Ireland

Declaration date: 1982 Ecological characteristics: Surface area: 10,129 ha Located just south-west of the city of Killarney in south- west , this biosphere reserve and national park com- Human activities: prises the mountains and woodlands surrounding Lough

Leane Lake and adjacent smaller lakes, , parks Human history has also left its mark in the Killarney area, and gardens. Much of the natural woodland has been cleared e.g. with the well preserved remains of Inisfallen Abbey on but the remaining fragments include the most extensive are- an island in , , or the Muc- as in the country. Due to differing geology in the biosphere kross House which serves as a visitor center today. This reserve, three main woodland types can be distinguished: Education Centre fulfills an im- woods of sessile ( Quercus petraea ) with holly ( Ilex aq- portant educational role within the national park and bios- uifolium ) in the understorey on sandstone; a yew (Taxus phere reserve, which is one of the best-known tourist desti- baccata) wood growing on almost bare limestone; and carr nations in Ireland. forest dominated by Alnus gluti nosa in places along the north-east shore of Lough Leane and in other poorly-drained areas. Present human impacts on and uses of the area include coni- fer , lake eutrophication and tourism activities. Contact information: Additional human influence is the past introductions of alien

that have impacted on the natural of Killarney National Park, Killarney. The most notable of these are Muckross, Killarney Rhododendron ponticum and which overgraze the , Ireland woodland floor and pose a potential threat to the genetic Tel.: (353.64) 314 40 - Fax: (353.64) 339 26 integrity of the native red deer.

* Details found on this information sheet are derived directly from the UNESCO website and are not a communication from the biosphere reserve.