The Dublin Mountains Partnership (DMP)
- brings together all the stakeholders of the publicly owned lands used for recreation in the Dublin Mountains area,
- is developing both a strategic vision and an action plan for managing recreation on publicly owned land only in the Dublin Mountains,
- secures resources to deliver the plan, and is implementing its action plan over ten years.
The DMP Action Plan was presented to the Tallaght Area Committee on 26May 2008
The Dublin Mountains Partnership was developed for a number of reasons:
- To provide an integrated management of the valuable resource that the forest and other public lands represent as a significant recreation resource close to the capital;
- To manage greater access to the countryside as a result from increasing urbanisation;
- To manage the changes in the usage levels and patterns of use (increasing demands on the resource from traditional users for better trails, signage, car parks; and facilities for the new users such as mountain biking, mountain running, horse riding, orienteering scramblers etc.);
- To manage the increasing pressure on the resource (the need to manage the anti-social behaviour, to minimise environmental damage in the mountains and protection of archaeological and cultural heritage).
Action Plan for 2009
The partnership agreed a number of key targets for 2009 based on the 10 year strategic plan and vision. The work of the partnership for 2009 can be divided into a number of key areas.
1. Improve Recreation Information and the development and maintenance of a Website
The DMP website www.dublinmountains.ie was officially launched by Mayor South Dublin County Council, Councillor Marie Corr, in the Big Picture, Tallaght on the 21st January 2009. The Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin City Council Emer Costello also attended.
The website has received over 25,000 hits to the end of the year and is proving very popular as a source of information, news and maps. It is regularly updated with news and upcoming events, suggested walks and provides visitors with maps and information about the recreation sites.
The DMP newsletter, "Trailhead" was also launched at the above event and 5,000 copies distributed to local authorities, libraries, sports facilities, the local community. A second summer newsletter was published and similarly distributed.
2. Trail Maintenance and Improvement
Improving the recreation infrastructure is essential to providing a better recreation experience and to both attracting and managing new users to amenity lands in the mountains. An ongoing programme of trail improvement is in place and a number of sections of trail have been newly built, upgraded and waymarked in 2009(see table below) . An inventory of the trail network was undertaken and works required on different sections of trail have been prioritised for the future work schedule.
| Name of Trail |
Work undertaken |
Length |
Partners in funding with DMP |
Completion date |
| Tibradden Mountain Trail (also forms part of Dublin Mountains Way) |
Sections newly built and some upgraded |
2.4km |
Dept of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs |
Early 2009 |
| Interconnector trail Tiknock |
New section of trail |
200m |
|
March 2009 |
| Wicklow Way - Kilmashogue |
Upgrading and section rerouted |
1.2km |
NDP/Fáilte Ireland |
April 2009 |
| Cruagh Mountain Access Route |
Bog bridge constructed linking forest with open mountain |
400m |
Mountain Meitheal |
June 2009 |
| Barnaslingan Wood – Pine Loop, Scalp Lookout, Dublin Mountains Way |
Way marking & signage along 2 new trails and the DMW |
3.4km |
Google Serve volunteers (labour and €1,350 towards signage) |
June 2009 |
| Dublin Mountains Way – Cruagh/ Massy’s link |
New turnpike trail being constructed |
370m |
Mountain Meitheal Volunteers & Irish Ramblers Club contribution |
November 2009 |
| Cruagh Wood - Slí na Sláinte |
Signage and way marking installed |
4km |
SDCC, Coillte |
November 2009 |
| Total trails upgraded |
11.97km |
|
3. The Dublin Mountains Way is a planned new long distance waymarker walk route linking Shankill in the east to Tallaght in the west, over 38km of trail.
This has long being an objective in the County Development Plans of the Local Authorities in the area, and the DMP is now delivering on this. The first section from Tibradden to Cruagh has been created, way marked and was officially opened by Minister Ó Cuív 19th June 2009. By November it had been extended to Hell Fire Wood.
Most of the route has been identified and work will continue as resources permit to open sections as they are completed.
4. Signage and infrastructure improvement
The DMP has rolled out new signage across nine forest recreation sites in the Dublin Mountains and installed picnic tables at a number of sites. The new signage improves awareness of the Dublin Mountains as a recreation area and also provides valuable on site information for visitors on trails, points of information and promotes the Leave No Trace message.
5. Improved visitor car parking
Due to considerable anti-social behaviour at a number of car parks in the mountains some car parks had to be closed for use. With the introduction of the Volunteer Ranger Service, car parks at Hellfire and Tibradden have been reopened at weekends to meet visitor requirements. The car parks at Hell Fire and Tibradden have been reopened since 1st June, on weekends and Bank Holidays from 11am – 5pm. This is working well, and in time it is hoped to extend the opening times further. Cruagh, Tiknock, Kilmashogue and Carrickgollogan car parks are open daily. Coillte has also instigated bye laws to control anti-social behaviour on its estate and these are being piloted first in the Dublin Mountains area with the co-operation of the Gardaí.
