Andrew Doyle, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for forestry, announces the official opening of the Dunmore East NeighbourWood project, which took place today in Dunmore East, Co. Waterford.

Minister Doyle said “This is a community project which will benefit all of the people in Dunmore East, County Waterford and neighbouring counties made possible with financial assistance from my Department under the NeighbourWood Scheme”.

The Neighbourwood Scheme, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, is focussed on delivering social benefits of forestry to local communities. The scheme is designed to provide accessible opportunities for recreation and regular exercise while creating and developing woodlands for the benefit of current and future generations. The scheme is also designed to provide outdoor classrooms for teachers to show children the important contribution forests make to society in terms of social, economic and environmental benefits.

The aim of the Dunmore East Neighbourwood Project was to bring the existing woodland to a better standard for recreational use through resurfacing the paths, putting in place informative signage and carrying out maintenance programmes once dead trees and undergrowth had been cleared. The project will also raise awareness of the woods as an important natural heritage and landscape amenity area for residents and visitors to Dunmore East particularly with a view to the centenary, in 2024, of the establishment of the Woods Trust.

Minister Doyle concluded, “I believe that the traditions and legacy of this woodland are secure into the future. I am pleased that my Department facilitated the development of this woodland and I sincerely hope that the people of Dunmore East will make full use of this woodland for social, economic and environmental purposes and will enjoy this invaluable resource in the centre of their village for many years to come.” He congratulated the Dunmore East Woods and Trust for their work and efforts in maintaining and developing the woodland.

View this Press Release as a PDF: DAFMPR 172/2016 (pdf 363Kb) 

Date Released: 25 November 2016