Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is celebrating the continued success of its parks and open spaces, which have once again been recognised through the prestigious Green Flag Awards. Managed locally by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, the awards are regarded as the benchmark for well-managed parks, heritage landscapes and community green spaces.

This year the Council proudly secured six Green Flag Awards Kilbroney Park, Castlewellan Forest Park, Delamont Country Park, Slieve Gullion Forest Park, Newry Canal and Warrenpoint Municipal Park (Heritage). These awards highlight the Council’s commitment to protecting and promoting high-quality spaces for residents and visitors.

This year’s Green Flag Award scheme has marked a record-breaking achievement across Northern Ireland. A total of 118 sites were honoured, including 82 traditional Green Flag Awards, 36 Green Flag Community Awards, 6 Heritage Awards and 4 Pollinator Awards. The announcement was made at Bangor Castle Walled Garden recently, with sites recognised for their exceptional standards of management, biodiversity and community involvement.

Sinead Murray, Local Environmental Quality Manager at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, said, “Our parks are local treasures that help our environment and our well-being. This year's awards have rightly focused on the social value that our green spaces deliver for all of us in Northern Ireland. As we have seen over the summer, our parks and open spaces play an essential role in strengthening community ties and supporting our wellbeing. The Green Flag Awards serve as a timely reminder that environmental sustainability and well-being are inextricably linked.”

Environment Minister Andrew Muir added, “It’s hugely encouraging that this year a record-breaking number of sites have been awarded Green Flags in Northern Ireland. This is a respected accreditation recognised across 18 countries, and I want to thank Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful for their efforts in bringing international recognition to Northern Ireland’s beautiful parks, green spaces and schools. These spaces are for the benefit of the whole community, and it is great to see so many achieving the standards required.”