ECO Inishowen aims to educate and raise awareness through local action initiatives and activities, integrating personal, environmental and community development. The cross-cutting themes take account of Sustainable Development Goals, Fairtrade, local and national Climate Action Plans and local and national Biodiversity Action Plans, delivered through tangible and relevant local projects that join the dots between local and global issues, and provides opportunities for people to “be the change”.
Our work in Inishowen has been showcased on a national level, bringing well deserved attention to the work of our community & voluntary sector across Inishowen, those who strive to repair and improve our environment for our benefit and for future generations. This work ties into our community development work, health and wellbeing programmes, links with community gardens and schools, our Inishowen Sustainable Energy Community (ISEC) and to our ChangeMakers programme.
ECO Carn
ECO Carn is a collaborative project, formed in 2019 following the Envision Carn workshops, by a number of community organisations and agencies in Carndonagh with the support of Inishowen Development Partnership. The project carried out an audit and developed a Biodiversity Action Plan for Carndonagh with funding from The Community Foundation for Ireland.
ECO Carn Members are Spraoi & Sport, Barrack Hill Town Park & Community Gardens, Carn GAA, Carn Tidy Town, Donegal County Council, Inishowen Environmental Group, Carndonagh Community School, Colgan Hall Community & Resource Centre, Colgan Heritage Group, Carn Men’s Shed, Forest of Carndonagh & Inishowen Development Partnership.
This video was created to highlight the Donagh River in Carn and the importance of healthy rivers and surrounding habitat.
People’s Transition for Carndonagh
The People’s Transition is a participative decision-making model for climate action. It views climate action as an enabler of local development, giving people and communities ownership of the transition to zero-carbon societies. The People’s Transition seeks to deliver a bottom-up approach to transition that builds local wealth, enables local ownership of climate action and empowers local people.
The Carndonagh People’s Transition began in June 2024. The project was led by the Thinktank for Action on Social Change, Inishowen Development Partnership and ECO Carn with engagement from people across the community in Carndonagh who participated in workshops, focus group discussions and interviews, and completed our survey. Based on these consultations, actions were co-created with members of the community and with project stakeholders. The actions seek to address the priorities of the community to ensure that climate action provides tangible benefits, highlighting the positives of a just transition.
A copy of the plan can be downloaded here: The People’s Transition: Carndonagh
ECO Buncrana
Building on the area’s existing environmental initiatives, the ECO Buncrana Strategy & Action plan outlines a roadmap for Buncrana’s journey toward a more sustainable future, with community-led development at its core. This community-powered roadmap sets out a bold and inclusive path toward a more resilient, connected, and environmentally conscious Buncrana. The plan was shaped through meaningful conversations with over 40 young people and 38 community groups and organisations from across the Buncrana area.
If you are interested in getting involved, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
Download or view a copy of the plan here: ECO Buncrana Strategy & Action Plan.
Training & Awareness Raising
Environmental Sustainability Awareness QQI L4
Delivered in collaboration with Donegal ETB, this course creates an awareness of the impacts of human activities on the environment and provides students with the knowledge, skills and competence to identify the key sustainable practices they can take in their personal life and in their community.
Leave No Trace Certified Awareness Course
The one-day course is ideally suited to outdoor educators, teachers, college students, outdoor pursuit and recreation professionals, hiking club members, Tidy Towns Committees, community groups or anyone with an interest in learning more about Leave No Trace vision and skills.
Register your interest in any of these courses by emailing [email protected] or [email protected]
