The money will be used to promote health, well-being, resource efficiency and sustainable economic development so that we can all enjoy the full value of our environment.
Environment Minister Mark H Durkan said: "This grant programme will help tackle the most acute environmental priorities facing us in the North. It will go directly to projects that protect and improve the environment that we and future generations live in. It will reduce marine litter, galvanise volunteer effort, improve air quality, deliver on the Biodiversity Strategy and provide outdoor recreation opportunities for us to enjoy our environment. This is an expansion of the range of projects that were funded under the previous Natural Environment Fund.
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"I am well aware of the very difficult financial position faced by a range of environmental groups across the North. I vowed to try and alleviate some of that pain as imaginatively as possible. I allocated £1.2 million this year but we need to get away from this hand to mouth existence and work in partnership to help the environmental Third Sector move to a more sustainable funding mechanism."
Funding will be allocated in the next financial year (2016-2017).
(CD/LM)
