Kilcullen 'fortunate' in river environs

Town 'fortunate' in wetlands, grasslands, woodlandsKilcullen is fortunate to have a number of very good wetlands in its environs, according to Dr Mary Tubridy who directed a Biodiversity Survey of the area at the behest of Kilcullen Community Action, writes Brian Byrne.

In a chapter on Habitats and Plants, her Survey reports that such wetlands elsewhere have often been eliminated by drainage, reclamation or building development.

No less than 114 kinds of wild plants were recorded in the Survey, growing in 22 different kinds of habitat in the research area.

Dr Tubridy says that the town is also fortunate to have both dry and wet broadleaved woodlands around the town.

A number of grassland areas, including one near the ecologically important reedswamp close to the Mill Stream confluence with the Liffey, have a high degree of biodiversity.

Details of at least 30 different plant species on that grassland can be found in the Survey, which also makes suggestions as to how this diversity can be maintained and enhanced, even in private gardens.