A new study by researchers in Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and the Marine Institute, in collaboration with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), highlights the need for a varied approach to ecological restoration in the Nephin Forest region of Wild Nephin National Park in Co Mayo.
A restoration plan for Nephin Forest has been in the works for a number of years, with the incentive for such a large-scale project growing since the recent passing of the EU Nature Restoration Law.
The new research paper, just published in the journal Applied Vegetation Science, assesses the current status of plant communities within Nephin Forest and their relationship with the local environmental factors, including soil type, subsoil type, soil depth, topography and elevation, in an attempt to inform the ongoing restoration process.
A large portion of Nephin Forest lies within the Burrishoole catchment, at the base of which lies the Marine Institute’s Newport Research Facility. Here, the staff of the institute run a long-term ecological monitoring programme focusing on the fish populations of Atlantic salmon, brown trout and European eel.
Dr Elvira de Eyto of the Marine Institute and co-author of the paper said: “We were delighted to fund this important research and to work with ATU and NPWS to produce an evidence base for the ecological restoration of this area.
“We expect that the ecological and hydrological restoration of Nephin Forest will have benefits for the fish populations of the Burrishoole catchment and that the monitoring data collected by the Marine Institute will show positive change in the years to come.”