The Western Education and Library Board (WELB) is delighted to announce that its Curriculum Advisory and Support Service (CASS) facility at Magilligan Field Centre (MFC) has piloted and become the first accredited Eco-Centres Northern Ireland in the new award scheme.
Eco-Centres Northern Ireland is closely aligned with ISO 14001 and Eco-Schools Northern Ireland. It is managed and accredited by Tidy NI who are core funded by the Department of the Environment. Additional support was obtained from WELB Property Services and Coleraine and Limavady Borough Councils.
Liz Wallace WELB Assistant Advisory Officer, said: “We are extremely proud that Magilligan Field Centre has received this accreditation, the first to be awarded in Northern Ireland. This award shows our commitment to reducing the environmental impact of the centre by supporting staff and the local community in addressing issues such as litter, waste reduction, energy conservation, water usage, protecting the local environment and biodiversity. MFC’s successful participation in the Eco-Centres Northern Ireland scheme provides a model of excellence for schools and other centres to follow.”
She added: “By being awarded Eco-Centres Northern Ireland status in our 40th anniversary year we will continue the legacy of promoting and supporting learning outside and inside the classroom, exemplifying Education for Sustainable Development.”
In order to meet the Eco-Centres award criteria a baseline review of the following ten sections were undertaken and monitored: Biodiversity; School Grounds; Climate Change; Global Perspective; Energy; Healthy Living; Litter; Transport; Waste and Water.
Progress was then evaluated and action taken. Energy data for example has meticulously been collected and monitored over the past decade, thus contributing to considerable reductions in electricity, oil and water costs and subsequent annual carbon dioxide emissions of up to 25%.
The MFC Eco-Code is: My World; Our Future; We Care and all centre programmes highlight this environmental initiative which involves staff and the local community.
For more information please visit http://cass.welbni.org/mfc .