County Kildare Walking Routes Project - Kildare.ie

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County Kildare Walking Routes Project students of environmental science. Bord na Móna has supported and funded archaeological excavations within Bord na Móna peat bogs as part of the Principles and Agreements reached between the responsible Government Departments and Bord na Móna. The Bord is committed to peatland conservation and to the long-term planning of its cutaway bogs and recognises the importance of peatlands as sites of scientific and archaeological study. There is an opportunity for Kildare County Council to work with the Bord to develop heritage and conservation walking routes on Bord na Móna property where management and access issues are easily addressed. The establishment of a Youth Hostel, independent or managed by An Oige, the Irish Youth Hostel Association, at Lullymore or Robertstown would attract significant visitor numbers from continental Europe to visit the peatlands, provide voluntary assistance to the conservation work of IPCC and do environmental research. Kildare County Council should consider interacting with IPCC, Bord na Móna and third level colleges with environmental science courses to promote North Kildare walking routes as part of the course field work. Recreational use by back packers will follow on the scientific publications and heightened awareness. Promotion to schools to provide easily-accessed sites for Geographical Investigation for senior cycle geography students should also be considered. The Carbury Bog Walk (W24) offers a variety of terrain along tarred road, minor road, forestry, peatland and railway line. It is promoted by the well established Balyna Rural Enterprise and Development Association (BREDA) and a significant section of the route is on Bord na Móna land. The erection of way markers, information boards and the production of a map guide are required. Bord na Móna could be approached in relation to sponsorship and branding of the route furniture and publications in the same way as Coillte has done for forest walks and Waterways Ireland has done, to some extent, for the canal walks. A sustainable management structure for the route has to be established but shared support by Bord na Móna and Kildare County Council of a community management structure using BREDA and the Rural Social Scheme is one possible way forward. There is a link with an established Slí na Sláinte route at Derrinturn (W6) with its interesting old windmill ruins. The Blackwood Feeder (W26) Project is a transnational Interreg IIIB funded initiative involving KELT and partners from the U.K. Spain, Portugal and France. It includes the Special Areas of Conservation at Ballynafagh Lake and Bog. In the 1960s Kildare County Council developed walks around Ballynafagh Lake which have since deteriorated. An inventory of the built heritage and a survey by an expert in walking route development on the site has been carried out. A geotechnical assessment of the fragile lake banks are being carried out at present. There are issues about access, grazing animals along the route, illegal dumping, overgrown stretches of the route and potential hazards for walkers around the lake. There is an active community group Tír na Móna that maintain the route around the lake. There is an appointed Ranger from the National Parks and Wildlife Service for the area. Significant investment in upgrading of the walking surfaces, provision of signposting, information boards and other route furniture will be required if the access issues can be resolved. Since the majority of the route is under the care of Kildare County Council these issues could be resolved in time. Given the level of funding of the project by Interreg IIIB, the amount of preparatory work already completed and the international partnerships CSA Project 3419 22
County Kildare Walking Routes Project developed Kildare County Council may be able to encourage the development of a walking route in the area by working with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. CSA Project 3419 23
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County Kildare Walking Routes Project - Kildare.ie

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