Atlantic West Natura Communities

Atlantic West Natura Communities manages and develops locally led nature restoration projects that deliver employment opportunities and create positive change in rural communities. AWNC is a CLG based in North Mayo that operates as a non-profit. We employ and upskill local people in specialist techniques, building a skilled workforce that stays in the region. This is just transition in practice - green, rural employment created by environmental action. Our projects include invasive species control, peatland restoration, and farmland bird conservation.

Peatland restoration and invasive-species control improves habitats, support native wildlife and protects Natura 2000 sites. Healthy peatlands are among the most effective natural carbon stores on Earth, but when they are drained or cut, they change from carbon store to carbon source, releasing centuries of stored carbon. Restoring them is therefore one of the most powerful nature-based climate solutions available to Ireland.

We work with landowners, farmers, and community members as active partners, not bystanders, building trust through face-to-face engagement and one-to-one work. We also collaborate with community groups and other organisations, the result is genuine community ownership - the single biggest factor in whether restoration endures.

AWNC is part of the Natura Communities initiative, created by the Wild Atlantic Nature LIFE IP, which aims to build capacity for nature restoration works in communities adjacent to Natura 2000 sites.

We believe that rural communities should be active participants in nature restoration, not just passive beneficiaries. Atlantic West restores nature in a way that creates local jobs, builds local skills, and keeps rural communities at the heart of Ireland’s climate and biodiversity efforts.