Coillte Opens New Recreation and Nature Trail at Moanbaun Woods County Cork
- Coillte’s Moanbaun Woods now has an upgraded nature trail, new picnic furniture and a new car park for all to enjoy.
- The nature trail will offer visitors an exciting interactive experience as they walk through the forest using digital QR codes with links to historical information bringing the journey to life.
- These new additions have been developed in partnership with the Watergrasshill Community Association, and the Department of Rural and Community Development.
7th December 2022: Coillte in partnership with Cork County Council, Watergrasshill Community Association, and the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme today officially opened an exciting new recreation facility at its popular forest in Moanbaun County Cork.
The new recreation facility includes: an upgraded interactive nature trail, new picnic furniture and a new car park for visitors to enjoy. There is no charge to the public for this facility.
The upgraded nature trail is a self-guided, educational route consisting of 13 different information points. Each point has an interpretative panel with nuggets of interesting information on the local flora and fauna of the woodland. This trail walk is suitable for all ages and is fun for the whole family.
Announcing the new additions, Daithi de Forge Head of Recreation, at Coillte said: “Coillte is delighted to welcome visitors to the newly upgraded nature trail here at Coillte’s Moanbaun Woods, an amenity that’s been very popular with the community since it was first opened to the public in November 2000. This lovely forest is just one of Coillte’s 250 recreational forests nationwide. The new looped walk here at Moanbaun takes the visitor through the forest with clearly marked signs showing off the natural beauty of the woodland.”. These developments on the trail will be an exciting new addition to the visitor’s experience. We’d also like to pay tribute to Barry Curtain from the Watergrasshill Community Association for his support in enabling this development.”
These new developments have been in put in place by Coillte, with support from Cork County Council, Watergrasshill Community Association, and the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.
In addition, the Watergrasshill Community Association received financial support from Kepak for a survey of the woodland while also receiving guidance and support from ecologists Leslie Lewis and John Deasy.
Moanbaun forest sits on a high exposed plateau giving great views of the surrounding countryside. From the higher points, there are expansive views of the landscape to the northwest with the Nagle, Galtys and Ballyhoura Hills to be seen in the far distance. The source of the Owenacurra River begins here before it journeys to the estuary at Midleton.
Details of the new walk at Moanbaun, including directions to the forest may be found on Coillte’s website at www.coillte.ie
Earlier this year Coillte launched its new forestry strategic vision which aims to deliver multiple benefits from its forests and bring more focus to climate action, setting ambitious new targets on biodiversity and recreation, while continuing to deliver for the forest and wood products industry. The new approach aims to sustainably balance and deliver the multiple benefits from Ireland’s state forests across four strategic pillars: climate, wood, nature, and people.
ENDS//
For all media queries or to arrange an interview with a relevant spokesperson, please contact; Pearse Corcoran at Carr Communications pearse@carrcommunications.ie / 087 448 1350/01 772 8900.
*Photos to be syndicated by Tommy Dickinson
About Coillte
Coillte, Ireland’s state forestry company, is responsible for managing 440,000 hectares of primarily forested lands. It is the nation’s largest forester and producer of certified wood, a natural, renewable and sustainable resource. Coillte is also the largest provider of outdoor recreation space in Ireland, it enables wind-energy on the estate, processes forestry by-products and undertakes nature rehabilitation projects of scale. Coillte delivers the multiple benefits of forestry, including forests for climate, for nature, for wood and for people. For further information visit www.coillte.ie.
