LOUGH Gur has been awarded Limerick’s first Green Heritage Site accreditation flag for the work carried out there by Limerick City and County Council, the Office of Public Works and the National Monuments Service over the past three years.
The park was also conferred with a second Green Flag as the international mark of quality for parks and green spaces.
The Green Heritage site accreditation award places a special emphasis on maintaining a delicate balance between positive improvements and protecting the unique heritage of the area.
Both the Green Heritage Site Accreditation and Green Flag Award set a high standard for management and staff at Lough Gur as they must be applied for each year to monitor progress and ongoing improvements.
Assessment criteria for the Green Flag award include visible evidence of management in the areas of marketing and communication, a warm welcoming approach, heritage and biodiversity and community involvement.
Assessment criteria for the Green Heritage Site accreditation flag include visible evidence of good conservation standards, historic features given prominence with work supported on-site by professional staff.
Raising the Green Heritage Site accreditation flag, Mayor Francis Foley said it was recognition of the exceptional work carried out by volunteers, supporters, Lough Gur Development, Limerick City and County Council, the Office of Public Works and the National Monuments Service at the scenic lakeshore park.
Carmel Lynch, Senior Engineer for Limerick City and County Council with responsibility for Recreation, said the accreditation was approved for integrating historic features, that are found in abundance in Lough Gur, while also connecting the area’s rich heritage to the local landscape through careful planning and maintenance.
Lough Gur manager Kate Harrold said the accreditation was the result of continued efforts of all agencies and individuals working together for the benefit of Lough Gur and the wider region.
“I would like to thank all of them for working with me to achieve the first Green Heritage Site Accreditation award for Limerick and a new Archaeology Heritage Guide focused on Lough Gur,” she added.
