Request for Tenders by Department of the Housing, Local Government, and Heritage (NPWS) for Cherry Laurel and Rhododendron Clearance at Knockma Wood, Castlehacket, Caherlistrane, Co. Galway.

Tender description

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (National Parks and Wildlife Service - NPWS) invites tenders for the provision of the works relating to Cherry Laurel and Rhododendron Eradication at Knockma Wood in an area of c20 ha. Knockma Wood is a 77 hectare mixed woodland property owned by the Minister for Housing, Local Government & Housing and is located just off the R333 between Caherlistrane and Belclare, Co. Galway. The property contains a number of important archaeological sites and monuments. The woodland was transferred to the Minister (National Parks and Wildlife Service - NPWS) in 1988 and in 1996 work began on the construction of a pathway around it. Over the ensuing years the NPWS has worked with Caherlistrane Kilcoona Community Council to provide more accessibility to the public and the numbers of people now visiting the site are well in excess of 100,000 per annum. The site has a number of looped walks and car parking facilities off the R333 at Castlehacket. Approximately 20 hectares of the woodland habitat has been infested with Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), which is invasive at this site. The woodland also contains a small amount of Rhododenron (Rhododendron Ponticum). Both these species significantly prevents woodland regeneration resulting in a poor age structure of the woodland at Knockma.