Following on from the 2014 Kerry Wetland Mapping project which identified many wetland in the county for which there is only limited data, a new report on wetlands in County Kerry surveyed in 2015 have just been published. The survey was commissioned by Kerry County Council and undertaken by ecologists with Wetland Surveys Ireland. The survey aimed to map the wetland habitats found on 10 sites within the county.
Wetlands are important for biodiversity by supporting a wide range of specialist plant and animal species. In addition, wetlands provide important ecosystem services such as flood prevention, provision of clean water, and carbon storage. Despite the known importance of wetlands, they continue to be threatened and damaged from activities such as drainage and infilling.
The report highlights the absence of detailed information on many sites and the urgent need for targeted field surveys to gain a better understanding of the wetland resource within the county and to ensure that those sites of highest importance are protected.
The Kerry Wetland Survey 2015 is an action of the County Kerry Heritage and Biodiversity Plan. The report is available from Cathy Fisher, Planning Department, Kerry County Council, Rathass, Tralee.
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