Newry, Mourne and Down District Council will assume the development and management of recreation within Castlewellan Forest Park from DAERA, under a lease from the Forest Service until 2045.
The Forest Service has operated Castlewellan Forest Park since 1967 when it was purchased from the Annesley family. The lease will involve the Council managing the Bothy, Walled Garden, Rhododendron Wood and Gardener’s House from 1 January 2022. The Council will assume the management of the wider core recreational area including the main caravan and camping facilities on 1 April 2022. Bookings for the caravan and camping site will open on 4 April 2022. The Touring In the Trees facility will continue to be operated by the Forest Service until 31 December 2024, after which the site will transfer to the Council and the Forest Service will continue to manage the woodland.
The Council received £500,000 from Priority 6, Rural Tourism Scheme of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 from DAERA and the European Union for construction and restoration at the Bothy Yard in Castlewellan Forest Park. The Bothy Yard will be an integral part in the restoration of the gardens, as the glasshouses and cold frames will enable the Council’s gardening team to propagate and grow plants historically grown in the garden dating back to 1903.
The Council has also received £2.69million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for ‘Re-Rooting Our Past in the Future: Castlewellan Historic Demesne’. Under this project the Council will restore the garden as the core of a dynamic living arboretum. A welcome and interpretation centre will be created along with community educational space and café facilities. This will complement the current recreational and accommodation offering on site. The important environmental setting and biodiversity of the Park will be observed and protected through educational awareness programmes. Access will be improved for all users of the Park with the creation of a woodland walk and a road from Castle Avenue to the main car park.
The award was made possible by National Lottery players who raise more than £30million every week for good causes in the UK. Construction and restoration works will commence in 2022 with match funding provided by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Northern Ireland Director, Paul Mullan said, “Investing in heritage means investing in the community it belongs to, which is why we are proud to support this transformative project within Castlewellan Forest Park, thanks to National Lottery players. This will not only preserve the important mix of natural and built heritage, to be enjoyed by locals and visitors from further afield but will also play a significant role in boosting the local economy in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area.”
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Cathy Mason welcomed the development and said, “The Council has been working in partnership with a range of stakeholders including the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Forest Service over a number of years on this proposal to restore the Walled Garden, which encompasses the National Arboretum, and enhance the visitor offering that Castlewellan Forest Park has to offer.”
Councillor Mason continued, “The addition of Castlewellan Forest Park to Council’s offering will reinforce how committed we are to improving the health and wellbeing of all our citizens. In partnership with the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we will deliver activities that will enhance the quality of life of our citizens by engaging in volunteering and skills opportunities. I want as many residents across the community to enjoy the green and open spaces our district has to offer, including Castlewellan Forest Park.”
The investment by the Council, DAERA and the National Lottery Heritage Fund will ensure that the heritage of the Park is restored, conserved, and protected. It is anticipated that a wide range of people, visitors, and residents will connect with the natural heritage through education activities, touring the Arboretum, attending workshops, events and staying in the Park.
Minister of Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Edwin Poots said, “I am absolutely delighted that we have now created the opportunity for the significant development of Castlewellan Forest Park, in partnership with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and with the support of many stakeholders. This visionary project will transform the Park and its recreational value to the local community and enhance the visitor attraction here in this scenic Mournes area and Northern Ireland”.
Forest Service Chief Executive, John Joe O’Boyle said, “Castlewellan Forest Park has proven to be a very important and attractive destination for many people over the past fifty years. This project embraces an exciting investment opportunity and will showcase how the potential of the forest can be realised. It will also deliver against wider objectives such as health, tourism, education and sport for the enjoyment of present and future generations”.
