Mallow Castle Demesne and Town Park has won the Community Woodland Award at the RDS Forestry Awards, with Cork Co. Council recognised for managing woodlands in a sustainable way that is beneficial to the local environment. The award was made during a two-day summit on biodiversity and sustainability in Dublin.
Mallow Castle dates back to 1185 and has been in the possession of Cork Co. Council since 2011. The local authority undertook significant native tree planting and biodiversity works on the grounds to build upon the historic planting, and then developed a Town Park Framework and has carried out extensive works as part of the plan. It includes the planting of approximately 21,000 native trees such as oak, alder and birch in the Lower Park over the last four years. Most recently, 3,000 trees, a mixture of yew, hawthorn and beech hedging have been planted in the Lower Park, Town Park and Castle Park. Wildflower areas have also been created for biodiversity, while the restoration of the walled gardens of Mallow Castle House includes pollinator-friendly planting.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank O’Flynn said, “Mallow Castle Demesne and Town Park is an incredible amenity. The woodland area is used by a wide variety of people every day for recreation, walking, running and fishing. It is a fantastic educational resource for our local primary and secondary schools to learn about the diverse nature and biodiversity of this urban riverside and woodland amenity. A huge amount of work has taken place in recent years including the planting of many thousands of native Irish trees. It is wonderful to see it recognised at the RDS Forestry Awards and I would like to congratulate the teams involved.”