Loughlinstown Wood - Woodland Management Plan

Loughlinstown Wood is a proposed Natural Heritage Area (pNHA). Ireland’s National Native Woodland Survey ranked it as having the 4th highest conservation score in County Dublin and the highest in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown. The Shanganagh river runs through the wood and is recognised as one of the most important river systems in the county with significant ecological value for fish, mammals, birds and a range of other aquatic and terrestrial species. The wood also forms part of the Brides Glen ecological corridor, an essential component of DLR’s ecological network and is significant for its role a special and internationally important type of woodland - Annex I Priority Habitat 91E0 (Alluvial forests).

Loughlinstown Woodland Management Plan has been created to protect, restore and enhance the woodland. The management strategy is aimed at addressing key threats, knowledge gaps, and actions necessary to preserve the woodland's ecological health and the biodiversity it supports. The woodland will be managed using the Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) system, ensuring permanent forest cover and enhancing biodiversity through natural processes. The management will be carried out using close-to-nature management techniques, which aim to replicate natural regeneration processes.

The primary objectives of the management plan are as follows:

• Protect and Enhance the Existing Wooded Landscape
• Protect and Enhance Woodland Biodiversity: Promote native biodiversity and restore degraded habitats.
• Protect and Enhance the Riparian Corridor: Maintain the ecological health of the Shanganagh River and its surrounding habitat.
• Control Invasive Species: Implement strategies to manage and remove invasive species threatening native flora and fauna.
• Secure Funding: Identify and apply for government grants to support management efforts.
• Respect Historic Value: Maintain the heritage aspects of the Loughlinstown Estate and its associated woodlands.
• Support Woodland Fauna: Ensure the woodland provides suitable habitats for key species, including birds, bats, mammals, and butterflies.
• Improve Ground Flora: Enhance the ground flora by increasing light levels and reducing the dominance of invasive species.

The Plan demonstrates Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council ’s continuing commitment to achieving its obligations to protect biodiversity for the benefit of present and future generations. This will be achieved through the actions set out in this Plan.