A recent ecological survey of the Ward River, as part of the Fingal Biodiversity Action Plan, has found evidence of otter, kingfisher, and dipper. Sadly, the survey failed to find evidence of salmon along the river from Knocksedan Bridge to Balheary, despite it appearing in previous surveys. A senior ecologist from Rivus Ecological Engineers, who…
Biodiversity projects, such as the Ward River Valley and Broadmeadow Estuary conservation work, have received €5.8m from Fingal’s capital programme. This allocation is the first phase of funding for a county-wide plan to halt biodiversity loss and restore nature in Fingal by 2030. This plan contains 100 actions and is one of the most ambitious…
Nesting boxes designed to lure the newly reintroduced Osprey to the Swords area are being considered as part of the Fingal Biodiversity Action Plan. Ecologists are due to assess sites on Fingal estuaries to see where would be the most approapriate place for the placement of osprey nest boxes. As this year an osprey from…
A large area of the Ward River Valley is dominated by the non-native Cherry Laurel shrub. Work is due to start this week to remove the invasive species and this work is likely to have a dramatic effect on certain parts of the park. The Cherry Laurel shrub which is very common in gardens around…
The medieval well which was discovered during the construction of the new Swords Cultural Quarter (SCQ) has been removed. The stone lined well has been deconstructed with its parts catalogued so that it can be reconstructed elsewhere. The Director of Corporate Services, who is responsible for the SCQ project, explained to councillors this week that…
[Image credit: Cllr Joe Newman facebook] A stone lined well, built during medieval times in Swords, has been found during the construction of the new Cultural Quarter. Archaeologists working for Fingal County Council are currently preparing a report on the discovery. Consultants working on the building of the Swords Cultural Quarter have been asked to…
Contractors and the operations staff of Fingal County Council have reduced the list of 40 items, compiled by the Swords Pickers group, to 11 difficult to remove items from the Ward River Valley. In the coming weeks a contractor for Fingal County Council will visit each of the difficult to reach items and prepare an…
A number of barriers to migrating fish are to be dismantled along the Ward river and a ‘fish bypass’ is to be installed at the Arches near Ushers Lake, the Fingal Biodiversity Forum has heard. A study of fish along the Ward found that a number of barriers have badly impacted the ability of salmon…
Last month Swords Tidy Towns and the Swords Woodland Association held an art competition for students in Swords. Here are a selection of entries that were displayed in County Hall.
An outflow pipe near the Seatown Road was found to be pouring oil into the Broadmeadow Estuary. Fingal County Council staff worked to stop the flow of oil from the pipe, using oil absorbant ‘booms’, and have started an investigation to locate the source. The Special Area of Conservation, where recently an Osprey bird was…