2005, when the new land ‘Donaghy’s Farm’ was acquired from the Donaghy family in 2005, with small areas acquired from the Hone and Brown families, after whom the new bridges have been named.

4. Ness Country Park is about 55 hectares (136 acres) in area. It includes Ness Wood (20 hectares; 49 acres), Ervey and Tamnymore Woods (21 hectares; 52 acres) and the new area of Donaghy’s Farm (14 hectares; 35 acres).

5. The developments, which cost £825,000, were funded through a partnership between NIEA, Derry City Council and the Rural Area Partnership in Derry (RAPID).

6. NIEA contributed the bulk of the funding at £600,000 to the development on top of the original land purchase price

7. Some of the development work was undertaken as part of the Faughan Valley Area Based Programme which was part funded by DARD’s Rural Development Programme through Derry City Council and RAPID. The balance of funding came from the EU Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity and the OFMDFM Integrated Development Fund.

8. The Country Park can also be accessed at the Ervey Wood car park off Ervey Road and at Ness Wood from another car park off Oughtagh Road.

9. For media enquiries please contact the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003 or out of office hours call the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 0769971 5440 and your call will be returned.