Trevor Sargent
Ceist:47 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Finance the state of health of each of our national parks having regard to any endangered animals, plants or landscape; and the way in which this is measured.
Written Answers. - National Parks.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:73 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Finance if he will give details of the objectives of our national parks in the areas of wildlife, tourism, education, conservation and other such areas.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 73 together.
Ireland's five national parks are managed in accordance with international criteria laid down by the World Conservation Union, IUCN. The essential purpose of a national park is to conserve natural plant and animal communities which are both extensive and of national importance, and under conditions compatible with that purpose, to enable people to visit and appreciate them. The natural heritage of our national parks cannot be appreciated by future generations unless it is effectively conserved in the meantime. Therefore, if any conflict arises between these objectives, nature conservation must be treated as the overriding one.
In general, therefore, the conservation of wildlife and their habitats within the national parks takes precedence over other objectives. This implies protecting and, if necessary, managing natural resources to permit the fullest possible operation of ecological processes, with the emphasis on whole ecosystems rather than preservation of individual species. Nevertheless, there are some plant and animal species in the parks which require particular consideration because of their national or indeed international importance. Appropriate management techniques are used to conserve these species provided they do not conflict with the ecosystem as a whole.
One such species is the red deer in Killarney, the only remaining wild herd of native deer in Ireland. This herd was on the verge of extinction in the sixties but, with careful management, the present population has increased to over 800.
The survival of native woodlands in Killarney and Glenveagh is under threat from rhododendron ponticum, an introduced shrub which spreads rapidly on acid soils and shades out the ground layer, preventing germination of native tree seedlings. The eradication of rhododendron is, therefore, a conservation priority in these parks. This is being addressed through the use of park staff, voluntary workers and hiring of contractors to clear specified areas.
Our national parks are among the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland and are, therefore, important from a tourism viewpoint. The needs of tourists are catered for by providing and maintaining the facilities necessary to enable visitors to enjoy their visit in ways that are compatible with the proper conservation of the parks.
A wide range of visitor facilities are provided including visitor centres incorporating interpretative displays and audio-visual presentations on the individual parks and their environs, as well as toilets, tearooms, picnic areas, and car-parks. The centres provide access to guided walks, self-guiding trails, informal walks and viewing-points within the parks.
Interpretation in national parks is an informal education activity aiming to explain meanings and relationships of park features rather than merely to communicate factual information. This enables visitors to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the parks' natural and cultural heritage and also of wider environmental issues. The methods used range from guided walks, talks and lectures to self guiding trails, outdoor display panels as well as interpretative displays and audio-visual presentations, and a wide variety of publications.
The national parks also facilitate all three levels of formal education. At primary school level this entails giving talks at school on aspects of the parks' environments and advising on and leading class groups on visits to the park. Many of the parks are also popular venues for organised school visits. At Killarney National Park a programme of field courses and education facilities have been provided, aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at secondary school level. Third level students are also facilitated in a variety of ways including information in connection with their studies, student placement schemes and support for relevant research projects by them.
Recreational activities such as pony trekking, boating and jaunting cars are facilitated under licence at appropriate locations, some on a concession basis following public competition where practicable. Other activities such as jet skiing, power boating or sport shooting are not considered appropriate within a national park and are not permitted.
All the national parks contain landscapes of high scenic quality. The park landscapes are afforded protection by the fact that the lands are owned and under the direct control of the State. Any proposals that would detract from the natural beauty of the parks would not be permitted.
Management policies for the parks have been determined based on the experience of management staff and on research. The experiences of national parks in other countries are also taken into account where appropriate and management strategies are monitored on an ongoing basis and are reviewed from time to time, as necessary. A management plan has been published for Killarney National Park in which management policies for that park have been set out in detail. Management plans for the other national parks are in course of preparation.
The state of natural resources in the parks is generally excellent. An inventory of national resources forms part of the basis data on which management plans are devised. Inventories are based on published scientific literature and nation-wide survey data, e.g. on protected plant species, augmented where necessary by specific studies to guide park management, such as vegetation mapping, bird censuses and invertebrate surveys. Routine monitoring is by park rangers under the direction of qualified park managers, and identified threats to the health of park ecosystems have been the subject of further research, e.g. on fresh-water pollution trends, spread and control of rhododendron, and factors affecting woodland regeneration.