Environmental NGOs Urge Government To Buy Land Beside Glen of the Downs Nature Reserve

In a letter to Heritage Minister Malcom Noonan, Irish Environmental Network Members said the sale of lands at Kindlestown Road Upper presents a unique opportunity.

“This is a rare opportunity to protect and enhance one of Ireland's oldest nature reserves and a site of international significance as recognised by its designation as a Special Area of Conservation,” they said.

The environmental groups said the purchase of the lands should be part of a much broader landscape-based approach to nature restoration that looks to utilise the existing network of Natura 2000 sites, public lands and supportive private landowners in East Wicklow to re-connect remnant ancient woodlands across the hills and foothills of the Wicklow Mountains from Knocksink Woods in the North to Glendalough and the Devils Glen in the South.

The project should form part of Ireland’s National Restoration Plan, under which the State must restore old Oak woodland to favourable conservation status, according to the environmental groups which include  An Taisce, the Irish Wildlife Trust, the Native Woodland Trust, along with ReWild Wicklow.

“While this plan may seem ambitious, we believe it is a necessary and prudent investment into Wicklow’s and Ireland’s future. The State will not be alone in this endeavour as there is immense support for nature restoration within communities across Wicklow for Nature Restoration.

We have seen this in the local support for an associated petition and in the growing grass-roots conservation movement in the county, including the now regular collaboration between ReWild Wicklow and the NPWS,” said the environmental NGOs.

You can read the letter here