Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The National Parks and Wildlife Service has always acknowledged the significant contribution made by Groundwork volunteers over many years. The Deputy referred to the adopt a woodland project in Killarney National Park, which is designed to assist with the control of rhododendron in the park. The project will harness additional assistance from volunteer groups to augment the resources already being applied in respect of the ongoing control and management programme. The targeted woodland at a number of designated sites has been cleared of the mature rhododendron, and maintenance work has been carried out over a period of years to remove seedlings and saplings. The sites to which I refer will require ongoing, low-level maintenance work for many years to come, and they will remain the target locations for the adopt a woodland project. The project has the joint aims of assisting in the work to control rhododendron in Killarney National Park and involving the local community. It will commence in 2015. Procedures and conditions are being elaborated. It should be noted that this project will represent a supplementary element to the overall control programme and is not in any way intended to displace the ongoing core rhododendron work.

See this speech in context