Clean-Up of
Forest Park was a great Success!
Many thanks to
all those volunteers and supporters of the Conservation Volunteers Terryland Forest Park (CVTFP) that turned up on Saturday October 28th for a well supported clean-up in the
Terryland Forest Park on Saturday October. Lots of rubbish was collected in the
allocated 2 hour period- 30 full bags (alcohol cans and bottles), a bicycle, a
large piece of lino flooring, a buggy, a microwave, washing machine and a sofa.
Recent
Anti-Social Activity
Sadly since our
clean-up, more litter has appeared in the park due to the presence of a group
of very drunk young people late on Halloween night who congregated near to the
clean-up area and left behind a myriad of burnt tyres, tables, chairs and
beverage containers.
However, CVTFP
chairperson Brendan Smith met this week with the local Community Garda on the
issue and discussions are taking place on possible ways of eliminating this
anti-social problem once and for all from the Forest Park. So do not lose
heart!
Conservation Volunteer
HQ in Forest Park!
The Conservation
Volunteers have taken delivery of a large container from City Parks manager Stephen
Walsh. It has been positioned near to the Galway Bay FM premised at one of the
entrances to the Terryland Forest Park. This unit has enormous potential uses
including serving as our onsite headquarters and a depot for touring bicycles
that can be loaned to park visitors.
Brendan Smith has
held preliminary discussions with the City Arts Office on how schools can be
actively involved in the painting
of a thematic mural on the exterior walls of our new HQ.
Leafless Tree
Detective Walk
Conservation
Volunteer TFP member Matthew O’Toole is organising what promises to be an
exciting investigative guided nature walk in the Terryland Forest Park at
2.30pm on Saturday November 17th.
Matthew says. “As the last leaves of autumn
fall, the trees take on a different form.
Come discover the trees of Terryland Forest Park with bark, shape and form. Become an arboreal detective!”
Come discover the trees of Terryland Forest Park with bark, shape and form. Become an arboreal detective!”
Rendezvous: O'Brien's Café,
Lisbaun Estate, 2:30pm, Sat. November 17th
For further information, contact Matthew at vmatthewg@gmail.com
For further information, contact Matthew at vmatthewg@gmail.com
School Becomes a ‘Friend
of the Terryland Forest Park’
St. Nicholas
Parochial School is the first in a series of schools that it is hoped will be
signing up over the next few months to take an active role in the development
and preservation and promotion of the Terryland Forest Park as an outdoor classroom and research
laboratory of significant local and national importance.
The fifth and
sixth class students will be working with Conservation Volunteer members
Andreas Baumann, Matthew O’Toole and Brendan Smith to develop a free mobile app
of the parkland that will benefit local and tourists alike!
The students will
also mount an exhibit on the theme of the Forest Park at the Galway Science
Fair that will take place on Sunday November 25th in NUI Galway. This fair is major importance
and attracted over 25,000 visitors last year.
Online Digital
Maps of Forest now Available
Brendan Smith is
one of three CVTFP members working on producing digital information maps
containing important social and natural heritage information of the Terryland
Forest Park. Andreas Baumann and Bernard McGlinchy are also involved in mapping
the pioneering Seven Galway Castles Lopped Cycle Trail which will become a
major Greenways of national importance.
It is the
intention that these high tech resources will be used for educational and
tourism purposes and be accessed online or as mobile apps.
A draft version
of Brendan’s work can be viewed here
City Heritage
Officer to work with Conservation Volunteers TFP
Jim Higgins,
Galway City Heritage Officer, will meet with the conservation volunteers and our partner group Cumann na bhFear
(aka Men’s Shed) at 8pm this Thursday to review heritage work projects within
the Terryland Forest Park area that could be undertaken by our members. Areas
being considered include works at the Terryland Castle and the old Victorian
waterworks as well as the repair of drystone walls along the Dyke Road.
The meeting will
take place at Cumann an bhFear premises at Unit IB Sandy Road Business Park.
All members and supporters are invited!
Establishing a
Volunteer Park Rangers unit
As mentioned
previously, the establishment of a volunteer Park Rangers unit to act as an
almost permanent daytime presence in the Terryland Forest Park is essential if
this green heritage resource is to be reclaimed by the citizens as the People’s
Park and a haven for wildlife. These rangers could act as information guides,
litter collectors and supervisors of tree planting activities.
Are you
interested in joining up?
Greenprint for
Terryland Forest Park
Click here to see the ambitious community plans for Terryland Forest Park
