Terryland Forest Park: Conservation Volunteers Update


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.
Our friends in Cumann na bhFear are allocating a number of High Nelly vintage bikes to be used for this purpose. 
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!”
Rendezvous: O'Brien's Café, Lisbaun Estate, 2:30pm, Sat. November 17th
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