Concern Over Glenveagh Park Destruction

The Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT) has voiced concerns that large areas of sensitive habitat are being destroyed illegally at Glenveagh National Park.

The Park, which is located in Co Donegal, is one of six in the country and houses rare species such as the Golden Eagle and Red Deer.

Last month, the IWT said it surveyed four areas of the park where machines were being used to extract large volumes of turf on a commercial scale. In a statement, it added that there was also extensive illegal dumping of tyres and household debris within the boundary of the park.

The affected areas are said to lie not only in the National Park, but within zones designated as Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area.

The IWT believes this is occurring without any regulation or controls but has asked the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to clarify the situation.

No response has yet been received.

Pádraic Fogarty, Campaigns Officer for the IWT, said: "If Glenveagh National Park is allowed to be destroyed in this way then none of our protected sites for nature is safe. It has to be asked why NPWS management, based just a short distance away, is allowing this to go on.

"It is appalling that so little value is placed on a national treasure that is of such value to County Donegal from an economic, heritage and recreational point of view."

(JP/IT)