Kilclief Residents Association were concerned about erosion at their beach caused by huge numbers of visitors walking though the shrinking dune system and regular spraying of sensitive areas around the picnic and carparking areas by Council workers.
The picnic area was falling into the sea and the car-park was nearly being undermined.
Our Dune Restoration Project leader Cadogan Enright was contacted for help and meetings were arranged with Council Management, Council Biodiversity Officer and a plan of action agreed for a project on a smaller scale to Ballyhornan beach but using the same principles. Cadogan Enright and Council Bio-diversity officer Danielle Begley initiated a policy change in Newry Mounre and Down Council to stop spraying on all 33 beaches in the Council area and to cut back on mowing and strimming to help halt erosion.
Chestnut Paling fencing was used to create sand traps and prevent human ingress to sensitive areas. Fences were erect to direct traffic to one of two paths onto the beach. Volunteers from Kilclief residents, Lecale Conservation and a Belfast Scout group who ‘adopted’ the beach planted large numbers of plants grown by Kilclief eco-charity True Harvest Seeds.
Kilclief Residents Association and Carryduff Beaver Scouts won a prize for the project jointly with Lecale Conservation at the annual Stormont Environmental Awards.
RESULTS FROM THIS PROJECT
The following two pictures show how the erosion around the picnic area was stopped and reversed. Also, how the undermining of the main carpark again was halted
and reversed.
This satellite picture shows in dark green the areas that were recovered as “wild areas” and the line of some of our fences can be seen in these images.
