A community in the west of Ireland has developed woodland for the public’s recreational use, with the help of national funding.
The Balla Town Park group in Co. Mayo developed the woodland with the help of funding from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the NeighbourWood Scheme.
Both the Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, with responsibility for forestry, opened the new improved ‘NeighbourWood’ at Balla on Monday, February 20.
The scheme, which is administered by the Department, is designed to provide accessible opportunities for recreation and regular exercise in woodland areas.
It is hoped that by creating and developing woodlands for the benefit of current and future generations it will also highlight the social benefits of forestry to local communities.
Forestry has an important contribution to make to the continued growth of the economy, according to the Taoiseach.
“Last month, we launched Realising our Rural Potential: The Action Plan for Rural Development. Forestry is an important part of that plan.
There is also an important social benefit when our forested areas can be opened up to visitors and local communities, as an amenity for recreational purposes.
The Taoiseach also said every effort will be made to maximise and facilitate trade with the UK both during and after the Brexit negotiations.
The UK will remain an important market for Irish timber products, while continued investment in processing technology and servicing customer needs will help keep Irish exports competitive, he added.
Meanwhile, projects such as the one in Balla allow for both the young and old to experience nature and the environment, while also allowing them to see the variety of plants and wildlife in these habitats, Minister Doyle said.
“In all cases, what makes a woodland a ‘NeighbourWood’ is the way in which it is perceived by local people.
NeighbourWoods are an invaluable community resource and part of the local fabric of life and sense of place.
The aim of the project in Balla was to improve the standard of woodland for recreational use through resurfacing the paths, putting in place informative signage and carrying out maintenance programmes when dead trees and undergrowth had been cleared.
It is also hoped that the project will raise awareness of the woods as an important natural heritage and landscape amenity area for residents and visitors.
Forestry Sector
Forestry production in Co. Mayo is expected to reach 113,000m³ this year, an increase of approximately 8% over the previous year’s figure, Minister Doyle said.
In 2017 the total value of timber extracted from Mayo forests is estimated at €3.5m. It is also estimated that forestry in the county supports some 700 jobs.
The aim at national level is to increase national forest cover to 18% by 2050, he added.
Afforestation levels over the past three years have steadily increased as more land owners see the benefits of forestry, Minister Doyle said.
More and more landowners are now looking at forestry as an attractive and viable land use option or a long term investment with the returns coinciding with later life, he said.