wetlands and Education

Billy Flynn

Irish Wildlife Trust

County Monaghan

A lakeland county

Other wetlands present in the county:

rivers, canals, wet grassland, reed and large sedge swamps, freshwater marsh, wet heath, rich fens, wet woodland, bog

woodland

MONAGHAN WETLAND SURVEY (2006) MONAGHAN FEN SURVEY (2007)

A FEW WETLAND SITES OF INTEREST IN MONAGHAN

The Ballybay Wetlands Centre

Unique Education facility

• c. 1km from Ballybay, co. monaghan

• internationally important site for whooper swan

• open year-round

Wetlands as an educational venue

• range of habitat types

• adaptations, life-forms

• Physicochemical attributes & parameters

opportunity to see ‘unfamiliar’ area

environmental principles

• water cycle

• nutrient management

• flood management

• water purification

provides excellent examples of need for conservation

• habitat management

• pollution control

• landscape

• aesthetic values

opportunity to address negative connotations of wetlands

Remove some of the poorer associations

the ‘weeds...’ etc

reinforce value of areas for wider group

they aren’t wastelands - in any sense

shared usage is essential

• increased use of outdoor spaces

• walking, angling, canoeing, cycling, kayaking...

• ensure that these are encouraged

Make the practical value of our wetlands obvious and clear

some other current wetland projects in Monaghan

• Ulster Canal: lough Erne to Clones

• Dartrey forest walking and cycling project

• lough Muckno sports and recreational project

• Ulster Canal Greenway

Ulster canal reopening

• Phase I: Lough Erne to Clones

• restoring c. 13km of navigation

• some ecological impacts

• linking and restoring habitats

• providing access

Dartrey Forest

• Walking and cycling routes c. 10km within Coillte lands adjacent Dromore lakes

Lough Muckno

• sports and recreational Project within pNHA

• allows very highest level angling events

• creates access for multiple users

Ulster Canal Greenway

• c.8km of combined footpath and cycleway

• low-footprint construction intended

• biodiversity awareness ‘written-in’

new ways of experiencing wetlands

new opportunities for education and awareness

Wetlands and Education

Billy Flynn

Irish Wildlife Trust

THANK YOU