Funding allocated to rhododendron clearance work in Connemara National Park

The Rhododendron Altaclarense flowers on the ground. Picture: Dan Linehan

Half a million euro will be spent on clearing rhododendron from Connemara National Park - one of the biggest threats faced by peatlands in the west.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) will embark on a two year plan to tackle the “extremely invasive” plant which regrows vigorously when cut, so it will be necessary to kill or remove the plant stumps from the land.

Heritage Minister Malcolm Noonan said the removal of the plant would be labour intensive work, but that it was critically important for the health of the ecosystem.

It is hoped 300 hectares will be cleared in Connemara over the two year period and Mr Noonan hopes this will “alleviate a significant pressure on the habitat and support the natural ecological function of this important site.” 

Rhododendron ponticum was brought into Ireland from Asia in the 18th century, and its bright pink and purple coloured flowers are often enjoyed as a beautiful ‘wild’ flowering shrub. However, it is extremely troublesome and totally unpalatable to animals.

William Cormacan, manager of Connemara National Park, said that the plant is dangerous to the entire western seaboard.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland, Mr Cormacan said that out of the 2,000 hectares of the park’s peat and blanket bog, they have estimated that at least a quarter of it has a problem with the plant.

“The plant is native to the Himalayas, where it’s not dangerous, however, the west of Ireland has ideal growing conditions for the plant where it has been really successful at spreading… it releases toxins and kills all the other plants around it,” he said.

“It’s such a resilient plant and it's very labour intensive to try to manage and control it. Even after you treat it, you get regrowth and need a lot of follow up management,” Mr Cormacan said.