State insists its Rhodo policy in Park is controlling pest plant

Department of Heritage responds to complaint to EU Commission by voluntary group Groundwork

THE State is adamant that its management of the rhododendron problem in Killarney National Park is meeting ‘considerable success’ and far from the version presented to the European Commission last week by a voluntary group of conservationists.

The group Groundwork complained both the National Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to the European Commission over a week ago. The group warned the precious oakwoods of Killarney National Park are fast deteriorating and claimed there was no management plan in place to tackle the issue. It informed the Commission it believed this a breach of the Habitats Directive.

Not so, a spokesperson for the Department informed The Kerryman. In fact, the Department claims to have slashed a third of the once 10,000-hectare area of the Park choked with the invasive pest.

“The Department does not agree with Groundwork’s assertions that its Rhododendron management in Killarney National Park has failed nor that there have been breaches of the Habitats Directive,” the spokesperson said.

“On the contrary, the Department has for many years pursued a very vigorous multi-faceted approach to the control of Rhododendron in Killarney National Park with considerable success.”

They pointed out that a previous Groundwork complaint to the EU on the matter was not upheld: “In this context, it should be noted that while Groundwork has complained to the EU in respect of rhododendron in the past, upon consideration of the steps that the Department has put in place the EU Commission decided not to pursue these complaints.”

Groundwork’s complaint sounded a dire warning for the future of the precious eco-system of the Park: “The most biologically rich areas of the Killarney Oak woods are now significantly and rapidly deteriorating, and no management plans have been implemented to address the problem. We believe this constitutes a breach of of Articles 6(1) and 6(2) of the Habitats Directive.”

But the Department has pointed to the recent UNESCO designation for the Killarney Biosphere Reserve - contiguous with the National Park – which was awarded in part in recognition of the success of the NPWS rhodo management programme.

“Indeed following a Review, we recently received updated Designation from UNESCO for the Killarney Biosphere Reserve; the current Rhododendron management programme formed part of this review.

The Department is satisfied that its methodology is effective and has made significant inroads into the issue. The Department has always been open to input from Groundwork (and others) into all aspects of its Rhododendron Management in Killarney National Park. The Department hopes that Groundwork might begin to engage with it constructively on this key issue,” the spokesperson added.

A number of specialist staff are tasked with controlling the virulent pest in the National Park, with one worker dedicated full time to the rhodo management programme. They, along with the rest of the team, advise and report on the problem in Killarney National Park as the Department oversees a strategy it says its based on strong scientific findings as well as continuous monitoring. Monitoring in turn informs ‘periodic reviews’ and any adaptation of the programme demanded by the findings.

There are four elements to its strategy: Initial clearance and follow-up maintenance work by contractors, on-going maintenance work by volunteers and students; rhodo eradication; and research and monitoring.

Killarney’s Deenagh river choked by rhododendron.