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The Eco-Project at the Benwiskin Centre

Reducing the Benwiskin's Centre’s Carbon Footprint
By Noreen Duignan, Group member

Since the foundation of Ballintrillick Environmental Group back in 1992, our consistent aim has been the enhancement and preservation of the environment. We have been very faithful to this aim over the years, particularly in our continued annual clean-ups of the locality. Combined with this, we have developed the Mill Site in The Gleniff Horseshoe as an amenity area with walks, picnic area and restoration of the stables on the site. Over the years we have planted hardwood trees, while at The Benwiskin Centre we are now nearing the completion of the second year of our community garden.

This garden is a joint venture between The Environmental Group and The Organic Centre, Rossinver, where local people can learn all about organic gardening from the digging stage to the final cooking of the vegetables and fruit.

At the Centre we operate a reduce, re-use and recycle policy. As an extension of our efforts to preserve and enhance the environment, we have this year completed the installation of solar panels with the purpose of eventually eliminating our need for oil thereby using natural energy and easing our dependence on fossil fuels.

The solar panels have been jointly funded by Co. Sligo Leader Partnership Company under their National Rural Development Programme and Ballintrillick Environmental Group.  The Solar Panels were installed by Thomas Taaffe and Peter Schneider.

In conjunction with our solar panels we have just installed a wood pellet boiler to further reduce our carbon footprint by using renewable natural energy.  Pictured is the large burner and the hopper that stores the pellets.     
Arigna Leader together with the Swiss Company Energidalen have installed the pellet boiler. This project has been funded by Co Sligo Leader Partnership Company.

The Benwiskin Centre is one of three pilot projects being used to demonstrate the use of wood pellet boilers for heat generation in community run projects.

We look forward to the successful combination of solar panels and the wood pellet boiler to eventually make us completely independent of fossil fuels. We will continue in the future to make whatever changes are necessary to further our aim of enhancing the environment, thereby ensuring a healthy world for our children and grandchildren.

For more information on Eco Tourism Projects in the North West of Ireland please click on the following links:

Green Box Project