Woodburn Forest car park to reopen

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) says its forests and country parks are being prepared to gradually lift restrictions.

The DAERA estate has been restricted since late March in an effort to slow down the spread of Covid-19.

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots said: “Our estate has been restricted to the public since late March in an effort to slow down the spread of Covid-19 but I am very aware of how much people have missed our outdoor spaces and doing the things they love like walking, cycling and running – the things that are good for our hears and good for our minds.

“Therefore, I have asked my department to make the necessary arrangements for DAERA-owned forests and country parks to gradually lift restrictions on a phased basis, starting with the reopening of car parks on Wednesday 27 May.

“Following discussions facilitated by my department, many other organisations, including councils, have now indicated that they too will begin to reopen their car parks at many of their sites on that date.”

The minister asked people to park responsibly and advised that other amenities will remain closed for now.

“Until car parks are reopened on Wednesday, I am urging people not to park on footpaths and verges.

“I am also asking people to be sensible about how far they travel once car parking is available, as other on-site DAERA facilities such as toilets, visitor centres, cafes or play parks will remain closed and their reopening will be considered at a later stage.

“While I intend to gradually open up our estate in stages, people must still respect social distancing measures.”

The Department has also been working with a range of providers of informal outdoor recreation sites throughout Northern Ireland such as parks, nature reserves, walking routes and associated facilities, to prepare for their re-opening.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

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