Minster visits National Park

Minister for State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan paid a visit to Killarney National Park on Friday last as part of National Biodiversity Week.

He took the time to call to observe the recently planted 30,000 acorns from royal oak and sessile oak gathered within the National Park, there he met NPWS Conservation Ranger, Tim Cahalane. He visited the important work carried out by the Volunteer Meitheal Group and met Peter O'Toole, Johnny McGuire and Padraig Treacy.

He also saw at first hand the staff demonstrating Fire prevention techniques. NPWS Divisional Manager of the Éamonn Meskell and Regional Manager Danny O'Keeffe, escorted the Minister to the various sites.

National Park is home to a site known as Osprey Rock at Loch Léinn pointing to the bird’s history in Ireland, particularly close to rivers and lakes as it hunts for fish.

One of the project leaders is local NPWS Divisional Managers Eamonn Meskell, who also led and delivered the ongoing and highly successful White-tailed Eagle Reintroduction Programme in Ireland.

The experience gained and knowledge acquired during the Eagle programme will be of great benefit to the Osprey Reintroduction Programme.

“In addition to the holding pens at the release sites, artificial eyries will also be constructed in the release area,” said Mr Meskell.

“The details of the construction of holding pens and artificial next sites, feeding and care of birds, their transport and release are based on extensive experience with other Osprey reintroduction programmes, and with the White Tailed Eagle reintroduction programmes in Ireland over nine years. Once the chicks arrive in Ireland we’ll be monitoring their progress and adapting their feeding regime to build towards their eventual release over the summer.”

While the programme may take some time for the species to begin breeding again, the reintroduction of this fish-eating apex predator will provide significant insights into the health of the Irish ecosystem, and its waters over time.

Minister for State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcom Noonan T.D., (centre) on a visit to Killarney National Park with Peter O’Toole, Meitheal Volunteer, and NPWS Divisonal Manager, Éamonn Meskell. Photo: Valerie O’Sullivan

Killarney showcased to an international botanists

Botanists from all over Ireland and Britain gathered in Killarney for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) botanical four-day summer field event.

Members got the chance to appreciate the bountiful botanical wonders of County Kerry.

Killarney National Park - National Park and Wildlife Service were among the hosts of the biggest field meeting of the year, which coincided with the start of National Biodiversity Week. The earliest recorded botanical visit to Kerry was in 1699 and over three centuries later, County Kerry continues to interest Irish and British botanists due to the diversity of plant species and habitats.

Killarney is famous for its Atlantic oak, yew and wet woodlands and the surrounding region has specialist plants in the peatlands and mountains.

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