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Wicklow Mountains National Park

@wicklowmountainsnp

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Ireland's largest National Park, encompassing 23,000 ha of the Wicklow Uplands including blanket bog, heath, woodlands, lakes & exposed rocky habitats
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Next Thursday’s lecture will be of interest to anyone who loves the native woodlands of Glendalough and the wider National Park. Paddy Purser shall be discussing the woodland restoration programme within the Park and the ongoing, long term plan to restore the forests. Lecture Location: Glenn of Imaal Mountain Rescue Base, Laragh, Co. Wicklow A98VY72 Time: 7:30 pm, Thursday 2nd July. Lecture Series: every Thursday from 2nd July to 20th August, at 7:30pm. Free of Charge by @wicklowmountainsnp
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2 days ago
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This is the devastating consequence of being careless in the outdoors during an Orange Fire warning. These were the scenes of a wildfire in the National Park at Glencree last week. Fires that start in the uplands in dry peat are very difficult to extinguish. NPWS staff and Emergency services are still fighting to control fires at Glencree which continue to smoulder. Damage to habitats and massive pressure on the Emergency Services and National Parks and Wildlife resources could be prevented. Do not use BBQ’s or light campfires. Dispose of cigarettes and handle naked flames with extreme care. by @wicklowmountainsnp
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5 days ago
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Bog Restoration by Dr. Shane Regan Dr Regan is an ecohydrologist at National Parks and Wildlife Service and Adjunct Associate Professor in Hydrology at the University College Dublin School of Earth Sciences. His main areas of focus are related to the conservation and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems, ecohydrological and climate change research and policy development. Join us for this informative talk about how we can restore our bog habitats. Location: Glenn of Imaal Mountain Rescue Base, Laragh, Co. Wicklow A98VY72 Time: 7:30 pm, Thursday 23th July. Lecture Series: every Thursday from 2nd July to 20th August, at 7:30pm. Free of Charge #wmnp #npwseducation #summerlectures #bogrestoration by @wicklowmountainsnp
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6 days ago
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LEAVE THE BBQ AT HOME Two of our National Parks are currently battling wildfires. There is an Orange High Fire Risk Warning in place. This means DO NOT LIGHT BBQs outside of your garden or a designated BBQ site. Be extremely careful of cigarettes or other naked flames. Report hill fires immediately. To report a fire, please call the National Park Duty Ranger on 087 980 3899. by @wicklowmountainsnp
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8 days ago
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BAT WALK 9:30 p.m. Wednesday 15th July Join us to learn all about these wonderful creatures as we search for bats in flight using our bat detectors along the dark, wooded paths of Glendalough. Species of bats that have been encountered on previous walks include: Soprano Pipistrelle, Leisler’s, long-eared and Daubenton’s bats. Booking: Free of charge. Booking not necessary. Parking: Parking is available at the County Council Upper Lake Car Park, A98W778 (charges apply). The car park will remain open for the duration of this event. But will close promptly thereafter. Practicalities: Walking approximately 3 kilometres on both hard and rough surfaced paths on the valley floor. Bring a torch and insect repellent! Dress for the outdoors and bring waterproofs just in case. This is a free event. Except for guide or assistance dogs, dogs are not permitted on National Park events. For more information, please phone the National Park Information Office, 0404 45425. taken in Glendalough Upper Lake by @wicklowmountainsnp
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12 days ago
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CATCHMENTS We have something slightly different for you in our ‘lecture series’ next Thursday. We’re having a film night! Artists Anne Cleary Nad Denis Connolly from the School of Learning produce short environmental films – citizen art meeting citizen science. We plan to show four on Thursday featuring the Dodder, Liffey Head Bog, Ballymacraven River and Leefields. Feel free to bring your popcorn! Location: Glenn of Imaal Mountain Rescue Base, Laragh, Co. Wicklow A98VY72 Time: 7:30 pm, Thursday 16th July. Lecture Series: every Thursday from 2nd July to 20th August, at 7:30pm. Free of Charge by @wicklowmountainsnp
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16 days ago
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LEAVE THE BBQs AT HOME We are facing into another hot weekend. And another High Fire Risk Orange warning. Our hills our precious. Precious habitats for wild creatures. Precious carbon sinks against climate change. Precious water sources for Dublin. Precious places for us to unwind. But our hills are also at risk. There is an Orange High Fire Risk warning in place. DO NOT light BBQs or fires. Be careful of cigarettes. To report a fire, please phone the National Park Duty Ranger on 087 980 3899. Do not attempt to fight a fire. Get yourselves off the hills and to a safe place. by @wicklowmountainsnp
5
16 days ago