6. Volunteer Ranger Service and Community Involvement
As part of its programme to provide an enhanced recreation experience for the users of the Dublin Mountains, the DMP developed a Volunteer Ranger Service. Volunteer Rangers play an important role in management of outdoor recreation in many other countries including the U.K. and the U.S. The duties undertaken by volunteer rangers include assisting visitors to the DMP area, leading and helping with DMP organised events, promoting responsible use through the Leave No Trace programme, litter picking, trail maintenance, conducting visitor surveys.
Twelve volunteer rangers were recruited from the outdoor and local communities at the end of May 2009. They commit at least two days a month. An induction training weekend was completed, including a Leave No Trace Awareness day, and first aid training was scheduled for August 15th. The volunteer rangers have been in operation since the 1st June and they have been receiving a very good response from the public. The volunteer ranger service was officially launched by Minister Ó Cuív on the 19th June.
7. Development of sustainable public transport – a Rambler Bus
A key objective in the strategic plan was the development of a public ‘Rambler’ bus service linking the city with the Dublin Mountains. A pilot bus service, the Dublin Mountaineer, was officially launched by Tony Killeen T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food (with special responsibility for Fisheries and Forestry) on Wednesday 22nd July 2009.
The service operated on weekends and bank holidays from 25th July until the end of September. There were five services a day departing the Sandyford Luas at 10am, 11.30am, 1pm, 3.15pm and 5pm. There were nine stops along the route (Sandyford Luas, Enniskerry Road, Ballyedmonduff Road, Glencullen, Wicklow Way (bus terminus), Tibradden, Cruagh/Killakee, Hell Fire, Marlay Park). This initiative was a pilot project and the service was reviewed at the end of the season, with the aim of extending the route in 2010 to Tallaght and other areas with the support of local businesses in the area.
8. Education Initiatives
A permanent orienteering course (POC) has been established at Hell Fire Club (in South County Dublin) with 52 control points and an education facility. This project was completed in partnership with Coillte Recreation team, Setanta Orienteering Club and South Dublin County Sports Partnership.
There are three courses of varying lengths for the public, and two courses suitable for primary school and secondary school children (orienteering is part of the school curriculum). The orienteering maps, instructions and school workbooks are available to download on the website www.dublinmountains.ie.
This project differs from other orienteering courses in that it also has an education programme which stimulates engagement with the natural environment. The education workbook has questions about the natural environment at each control point and a mathematical question.
9. Developing and providing Recreation Events
A number of different recreation events have been hosted over the last year.
- National Trail Day events – September 2008. Two hikes/ walks were organised as part of the inaugural national trails day - over 110 participants.
- National Tree Week – Native Tree Planting Ceremony – along new section of trail in Tiknock, 8th March 2009.
- Family Treasure Hunt – Massy’s estate – Easter Monday – over 75 participants, testing their orienteering skills and local and natural history, a great success, 13th April 2009.
- Forest Clean Up Day – Massy’s Estate – 19th July 2009.
- Fit and Green – guided forest walk and talk about Barnaslingan Wood, 28th July 2009.
- Two guided walks/hikes were held, in August and December.
- Hallofest - Treasure Hunt & Spooky Walk to the Hell Fire Club
10. Preparation of a Public Lands Access Map
Work is underway with East West Mapping Ltd. to develop a large scale map of the Dublin Mountains. It will clearly identify public lands suitable for access, the large and varied trail network and recreation facilities available across the mountains, archaeological and cultural heritage features, parking facilities, etc.
11. Development of a mountain bike facility
Mountain biking is very popular in the Dublin Mountains and encourages many new and younger visitors to the forests and mountains. Coillte have developed five designated mountain bike areas across the country, which have proved very successful. A similar facility in the Dublin Mountains is highly sought after, and the DMP are preparing proposals on this. Initial scope work for new mountain bike facility at Ballyedmonduff/ Three Rock has been completed and the design plans are underway.
12. Achievement of good public relations coverage of the work of the DMP
The work of the DMP has received excellent coverage in both national and local media sources including the Irish Times, The Echo, RTE 6 o’clock news, Radio One, City Channel and more.
Guided tour of Dublin Mountains Partnership area
Members of the Council are invited to take part in a guided tour to inspect the work of the Dublin Mountains Partnership and to visit areas to be progressed for further action in 2010. This tour is being planned for late March / early April. Expressions of interest can be forwarded to nobyrne@sdublincoco.ie
