Blackrock Park leading the way for pollinators
THE beautiful Blackrock Park is one of the local parks leading the way in growing flowers and plants for pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies.
The work already been carried out by the committee members and volunteers who look after the park was recognised in the 2020 Green Flag Awards when the park was among the 2020 Pollinator Plan award winners, along with Ice House Hill and St Helena’s Park in Dundalk.
Earlier this month, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien T.D., launched the new All-Ireland Pollinator Plan for 2021-2025.
Currently Ireland is the only country in the world operating the Pollinator Plan Award as part of its Green Flag Award Scheme operations, and Blackrock Park has been to the fore in developing insect friendly environments.
Committee member Eileen Carter says Louth County Council first encouraged them to enter the Green Flag Awards which they have done with great success.
Even before the Pollinator Plan Award was rolled out, they were actively planting to encourage wildlife and biodiversity within the park.
‘About eight or nine years ago, we teamed up with Dr Pamela Whittaker and she helped us in coming up with a plan so that we could have both natural and formal areas in the park.’
The result is a pleasing blend of native hedging, trees and wild flowers, along with more formal planting.
‘We put in all native hedging and trees such as hawthorns, willow and alder. We developed an intergenerational area where we invited local children to come with their grandparents or older relatives and planted old-fashioned cottage garden flowers like foxgloves and hollyhocks.’
There are wild flower areas full of pollinators to attract insects. In the summer the park is alive with insects buzzing in flowers such as red clover, cornflowers,yellow rattle, corn cockle, poppies, meadow buttercups, ox-eye daisies, camomile, ragged robin, red campion, scabious and yarrow. Growing these types of wild flowers, which self seed and come up year after year, makes for better sustainability.
Now, it’s the native spring flowers which are adding a welcome splash of colour to the park, with primroses, wild garlic and cowslips popping up in the woodland area.
These early blooms are a very important source of pollen for bees after the winter, says Eileen. Dandilions are another valuable source of pollen so the grass won’t be cut until more flowers have come on stream.
The blossoms are starting to appear on the fruit trees around the park - with more pollen for the bees.
‘Everything we do in the park is geared towards encouraging insect habitats. We recycle absolutely everything. We will cut up old bits of wood and branches and put them into piles, and we also have insect hotels.’
The park is looked after by the committee of ten people and a similar number of volunteers. ‘People come down once a week but there is no compulsion if it doesn’t suit them to come every week. It’s a great way for people who have moved into the village or who have retired to get to know people.’
They work closely with Blackrock Tidy Towns and the local schools, who have got involved in various projects over the years. Louth County Council also provides support.