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Woodland Regeneration. Deciduous forests have a special magic from the arching canopy through the many-layered understory right down to the riot of native plants covering the ground. Shrubs and trees both compete with and support each other as the woodland ages. Hundreds of species of insects, birds and mammals depend on a mixed growth habitat with both living and dead wood essential for their shelter and food. It is a balanced system of young and old growth of many species in transient harmonies. In WMNP, our woodlands are threatened by an over-population of grazing animals, particularly the huge herds of hybrid deer in the uplands who disrupt the natural cycle of regeneration. Although the deer are cute, they are hungry, hungry, herbivores who eat every strip of vegetation they can find. They have a fondness for young tree saplings, especially oak, rowan, birch, and will devour every last leaf. When the oldest trees we have finally fall, few successors remain to take their place. Our children and grandchildren may never stand beneath the immense canopies we know today. And without trees, we lose the countless species that depend on them. WMNP, together with volunteers, and students from MTU, Munster Technological University, are taking advantage of the natural regeneration of oak following a mast year. Protecting emerging trees with cages is important while deer levels are being controlled, we envisage a time when this will no longer be needed. We are working towards a balanced woodland, its’ understory humming with life, a living, breathing ecosystem where every layer, from canopy to ground cover, pulses with renewal, resilience, and hope for the next generations. Come along to our Summer lectures to learn more about Woodland Management in WMNP. Tonight we are delighted to have Dr Fionn Ó Marcaigh talking about our red-listed endangered finch, the Twite. Glen of Imaal Mountain Rescue Base, Laragh, Co. Wicklow, A98VY72 @ 7:30pm. Free event. #wmnp #npws #wmnpeducation #woodlandmanagement #oak by @wicklowmountainsnp
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17 days ago
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Glendalough Trailworks 2026 Advance Notice: From Monday 20th July, work shall commence to upgrade our White Trail (Spinc and Glenealo Valley). This work is expected to take 5 or 6 months. The area affected is known as the ‘White Zig Zags’, from the Miners’ Village up to the footbridge. Occasionally, there might also be some disruption along the Blue Trail (Spinc Shortcut) as materials are moved. Please note that the trails shall REMAIN OPEN, with the exception of one or two days when we bring in stone by helicopter. On any given day, only a short section of c.10m shall be affected as the crew will be working one small section at a time. Walkers are asked to respect the Trail Crew and to obey any requests and signage. Additionally, walkers will be passing large white sacks of stone and gravel. These are NOT LITTER BINS! Please, remember to abide by the Leave No Trace principle – ‘Pack it in, Pack it out’. taken in Glendalough Upper Lake by @wicklowmountainsnp
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18 days ago
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Join us at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday 9th July when we welcome Dr. Fionn Ó Marcaigh to hear about the plight of the Twite. The Twite is one of Ireland’s rarest finches with probably less than 100 breeding pairs. Location: Glenn of Imaal Mountain Rescue Base, Laragh, Co. Wicklow A98VY72 Time: 7:30 pm, every Thursday from 2nd July to 20th August, at 7:30pm. Free of Charge by @wicklowmountainsnp
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23 days ago
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Summer Lectures 2026 People have been asking for a complete list of our Summer Lectures, so here it is. We shall also post each lecture individually, a week in advance, with some more details. 2nd July: Harvestmen for Beginners by Brian Murray 9th July: Twite by Dr. Fionn Ó Marcaigh 16th July: Film Night: Catchments by Anne Cleary, School of Looking 23rd July: Bog Restoration by Dr. Shane Regan 30th July: WMNP’s Woodland Strategy – a 100 year vision by Paddy Purser 6th August: Grasslands by Dr. Maria Long 13th August: Spongeworks by Jim Callery 20th August: Ecosystem Services in a New Native Woodland by Kate Harrington, TCD Location: Glenn of Imaal Mountain Rescue Base, Laragh, Co. Wicklow A98VY72 Time: 7:30 pm, every Thursday from 2nd July to 20th August, at 7:30pm. Free of Charge taken in Laragh, Wicklow, Ireland by @wicklowmountainsnp
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25 days ago
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Irish Cuckoo Tracking Project The Cuckoo, or Cuach, has a long Irish history as a harbinger of summer, arriving in the last days of April which have often been referred to as ‘the time of the cuckoo.’ Cuckoos are a summer migrant to Ireland with adult birds here from April to early July after wintering in Africa. They are a unique bird in Ireland as they lay their eggs in other birds’ nests and have no involvement in raising their young. The Cuckoo has seen a 27% decline in the last 40 years. In 2011, British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) embarked on a new project to study Cuckoo migration patterns. Whilst the Cuckoo had been well studied during the breeding season in the UK, once they head off on migration very little was known about the routes they take or where in Africa they spent the winter months. Do Irish Cuckoos face the same issues or do they undertake a different migration strategy and different challenges? In 2023, NPWS linked up with the BTO Cuckoo team to start satellite tracking Irish Cuckoos. Aims for the Irish Cuckoo Tagging Project • Initial understanding of where they spend the winter months • What migration route they take and whether this is stable or variable • What is their home range and habitat preference when on breeding grounds • Longevity – how long do Irish Cuckoos live for • Greater understanding of what is driving the decline in Cuckoos in Ireland • Any regional differences in these strategies which may be affecting change Currently active Irish Cuckoos: Cuach Avalla – Named by National Parks and Wildlife Service after Lough Avalla close to Burren National Park where he was tagged in May 2026. Cuach Cores - Named by National Parks and Wildlife Service after a mountain in Killarney National Park where he was tagged in May 2023. Cuach Rua - Named by National Parks and Wildlife Service after Slieve Rua in Burren National Park where he was tagged in May 2026. Cuach Séan – named for a donor’s son he was tagged in Wicklow Mountains National Park in May 2026. An t-aistear slán duit, Sean! #npws #education #cuckoo #cuachséan #wmnp #goodnewsfriday by @wicklowmountainsnp
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a month ago
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