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Killarney National Park
Introduction
Photo Gallery
What's Happening?
History
Noteworthy Species
Bird life
Red Deer
Lakes
Muckross House
Oakwoods
Yew Wood
Park Rangers
Rhododendron
Cultural Heritage
Visiting the Park
Killarney Town
Killarney National Park Education Centre
Introduction
Recent Visits
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Other Irish National Parks
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Rhododendron Infestation
The introduction of the common Rhododendron (Rhododendron
ponticum) to the Killarney area has had a devastating effect
on some areas of the National Park. Rhododendron appears in Ireland's
fossil record but died out due to climate change many thousands
of years ago. When it was re-introduced from south-eastern Europe
during the last century it rapidly took hold, and it appears
that the climate and soils of Killarney suit it perfectly.
It is now rampant and invasive, and upwards of
650 hectares of National Park land are completely infested. Light
cannot penetrate the dense thickets of Rhododendron, with the
result that very few plants can survive beneath it and even the
mighty Oakwoods are in long-term danger as they cannot regenerate.
Rhododendron infestation has been described simply as "perhaps
the biggest conservation challenge facing the National Park".
The Park therefore implements a policy of control
and eradication, although any efforts to remove it are highly
labour intensive, and therefore costly. Efforts to bring the
problem under control are assisted by voluntary workers during
the Summer months. These workers are accommodated in the Park's
private hostel
and usually stay for a week at a stretch, travelling out to the
work-site daily (generally a boat trip and a further walk) and
returning in the evening before a bit of rest and relaxation!
These efforts are co-ordinated by Groundwork,
an independent organisation which is involved in many voluntary
conservation projects throughout Ireland. Further details can
be obtained by contacting Groundwork at:
Groundwork,
107 Lower Baggot Street,
Dublin 2.
E-mail
grndwork@iwt.ie
To visit the Groundwork website click here
Home
Killarney National Park
Introduction ~ Photo Gallery ~ What's Happening?
~ History ~ Noteworthy Species
~ Bird life
~ Red Deer
~ Lakes ~ Muckross House ~ Oakwoods ~ Yew Wood
~ Park Rangers
~ Rhododendron ~ Cultural Heritage ~ Visiting the Park ~ Killarney Town
Killarney National Park Education
Centre
Introduction ~ Recent Visits
~ Staff ~ Primary Schools ~ Post-primary Schools ~ Third Level Groups ~ Tour Groups ~ Youth Groups ~ Accommodation ~ Cappanalea
Other Irish National Parks
Burren ~ Connemara ~ Glenveagh ~ Mayo
~ Wicklow Mountains
Links |
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