The Genesis of the Project

Alan Lauder talks about the genesis of the project and its aims:

Last winter in discussion with Lorcan O'Toole from the Golden Eagle Trust our long-held mutual ideas for restoring degraded wetland ecosystems in the midlands of Ireland were a topic of conversation between us. We had individually, in our respective pasts, tried to promote the idea, and seek traction with a range of potential stakeholders in a couple of different areas, of seeing landscape scale wetlands re-established. Lorcan's initial focus being on the re-establishment of previously lost Irish wildlife like Crane and me with thoughts of putting back a wildlife spectacle provided by thousands of wintering and breeding waterbirds associated with large wetlands. Both of us thinking at the same time about the real potnetial for restoring sustainable ecosystems, the potential for ecosystem services and in particular of the socio-economic benefits to rural communities struggling with the decline of other economic drivers.  

We decided then that a project like this needed some shape...to put some manners on it, so to speak 

Golden Eagle Trust agreed to provide an umbrella and I put together a Heritage Council grant application along with the support of many stakeholders in the area we were interested in around Mount Dillon and the mid-Shannon area. Support for the project was voiced from Longford and Roscommon County Councils, Wetlands Heritage Ireland and Bord na Mona and the Heritage Council saw fit to award us a small grant. Enough to get the initial steps carried out in 2016.

A summary of the project itself is below     

Conservation planning & project development for a landscape-scale Wetland Wilderness Park in the mid-Shannon area

Project Description

The development of a concept, site selection and conservation project plan with full stakeholder participation for a landscape-scale wetland wilderness park (WWP). Main focus being to deliver a plan for the development of a large scale wetland with infrastructure for management, access, recreation, education and tourism.

Aim of the project

Overall Aim: To develop the concept, project plan, outline costings and partnership structures needed to progress the development of a Wetland Wilderness Park towards implementation. This will include:

1. Site selection – development of criteria to identify key sites for inclusion within the scope of development of a WWP. Located approx. in the mid Shannon/Longford area and which would include environmental, geographical and natural heritage criteria along with ecosystem services such as; flood protection/prevention potential, biodiversity restoration options, natural & cultural heritage conservation and interpretation, carbon sequestration, tourism development, small scale commerce opportunities, health & well-being etc.

2. Stakeholder engagement – engagement of the key stakeholders in the process, developing the roles of stakeholders and the community in taking forward key opportunities for socio-economic benefit through the development of the wetland resource. 

3. Sustainable Management model – development of a means of site management into the future which does not rely entirely or predominantly on state funding

4. Best practice – the project concept to include opportunities to bring or develop best practice in the areas identified above

Rationale: The concept of a Wetland Wilderness Park has been in discussion for some years but there has been a hiatus in its development. The restoration of wetlands in Ireland has very large potential to deliver widely for biodiversity, eco-system services and socio-economic benefit. This first step in the project would provide a framework for key project stakeholders to contribute to the concept development, identify constraints and opportunities, examining funding potential and deliver an outline project plan

Why is this  project important? 

The main focus of the project would be to deliver a plan for the development of a large scale, high  functioning wetland ecosystem with associated infrastructure for management, public access, recreation, education and tourism. This project would be the first main step in its development.

Delivery of a completed WWP will contribute to a range of national plans and policy areas including the National Biodiversity Plan 

It also has the potential to contribute to a range of national species action plans, to local biodiversity plans, to national and local tourism strategies, to other related plans e.g. Bord na Mona’s Biodiversity Action Plan. The site could form a key demonstration project for wetland restoration and conservation across Ireland and become a significant site for wetland heritage interpretation and education both formal education and through lifelong learning.

Longford County Council has included in its current County Development Plan a policy proposal to convert the large tracts of cut away bog into a future Mid Shannon Wilderness Park and Bord na Mona have identified plans for site rehabilitation - but to enable wider benefits, a partnership approach, facilitated by an independent expert body would achieve significant added value.

What will be the public benefit of your project for the community and/or nationally?

The delivery of this concept for a WWP will facilitate partnership working, bringing together key potential stakeholders who would be necessary to enable to enable the delivery of a fully developed wetland restoration. This partnership facilitation has inherent benefits in developing and exploiting potential opportunities for wise resource use in heritage management and other areas..

The broad general location in the mid Shannon region and in particular focussing in on the Mount Dillon area as a focal point would, upon full implementation of the WWP project, see significant socio-economic benefits brought to the area. It is envisaged that this would contribute to measures to tackle key areas of socio-economic concern; employment, social inclusion, health & well-being, educational attainment 

In the shorter term, the outputs of this project would contribute to awareness raising on the wetland heritage of the area and contribute to greater appreciation of the wetland resource.

The stakeholder engagement process would bring partnership working and key resources and expertise to the project for future development 

Wetlands getting new focus thanks to the Heritage Council & friends

After a spring and summer of talking to people, project planning, initial site visits and pouring over maps, a new project to develop the concept and approach to the creation of a landscape-scale wetland wilderness park in the mid-Shannon region of Ireland is up and running.

A long-term vision of the Golden Eagle Trust  and many others has been to see the re-establishment of large scale wetland habitats in the Shannon basin. These would have the potential to restore wildlife, help with water and flooding issues and provide economic, recreation and well-being benefits to the community. 

The catalyst for this project was the award of grant funding from the Heritage Council Heritage Grant Scheme.  Other partners are coming on stream - more on that in future blogs updates...

Of course much of the relevant potential wetland habitat is currently managed by Bord na Mona for commercial interests and some is under private ownership. Bord na Mona have been helpful in encouraging dialogue and discussion throughout and supportive of the project receiving grant funding. It will be critical to the future development to work closely alongside Bord na Mona's own work plans but key in this initial project will be building their current thinking into the concept and planning from the start. 

This blog post kicks off what should be a series of posts to keep stakeholders and the public updated on progress and actions during the next few months. 

By the end there will be consultations, mapping and imaging, documenting of process and the forming of a collective vision and concept with clear aims and objectives, identified partners and the key actions identified to establish, create or restore Ireland's largest wetland area bringing in associated sustainable activities, visitor facilities and access routes to enable people to be a key part of its future and make it a significant contributor to community, tourism, economy and well being in the area.    

The area in focus lies to the northern end of Lough Rea across both Longford and Roscommon Counties. An approximate search area is shown here. Longford and Roscommon County Councils are already involved in discussions.

More on all of this in upcoming blog posts and an opportunity to contribute views and thinking through consultation and events will be underway very soon