Looking after the Antrim Coast & Glens Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Friday, Jun 27 2008

Twenty years after the best of Antrim’s Coast and Glens landscape was designated a nationally important Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) the first AONB Management Plan for the area has been published. The Management Plan will help everybody with a stake in the landscape respond in ways that enhance the landscape and ensure the AONB remains an area everybody can enjoy, identify with and that continues to contribute crucially to the economy of the area.

Dr David Erwin, Chairman of Causeway Coast Glens Heritage Trust welcomed the 90-strong crowd to the spectacular grounds of Glenarm Castle last Thursday morning for the launch of the Antrim Coast & Glens AONB Management Plan.  These included individuals from DOE, Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, the education, community, farming and tourism sector.

Alderman Harry Connolly, Chairman of the Antrim Coast & Glens AONB Management Group, said “This plan has been the product of eighteen months of work by the Antrim Coast & Glens Management Group and Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust staff, with the help of Red Kite Consultants. We are confident that the plan will be seen by many as a mechanism to ensure real joined-up thinking and action to maximise the benefit to the area.”

Graham Seymour, Director of Natural Heritage, DOE Environment & Heritage Service commented, “The AONB is such a spectacular and beautiful place and deserves to be protected and safeguarded for future generations.  This Management Plan will help focus people to think about the AONB, its future and how we can look after it now and in the future for all to enjoy.”

The morning was also the occasion to celebrate the presentation of certificates and prizes to the winners of the Picture This! School Photography Competition.  Seven primary schools in and near to the Antrim Coast & Glens AONB took part in the competition.  The winner Shannon McAlister from Ballycastle Integrated Primary School won a digital camera for her award winning photograph which she took in Ballypatrick Forest.  Kristin McAuley from St. Anne’s Primary School in Corkey, Kim Glass from Broughshane Primary School and Tom Kerr from Glenann Primary School in Cushendall took the Runner up prizes, while Pascal McManus also from Glenann Primary School took the prize for Trust Director’s Favourite image.  There were also seven other highly commended prize winners on the day from the schools mentioned and the Model Primary School in Ballymoney, Seaview Primary School in Glenarm and Carnlough Integrated Primary School. Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust has used the winning images to publish postcards and book markers which will be circulated widely to raise awareness of the beauty of the area.

Amy Robinson, Miss Northern Ireland Earth 2008 presented pupils with their prizes and certificates.  Amy will be going to the Philippines in November to represent N. Ireland in the Miss Earth 2008 competition.  In 2002 Amy was awarded the Silver Youth Action award and helped set up her church to be the first green congregation in Northern Ireland.   

The Management Plan can be downloaded here. The 5-year Action Plan is available to download here. A hard copy of the Management Plan is available from the Trust office on (028)2075 2100. A summary document Your Place Your Plan will also be distributed widely throughout the entire area and can be downloaded here.