The Ring of Gullion AONB will receive no funding from the NIEA from the 1st July, despite having a funding offer until 2017. The Ring of Gullion management already runs on a shoe string budget but makes a huge impact in the area by applying to other funders for project costs; for example from Rural Development, SEUPB, Heritage Lottery, the Challenge Fund and many smaller funders. For every £1 the NIEA has funded us we have levered in an additional £5. The AONB management runs on a budget of about £45,000 per annum, and this has been reduced to £0.

When the cuts are imposed on the 1st of July it will result in no management of the AONB and the loss of a key driver of the recent tourism, environment and rural development work happening in south Armagh. Furthermore without the staff in post we loose both the capacity to manage our current external funding and our ability to attract future development funds to the area. We fear that this will set the development of the Ring of Gullion area back at a crucial time, when so much momentum has been built over the past 5 years.

After signing it is important to keep the pressure on, you can contact your elected representative and telling them why you want AONBs and eNGOs protected, find their contact details here: https://www.writetothem.com/