Minister Charlie McConalogue Opens Coillte’s Upgraded Bonny Glen Recreational Forest
Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), joined Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Niamh Kennedy, and representatives from Coillte for the official opening of the recently upgraded Bonny Glen recreational forest. This popular destination for locals and visitors has undergone significant enhancements to improve its biodiversity and recreational appeal.
The upgrades at Bonny Glen were made possible through two key funding schemes. The first, The Native Woodland Scheme, funded by DAFM, enabled Coillte to plant native Irish tree species such as oak, birch and Scot’s pine. This initiative aims to greatly improve the biodiversity of Bonny Glen Forest in the coming years.
The second, The NeighbourWood Scheme, also funded by DAFM, facilitated the development of two new walking loops and the improvement of existing trail surfaces. Additionally, new furniture has been installed throughout the forest, making Bonny Glen an even more attractive, accessible, and exciting place to visit.
Speaking at the opening, Minister McConaglogue said:” I am delighted to be here in my home county and to have the opportunity to open this wonderful local amenity forest. The Bonny Glen Wood NeighbourWood is an excellent example of collaboration between Coillte and a local community, and I hope that similar projects can be realised in many more places around the country. Funding for this project was provided under my Department’s NeighbourWood Scheme under the Forestry Programme.”
The Minister added: “I think we can all agree that forests provide multiple benefits to our society, be they environmental, economic or recreational. A woodland such as this provides much needed recreational space and access to nature to all living in this area and supports improved mental and physical wellbeing.”
Colm O’Dwyer, Regional Manager, from Coillte said, “Bonny Glen is a beloved forest, and we’re delighted that the recent biodiversity and recreational upgrades will enhance the visitor experience. On behalf of Coillte, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Minister McConalogue, and his officials at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as well as the local community including the Dolmen Centre volunteers for their support in realising these enhancements. Coillte is focused on balancing and delivering the multiple benefits of forestry for climate, nature, wood and people and we look forward to welcoming even more visitors to Bonny Glen in the weeks and months ahead”.”
ENDS
Media contact:
Sabrina D’Angelo
Q4 Public Relations
086 0323997
Email: sabrina@q4pr.ie
About Coillte
Coillte, Ireland’s semi-state forestry company, is responsible for managing 440,000 hectares of primarily forested lands. It is the nation’s largest forester and producer of certified wood, a natural, renewable and sustainable resource. Coillte is also the largest provider of outdoor recreation space in Ireland, it enables wind-energy on the estate, processes forestry by-products and undertakes nature rehabilitation projects of scale. Coillte delivers the multiple benefits of forestry, including forests for climate, for nature, for wood and for people. For further information visit www.coillte.ie.
