Call For Kindlestown Woods To Go Native

Taking his master for a walk…

atest press release from Jennifer Whitmore TD, issued on Tuesday, November 14th 2023…

Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore has called on the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Coillte to work together to examine the expansion of the Glen of the Downs’s ancient woodland by connecting it to nearby Kindlestown Woods.

This call comes after a discussion on biodiversity loss at the Oireachtas Climate Committee – of which Deputy Whitmore is a member – with the NPWS.

After the committee meeting, Deputy Whitmore said: “The Glen of the Downs is an iconic site for Wicklow and is a renowned example of a rare ancient woodland. I believe there are opportunities to not only work to protect this important ecological area, but to enable its expansion into nearby Kindlestown Wood, which is managed and operated by Coillte.”

“Ideally, what needs to happen is that Coillte remove non-native trees species from the Kindlestown Woods, and allow for the natural regeneration of native woodland from the existing native species onsite that would have originally formed part of the Bellevue Estate. Opportunities may also exist for woodland corridors to join Kindlestown and the Glen of the Downs, to provide the best ecological outcome for the area.”

“As a nation, we have lost a huge amount of our old forests and this has resulted in a depleted ecosystem. It’s really important that we pull put all the stops to protect and enhance any existing sites now, before we lose them forever.”

“To put this in context, I was recently told by a forester that there is currently no forest in Wicklow that is a healthy and growing state. Unfortunately, they are all moribund, as the level of invasive deer in the county means that all new growth within a forest is quickly eaten and this impedes the natural growth cycle of a forest. This paints a very bleak picture for the future of our forests, and needs to be addressed by Government.”

“To this end, I also asked NPWS to look at installing an exclosure at the Glen of the Downs, that would keep out grazing deer and give the woods an opportunity to regenerate. If this was to happen it would be a significant step in the right direction for reviving our local woodlands.”

“I want to see the woodlands of Wicklow be vibrant centres of biodiversity, and this is a prime opportunity for Coillte and NPWS to deliver on that in Wicklow jointly.”