Context Re-wilding Wicklow’s Uplands UCD Landscape Architecture 2021 - Design Thesis - Seán Phelan

Thesis Statement -

To develop a landscape rewilding strategy in the wicklow uplands that aims to restore degraded habitats, fight against the biodiversity and climate emergency and restore our natural heritage.

1 2 3 Acknowledging the dire state of state of wicklows montane habitats i propose that landscape management is driven by habitat restoration in accordance with the EU 2030 Biodiversity plan and article 6 of the habitats directive. I have designed nature biased solutions that address three main landscape components, restoring blogland, rivers and promoting natural woodland regeneration. I have developed a large-scale strategy that shows how the overall project will be phased and develop in time. Acknowledging that humans cannot manage the landscape on their own I propose to reintroduce some of our lost fauna, as ecosystem engineers to kick start missing natural processes. National Context

4 5 6 7

Upland areas 180m+ 8 9 10 11

Site Reading

Site Sections Topography Settlement Woodland map

Wicklow Mountains National Park

Glendasan and Glenmcnass two glacial valleys located in Coniferous mono culture A - Mullaghcleevaughn 849m Regional roads the heart of the wicklow uplands Long established - Semi natural B - 817m Private roads Native Woodland C - 698m Forestry roads D - 641m Urban areas E - Laragh 150m Dispersed settlements Regional Hydrology River Avoca and Liffey watershed Trail Proposals Trophic Cascades, Key Stone species and Ecosystem Engineers, Landscape managers

Humans cannot manage the landscape alone, so I propose that three spe- cies be brought in to help • The wild boar – to promote ground floor diversity through soil disturbance • The Eurasian Lynx – to incorporate the ecology of fear into and manage the deer population, effecting where and how they graze. • The Eurasian Elk - of seed, bacteria and fungi dispersal and also ground disturance allowing diversity in fauna species

These keystone species are ecosystem engineers whose presence facilitates SPA a large number of other SAC species. This is known as a trophic cascade. Master strategy

Current Current During this phase, felling will be used on the older Phase 1 The first phase will be establishing a riparian buffer that Phase 1 Native Woodland Here we can see areas of heavily eroding connects the long established woodlands through out stands of conifers as they will not be suited to contin- Blanket Bog Riparian Wood link uous cover forestry. blanked bog and also areas that have been Riparian Wood link the region acting as a wildlife highway to promote genet- Long Established wood drained for Turff cutting and afforestation. ic diversity in species. Drained Bog Long Established wood Sensitive Removal of conifers will take place on del- Long Established wood Coniferous Wood The first phase will also see restoration activities on icate habitats such as bog and river corridors. For Areas of extensive Erosion Coniferous Wood example Riparian coniferous wood will have to be Blanket PeatBog the eroding boglands. Blanket PeatBog removed over a three year period to prevent scorching Blanket PeatBog of the invertebrate communities in the water.

Phase 2 3-5 years Phase 3 5-6 year Phase 4 year 15 Phase 5 year 50 Phase four we can see the continuous cover Our final phase will be a young established wood that Riparian Wood link During this phase, felling will be used on the older Riparian Wood link Phase 3 will see the implementation of our Riparian Wood link forestry process taking a grip along with natural Riparian Wood link runs up the hills up the tree line at about 500m as well stands of conifers as they will not be suited to contin- seed banks that will initiate the natural re- woodland regeneration thanks to a reduction in as all removal of conifers from peat bogland. Long Established wood uous cover forestry. Long Established wood generation process. Long Established wood grazers and our ecosystem engineers. Long Established wood Sensitive Removal of conifers will take place on del- Coniferous Wood Coniferous Wood Coniferous Wood Blanket PeatBog icate habitats such as bog and river corridors. For Blanket PeatBog example Riparian coniferous wood will have to be Blanket PeatBog Blanket PeatBog Established woodland removed over a three year period to prevent scorching Habitat Clear of the invertebrate communities in the water. Afforested -Seed Source Natural Regeneration Sensitive Removal Restoring our bogs

Degradation Restoration

Peat hag formation Grazing Burning Weathering

Peat Erosion on Tonelagee Drained Bog in Glenmcnass

Re-Wetting Techniques

Restoring the water Hag damming to catch sediment runoff and retain water. Woodland Intervention

St. kevins way Raised Boardwalk

3m Restoring our Rivers River morphology improvement

River bank Erosion Glenmcnass

- Riparian Buffer zones - Slowing water - flood provision - Reinstating Flood areas - In stream Habitat creation

0m 80m

Messy Rivers = Healthy Rivers