Funding of €3m has been announced to develop and upgrade over 300 Coillte forest parks, walking trails and outdoor amenities.
Some €2m will be invested in improving and maintaining 280 recreational facilities on Coillte-owned lands right across the country.
And a further €1m will be used to deliver 25 new outdoor projects, such as walking trails, loops, boardwalks, ecotrails and carpark facilities.
The investment is part of a strategic partnership between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Coillte that is designed to boost rural tourism and local economies.
The 20 most popular Coillte sites were also revealed today, with Rossmore forest park in Co Monaghan ranked as number one, followed by Ticknock in Co Dublin and Donadea forest park in Co Kildare.
'Such important assets' for tourism
Announcing the funding, Minister Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, said: “Ireland’s outdoors, including our forest parks, walking and cycling trails, uplands and blueways are among the best in the world.
"They are also such important assets in terms of attracting tourists to rural Ireland and supporting our local economies.
“I’m therefore delighted today to announce €3m in funding to develop, support and enhance over 300 outdoor projects the length and breadth of the country.
"Some €1m in funding will be used to deliver new outdoor recreation projects at some of our most beautiful forest parks and woodlands. And I’m also really pleased to announce that a further €2m will be invested in maintaining and upgrading 280 different facilities nationwide – with every county set to benefit,” she continued.
Supporting local businesses
Coillte’s head of recreation, Daithi de Forge, added: “We have an open forest policy and we’re proud to support local businesses, such as café operators, bike hire providers and many others who partner with us and add the services that make a trip to Coillte’s forests so enjoyable for our visitors.”
The projects being supported under the €3m initiative include:
Derroura, Co Galway: Major upgrade of old outer loop of the mountain bike trail - €115,200.Slieve Foye, Co Louth: Significant upgrade of access road into carpark above Carlingford village - €115,200.Laracus, Co Donegal: Two forest roads will be connected with two new sections of the trail - €86,400.Killykeen Forest Park, Co Cavan: Car park to be resurfaced - €144,000.Leamlara/Ballyhoura, Co Cork: New walking trails and a multi-use trail to be constructed - €92,160.Oaklands, Co Wexford: Construct new trail on upper-side to create new loop - €28,800. Knockbarron, Co Offaly: New sections of Ecotrail in forest to be developed - €46,080.The funding is part of a five-year strategic partnership between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Coillte, which will see a €15m investment over the five-year period (2022 to 2026).
Coillte recorded a significant increase in visitor numbers to its forest parks and recreation sites over the past number of years, with a doubling of visitor numbers at some of its most popular sites.
Rossmore, Co Monaghan had visitor numbers increase from just over 80,000 in 2019 to almost 350,000 in 2022.
Today’s funding announcement will assist Coillte in continuing to upgrade facilities to meet the increased demand for access to these amenities.
Funding of €3m has been announced to develop and upgrade over 300 Coillte forest parks, walking trails and outdoor amenities.
Some €2m will be invested in improving and maintaining 280 recreational facilities on Coillte-owned lands right across the country.
And a further €1m will be used to deliver 25 new outdoor projects, such as walking trails, loops, boardwalks, ecotrails and carpark facilities.
The investment is part of a strategic partnership between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Coillte that is designed to boost rural tourism and local economies.
The 20 most popular Coillte sites were also revealed today, with Rossmore forest park in Co Monaghan ranked as number one, followed by Ticknock in Co Dublin and Donadea forest park in Co Kildare.
'Such important assets' for tourism
Announcing the funding, Minister Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, said: “Ireland’s outdoors, including our forest parks, walking and cycling trails, uplands and blueways are among the best in the world.
"They are also such important assets in terms of attracting tourists to rural Ireland and supporting our local economies.
“I’m therefore delighted today to announce €3m in funding to develop, support and enhance over 300 outdoor projects the length and breadth of the country.
"Some €1m in funding will be used to deliver new outdoor recreation projects at some of our most beautiful forest parks and woodlands. And I’m also really pleased to announce that a further €2m will be invested in maintaining and upgrading 280 different facilities nationwide – with every county set to benefit,” she continued.
Supporting local businesses
Coillte’s head of recreation, Daithi de Forge, added: “We have an open forest policy and we’re proud to support local businesses, such as café operators, bike hire providers and many others who partner with us and add the services that make a trip to Coillte’s forests so enjoyable for our visitors.”
The projects being supported under the €3m initiative include:
Derroura, Co Galway: Major upgrade of old outer loop of the mountain bike trail - €115,200.Slieve Foye, Co Louth: Significant upgrade of access road into carpark above Carlingford village - €115,200.Laracus, Co Donegal: Two forest roads will be connected with two new sections of the trail - €86,400.Killykeen Forest Park, Co Cavan: Car park to be resurfaced - €144,000.Leamlara/Ballyhoura, Co Cork: New walking trails and a multi-use trail to be constructed - €92,160.Oaklands, Co Wexford: Construct new trail on upper-side to create new loop - €28,800. Knockbarron, Co Offaly: New sections of Ecotrail in forest to be developed - €46,080.The funding is part of a five-year strategic partnership between the Department of Rural and Community Development and Coillte, which will see a €15m investment over the five-year period (2022 to 2026).
Coillte recorded a significant increase in visitor numbers to its forest parks and recreation sites over the past number of years, with a doubling of visitor numbers at some of its most popular sites.
Rossmore, Co Monaghan had visitor numbers increase from just over 80,000 in 2019 to almost 350,000 in 2022.
Today’s funding announcement will assist Coillte in continuing to upgrade facilities to meet the increased demand for access to these amenities.
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