📹Visiting the scene of a major fire in the #Mournes more than a year on, Minister Conor Murphy says he’s delighted to see the progress National Trust NI has made in helping the area recover & that he hopes research carried out by Innovation Lab NI can support this work into the future.

A huge Thank You to today’s volunteers from Allstate NI who joined us on #SlieveDonard . Plenty of tired muscles but the smiles speak for themselves!
#DiggingForGold #AllstateCrew #Volunteering #EveryoneNeedsNature #GivingBack

Let's ignite a love of nature rather than a BBQ. Landscapes become tinder-dry in summer. Prevent wildfires by putting fire safety on the menu. During a sustained period of warm dry weather, one action could impact the environment for decades to come.

Enjoy this weekends sunshine by keeping to all paths and trails as you continue to support our #LeaveNoTrace scheme. Sticking to the paths not only makes your hike easier but also helps us protect ground nesting species of the mountain😊

Coming into a busy summer we want to re-state the relevant #LeaveNoTrace principles; take your litter home & don’t light fires - picture of a lizard taken on the recent burn site at Bloody Bridge, illustrating the ecological impact of out of control burning on the habitats.

Spending other people’s money, the flamboyant flower of Common Cow Wheat on the remote slopes of Commedagh. The roots of Cow Wheat parasitise nearby plants as an adaptation to the low nutrient environments where it’s found.
#WildFlowerHour #ParasiticPlants

Our hand forged Annalong spade needed some TLC after a year on #SlieveDonard . With artistry, Patterson’s Spade Mill brought it back to life ready for another year’s graft. You can visit Patterson’s mobile forge at #NationalTrustNI properties this summer nationaltrust.org.uk/pattersons-spa…

Environment Minister Edwin Poots has announced 28 organisations are to benefit from £4m #nienvironmentfund investment in number of key environmental projects. More info: daera-ni.gov.uk/news/new-ps4mi… #protect #restore #improve #ourenvironment #northernireland NI Environment Link NILGA

A bit of a cheat for this weeks #wildflowerhour , the flowers of Bog Cotton are fairly nondescript but at this time of year the seed heads of this sedge transform the bog with their unmistakable fluffy mops! #GrassChallenge

One of the immediate, though less obvious benefit of pathwork; better paths = less erosion = lower turbidity, the cleaner water provides ideal spawning conditions for brown trout. This little trout fry was spotted at the head of the Glen River at an altitude of 470m

Last night an acre of priority dune heath habitat at Murlough NNR was destroyed as a result of a serious wildfire. It was only thanks to the swift action of the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, and our own fire breaks, that this wildfire was contained (1/3)

Today marks the longest day of the year, but there isn’t much sunshine as clouds flow in on #SlieveDonard #SummerSolstice #ntmournes

Easily confused with the Common Spotted Orchid the Heath Spotted Orchid in confined to damp, acidic, upland soils. Currently in full bloom in the wet heath of #SlieveDonard #wildflowerhour #orchidchallenge

Thanks to DAERA Challenge funding, our Rangers where able to carry out Habitat Condition Assessments this past week.
The automated records are recorded by handheld Trimble GPS devices which capture vegetation recovery measurements and estimations within survey quadrants.

#wildflowerhour
Opposite Leaved Golden Saxifrage, a big name for a tiny flower! The delicate yellow-green flowers are unmistakable growing in the wet mountain flushes high on Slieve Donard.
#ntmournes

A huge 850 meter tall ‘Thank You’ to our dedicated volunteers who have braved all weathers over the past year to help build the #SlieveDonard path, conserving this special place for everyone.
#volunteerweek #ntmournes
#volunteersrock

#wildflowerhour
Lousewort is a common site on wet heath at this time of year. Named for the belief the plant passed lice to grazing livestock, it parasitizes other plants in an adaptation to the low nutrient habitat of peatland and bog.
#ntmournes