DE BURCA CONDEMNS DESTRUCTION OF BRITTAS BAY NATURE RESERVE

This conservation area contains Dune Heath (a habitat containing heather which grows on sand dunes) and is one of only two such habitats on the East coast of Ireland. Dune Heath is threatened across Europe and is marked as a priority habitat in the habitat directory. Priority habitats are threatened habitats deserving special protection. However the Brittas SAC is now under serious threat and has been reduced in size by one third in recent years due to damage from cattle grazing. More recently a large area of the dunes have been ploughed and much of the fauna destroyed. It is thought that a local land owner has plans to build a golf course on the area.

Councillor de Burca has criticised the redesignation of the Brittas SAC area following damage in the past. "The solution to damage to an ecologically valuable and sensitive area is stop the destruction, repair the damage and make sure it does not happen again", she said. "Re-designating a damaged SAC is not the answer, and I would urge Duchas not to consider redesignation following the recent damage". Instead councillor de Burca has called on Duchas to do a complete review of the SAC boundaries with remedial work done to restore the damaged areas as a matter of urgency.

"The entire East coast has suffered environmental degradation over the last few decades", said councillor de Burca. "Our beaches, dunes and wildlife areas are part of our heritage that should be protected and preserved to be enjoyed by generations to come", she said. "The loss of such a rare habitat would be a tragedy".

For further information please contact Deirdre de Burca on 086 8061450 or email deburca@wicklowgreens.org.