Derryounce Lakes and Trails plan wins Biodiversity Award

The Derryounce Lakes and Trails 10-year plan has received the Biodiversity Award at Irish Planning Institute Awards 2025.

The plan sets out a vision for how this special site can further develop into the future.

The site is on licence from Bord na Mona and Coillte to the community by way of the Portarlington Community Development Association (PCDA) who spearheaded its development to where it is today.

Apart from many kilometres of walks, the site contains two lakes, (one specifically man made with assistance from Bord na Mona in the 1990’s) and is hugely popular as a recreation area in itself today.

Aiden Mulally, Chairperson of PCDA said: “This biodiversity award is particularly welcome given all that the local volunteers have done to accommodate and work with nature for all these years.

"Also, because the 10-year plan demonstrates that, while there is an opportunity for many different activities on the site into the future, they must go hand in hand with the biodiversity potential”.

Andrew Murray, Director of Services, Offaly County Council said: “Offaly County Council wishes to acknowledge the stellar work of SLR Consulting, Studio Aula & Haller Clarke in the plan’s preparation and also the extremely comprehensive responses to all stages of the public consultation”.

The plan was funded under the Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) Outdoor Recreation & Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), with match funding from Offaly County Council.