The small 85ha Carrickgollogan wood in south County Dublin has, since the beginning of 1999, been the focus of a pilot project based on the principles of Agenda 21. It is a joint project between the EU, Dublin Regional Authority, and Coillte, which promotes the development of local community/statutory body partnerships as an alternative approach to local planning issues. While forest managers have developed considerable liaison with local communities over the years, the SRUNA pilot project offered a novel approach to Coillte and local communities to conserve the natural assets at Carrickgollogan and enhance the enjoyment of the forest and countryside for all concerned.

The rationale for selecting Carrickgollogan Wood for this project was based on: its popularity as a recreational forest; its location on an urban fringe; and the increasing levels of vandalism.

The SRUNA Team consists of a full-time Director, Secretariat and specialist consultants. Pilot project ideas were sought in seven local authority areas i.e. Wicklow, Kildare, Meath, Fingal, South County Dublin, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown, Dublin Corporation and, one in a Coillte forest. Each pilot project dealt with different aspects of conservation, such as the Curragh plains in Kildare, and the sand dunes in Bettystown. Coillte adopted the pilot project for Carrickgollogan Wood in January 1999, and a Project Team was appointed.

The Team started working on the project immediately. Their first task was to provide background information to the SRUNA Team on: locations, access, infrastructure, soils, geology, archaeology, flora, fauna, commercial timber potential, scenic value, and visitor amenity. A visitor survey was then conducted from July to August 1999. The Team was also responsible for organising a public consultation forum.

A series of public meetings was organised from December 1999 to September 2000. Each meeting was attended by up to forty-five people. Representatives of communities and visitors were at the workshop-based process, where issues of interest or concern to all participants were discussed, e.g., what the SRUNA project hoped to achieve; Coillte's future plans for the area; what the wood meant to people; and attract ideas regarding the conservation of natural assets and future management of the wood. Following the second meeting, a strategy was prepared, and it resulted in the appointment of:

1. A steering group reporting to the wider community.

2. Two working groups reporting to the steering group on:

• Plans for recreational use/security; and
• Education and environmental awareness.

The steering group reported its findings to the wider community in January 2001.

The project process to date, promoting a new approach to solving local issues has been hailed locally as a huge grassroots consultation success. Tim O'Regan, Coillte forest manager, operating at the coalface of managing a challenging resource has maintained constant liaison with local people, and has encouraged them community to participate in the process. Given the success of the project to date, Michael O'Brien, Coillte Eastern Region Manager, is confident that the consultation process will prove to be of value in applying the principles of responsible forest management in our forests and may well be used as a model to follow in other areas.