Note this and the below sections relate to the Killarney Town Development Plan.
PROPOSAL: Add an objective, “Ensure that the biodiversity and the temperate rainforest ecosystem of Killarney National Park, as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and as part of both a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protected Area, are conserved and enhanced.”
RATIONALE: Killarney Nation Park is one of the last remaining temperate rainforests in Europe, and its significance and value is clear from its designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, as well as being part of both a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protected Area. It is also a key attraction for tourists to Killarney. In recent years, rapidly expanding rhododendron infestations and a devastating fire have significantly degraded the value of certain areas of the park, and it is critical that work is done to undo this damage and to prevent such damage occurring in the future. While KA 4 refers to the National Park and conservation objectives, this statement is not nearly strong enough if one considers the importance of the National Park both for Killarney. There should be an explicit objective in Killarney plan to conserve and enhance the biodiversity and temperate rainforest ecosystem of the park, in addition to any objectives in volume one.