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Award for Inch Lake wildlife reserve 14.11.08

DONEGAL County Council has scored a double at the prestigious Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards.
The Council scooped an Environment Initiative award for its €700,000 Inch Level wildlife reserve. The Inch Levels initiative is an environmental tourism and community-based project located at Inch near Burt and Burnfoot. The Inch site is one Europe’s premier bird viewing areas and provides feeding for internationally significant numbers of Greenland White-fronted Geese and Whooper Swans. The project is a result of collaboration between Donegal County Development Board partners National Parks and Wildlife Service, Failte Ireland and Donegal County Council, as well as private-sector involvement through Donegal Creameries.
Over the past four years the area has been transformed with the development of 8km of walkways on the perimeter of Inch Lake, installation of bird viewing areas and the upgrading of access roads. Construction of car parking facilities at key access points and the creation of a woodland education zone for school groups, families and general users alike has also taken place. The key stakeholders have contributed to a total investment of over €700,000 in this period
Donegal County Council staff and members pictured at the awards ceremony in the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dublin. From left are Kevin O'Connor, Andrew Speer, Joe Gatins, Cllr Gerry Crawford, Jeremy Smith and Gary Clarke.
Donegal County Development Board, Cllr. Francis Conaghan accepted the award at a ceremony in Dublin. “I would like to pay tribute to Donegal County Development Board partners National Parks and Wildlife Service, Failte Ireland, Donegal Creameries and Donegal County Council for the hard work and vision shown in the Inch Levels initiative. Alongside the work of the local community, all partners have played a valuable role in the development of one of the Country’s most stunning and interesting places to visit.”
The Council also picked up a Sports and Recreation category award for its community-based recreational trails based in Crolly, West Donegal. The project was developed in association with Failte Ireland and has provided 8km of safe walking for the local community and tourists.
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