First phase of wild nephin visitor facilities officially opened
THE Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Tourism and Sport, Michael Ring, performed the official opening last Friday of the first phase of visitor access facilities at Wild Nephin, a unique wilderness landscape in Mayo and one of the few truly wild places remaining in Europe.
The new visitor facilities at Wild Nephin - a joint project between Coillte and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) in the creation of 11,000 hectares of wilderness on Coillte and Ballycroy National Park lands - include a car park, a viewing platform and picnic tables to facilitate enhanced visitor access. They represent the first phase of a programme of works to create a self-sustaining ecosystem that will provide an authentic ‘wilderness experience’ for those who visit.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Ring said: “The new facilities will prove a great boost to visitor access and will enhance visitor numbers to the area. There are many conservation benefits to this project. This is to be warmly welcomed.”
Denis Strong, divisional manager with the NPWS and chairman of the Wild Nephin working group, added: “This unique project is of national and international significance as it is one of the few remaining truly wild landscapes. The work we are doing will encourage recreational and educational activity at Nephin, as well as enhancing the overall visitor experience through a range of visitor facilities being created.
“This project will also inspire public awareness of our natural and cultural heritage and enable understanding of why it is so important that we treasure what we have.”
Managing director of Coillte Forest, Gerry Murphy, said the Wild Nephin project is a great example of how Coillte works in partnership to deliver world class results for all stakeholders by creating a legacy of real value for the people of Ireland. “It is a great showcase for the work we do all across the country, managing 20% of our forests for nature conservation and biodiversity,” he stated.
The Wild Nephin project places a welcome additional focus on Ballycroy National Park and the surrounding area while building on the momentum of other positive recreation developments such as the Bangor Trail and the Great Western Greenway.