Western Europe's first wilderness project launched in Mayo

Cork boy 55

Looks like They are designating an area of over 11,000 hectares in the Nephin Beg Range of North West Mayo as a "wilderness"

The first of its kind in Western Europe apparently

Looks like this is quite different to your average collite forest park or lands
The project will involve Coillte taking 4,400 hectares out of their commercial forest operation and rewilding this land, improving habitat and landscape quality over a 15 year period. The eventual intention is protecting a landscape of scale with functioning ecosystems while providing an authentic ‘wilderness experience’ for those that visit.

http://www.coillte.ie/aboutcoillte/news/article/view/irelands-first-wilderness-project-launched/

I cannot find the detailed original project statement
so don't have all details
Looks like they are taking man out of the loop completely or almost once it is finished
No timber, bog cutting, hunting or fishing etc

Rovi

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

Looks like They are designating an area of over 11,000 hectares in the Nephin Beg Range of North West Mayo as a "wilderness"

The first of its kind in Western Europe apparently

Looks like this is quite different to your average collite forest park or lands
The project will involve Coillte taking 4,400 hectares out of their commercial forest operation and rewilding this land, improving habitat and landscape quality over a 15 year period.

Which rather begs the question: where's the other 6,600 hectares coming from???

blue5000

Great, we finally have somewhere to dump all the unwanted horses and goats in the country:D

And let the eagles feed on them:eek:

Conmaicne Mara

Rovi wrote: »

Which rather begs the question: where's the other 6,600 hectares coming from???

It's beside a national park I think, so maybe from there?

Dante

I thought Mayo already was wilderness?

Loafing Oaf

DaaaaaaaaaaN wrote: »

I thought Mayo already was wilderness?

I was gonna say, speaking as a Mayoman, they've certainly picked the right county...

dontom

Who will pay the bills for it ???

nuac

Yes I think this is a good idea.

there is a market for this sort of development.

Look at the success of the Westport-Achill Greenway

porsche959

DaaaaaaaaaaN wrote: »

I thought Mayo already was wilderness?

North Mayo in particularly is sparsely populated (by humans). They have picked a good location for this.

1chippy

Does it qualify for sfp?

Birdnuts

Rovi wrote: »

Which rather begs the question: where's the other 6,600 hectares coming from???

Its the existing Ballycroy NP, with the rest as stated coming from former Coillte land where the forestry crop has failed and is now of such poor quality that it is not worth harvesting or replanting. This is happening about 25 miles from my few acres in North Mayo and is real wild country next to Ballycroy NP. The existing interpretive centre is very impressive and gets a stready stream of foreign and domestic vistors every year.

supersean1999

1chippy wrote: »

Does it qualify for sfp?

coillte land? The mountains around there has lots of sheep on them

supersean1999

porsche959 wrote: »

North Mayo in particularly is sparsely populated (by humans). They have picked a good location for this.

More rules and regulations for the hill farmers,

Connboy

Is this project creating any jobs apart from potential tourism .

Cork boy 55

supersean1999 wrote: »

coillte land? The mountains around there has lots of sheep on them

if its a "wilderness" zone then there won't be any sheep (i think)

Not a lot of media covergae of this at all.
It covers 2% of Mayo if my maths is right.

connboy wrote: »

Is this project creating any jobs apart from potential tourism

Is there any real demand for a super-large national park in Ireland
I don't know there are some pretty big parks across Europe

robp

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

Looks like They are designating an area of over 11,000 hectares in the Nephin Beg Range of North West Mayo as a "wilderness"

The first of its kind in Western Europe apparently

Looks like this is quite different to your average collite forest park or lands
The project will involve Coillte taking 4,400 hectares out of their commercial forest operation and rewilding this land, improving habitat and landscape quality over a 15 year period. The eventual intention is protecting a landscape of scale with functioning ecosystems while providing an authentic ‘wilderness experience’ for those that visit.

http://www.coillte.ie/aboutcoillte/news/article/view/irelands-first-wilderness-project-launched/

I cannot find the detailed original project statement
so don't have all details
Looks like they are taking man out of the loop completely or almost once it is finished
No timber, bog cutting, hunting or fishing etc

I have been following this online and I am pretty sure fishing will be allowed there and its not impossible that hunting will be permitted there also but I am not sure about hunting.

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

if its a "wilderness" zone then there won't be any sheep (i think)

Not a lot of media covergae of this at all.
It covers 2% of Mayo if my maths is right.


Is there any real demand for a super-large national park in Ireland
I don't know there are some pretty big parks across Europe

What is different to this project is the approach and official wilderness designation which is unique in Europe. The area is only modest by European sizes. For instance Glenveagh park is bigger than the wilderness area of this one at 16,950 hectares but the total area of this Mayo project is larger than the 'wilderess' area as there are plenty of buffer zones.
Pretty detailed info here. http://www.self-willed-land.org.uk/articles/wild_nephin_project.pdf

Cork boy 55

on ear to ground tv show tonight

supersean1999

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

on ear to ground tv show tonight

Missed it

robp

supersean1999 wrote: »

Missed it

Its up on RTE player for the moment.

Conmaicne Mara

supersean1999 wrote: »

Missed it

Did not miss a lot, more interest in hover flies than human beings.

Capercaille

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Did not miss a lot, more interest in hover flies than human beings.

Is that not the point? There going to leave all the non-native forestry there so it's kind of pointless exercise though.

Conmaicne Mara

Capercaille wrote: »

Is that not the point? There going to leave all the non-native forestry there so it's kind of pointless exercise though.

It is the point, never said I agreed with the point I thought they were taking eveything eventually including any forestry roads, bridges etc. Maybe without the forests it'll be too wild for them

dontom

Who pays the bills ??? Out of what pot is the money coming from ???

robp

dontom wrote: »

Who pays the bills ??? Out of what pot is the money coming from ???

At the moment there seems to be few bills. They want to apply for EU Life funding for some conservation work there like planting trees. I can't imagine Coillte is willing to spend much on it.

Brown Podzol

Rovi wrote: »

Which rather begs the question: where's the other 6,600 hectares coming from???

Is it measured flat

Conmaicne Mara

Brown Podzol wrote: »

Is it measured flat

The flat earth society say that's the only way

badshot

North Mayo in particularly is sparsely populated (by humans). They have picked a good location for this.[/QUOTE]

didn't think there were any humans
in mayo