CIE Tours has established a new Sustainability Action Fund, designed to support local communities in locations where CIE brings travelers and address the environmental impact of its operations. Its first investments will be in two Irish initiatives: ReFarm, an agricultural sustainability program, and the Belvedere Youth Club in Dublin.
The tour company's investment in ReFarm will support a national "farming for nature" initiative developed with Trinity College Dublin and the Burrenbeo Trust. The program, which has secured over $1 million dollars in funding, aims to create and manage wildlife ponds, hedgerows and woodlands across Ireland's rural areas, with a focus on the Burren region near the Cliffs of Moher.
"CIE Tours is proud to support projects like ReFarm, an important initiative focused on developing ways to preserve Ireland's beautiful rural landscapes for future visitors," said Stephen Cotter, managing director of CIE Tours. "These communities are also the backbone of our food system, and we're thankful to be able to play a small part to ensure that this integral industry and the communities here thrive well into the future."
The fund will also support Dublin's Belvedere Youth Club, which provides school clubs, sporting facilities, creative services, meals and recreational activities to young people in Dublin. The organization currently receives 15% of its funding from government support, with the remainder coming from fundraising, philanthropists and corporate donors.
The company plans to expand the Sustainability Action Fund's reach to support additional projects both within Ireland and internationally.
Editor’s Note: This article was generated by AI, based on a press release distributed by CIE Tours. It has been fact-checked and reviewed by a TravelAge West editor.