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Biodiversity Flying High at AG

AG, (one of Northern Ireland’s leading manufacturers), is placing sustainability high on its agenda, on the back of recent news of a £4m investment across its seven-site operation.

Committed to reducing the impact its operations have on the environment, AG has appointed a dedicated Conservation Manager for the Group, tasked with ensuring energy use is greatly reduced and that AG continues to be a good neighbour to the wildlife present at each of its facilities.

Ed O’ Hara’s role will include auditing each site to create a log of the various species that have set up home there, putting into place a conservation programme that implements measures to safeguard their existence.

This will involve leaning on the expertise of external partners and collaborating with specialist bodies; and will put AG on a path to attaining sustainability kite mark 6001 – an ambition shared by Ed and AG bosses.

Part of his role will also require him to share his findings and learnings with AG’s 420 staff across the region, ensuring they are educated and informed as well as guided through the ways in which they can uphold AG’s commitment to nurturing the rare and protected species that are present.

Many celebrated species have already been spotted and nurtured at sites across the region including Peregrine Falcons, Sand Martins, the elusive Irish Hare right down to Dragonflies and Hoverflies.

The Falcons have been on-site for almost 20 years, which was referred to by Jim Wells of the NIRSG as

“one of the most successful sites in Northern Ireland, pivotal to the recovery of the species in the Greater Lough Erne area.” 

 

Ed O Hara is confident all breeds will hugely benefit from AG’s biodiversity initiative:“Championing biodiversity is of primary importance for AG and the measures we’re putting in place are testament to that, both in terms of monetary and time investments.

“I was appointed to the role of Conservation Manager because of a personal interest in the subject, and this will run in tandem with my ongoing role as Quality Control Manager in the business.

“We have a long history of supporting on-site initiatives to protect the wildlife we work alongside and uphold the natural ecosystem but these measures will formalise the commitment and hold AG up as an example of sustainable best practice.”