Mens Shed v The Rhododendron. Mens Shed groups from all over Ireland helping remove Rhododendron.

Description

At the invitation of the Killarney Looking Good Committee, Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism and the National Parks and Wildlife Services, 50 Mens Shed members from fifteen different locations came to Killarney to take part in the ongoing management of the invasive Rhododendron in the Park.
Rhododendron ponticum was originally introduced in Killarney as ornamentation and hunting cover in the 18th century, however, it poses a serious threat to native flora and fauna in the 10,000-hectare park, including the Kerry slug, Killarney fern and Ireland’s only herd of native deer.
In 2011, as part of the Killarney Looking Good Committee, the Killarney Mountain Meitheal was formed. Their role was to take on large scale, labour intensive projects. This group is made up of members from the Killarney Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Killarney Looking Good Committee, the National Parks and Wildlife Services, local businesses and volunteers. For the past number of years the Killarney Mountain Meitheal have been tackling the invasive Rhododendron plant in different areas in the National Park. Most recently, they have been working to clear the Abbey Wood on the Muckross Road.

As part of an ongoing, multi-faceted initiative to manage the problem of the Rhododendron in the Park, a call for help was sent out through the Mens Shed groups nationwide. For the third consecutive year the Mens Shed groups from all over the country answered this call and over a weekend in November 2023 close on 50 volunteers descended on Killarney. The members, who hail from sheds as distant as North Belfast Men’s Shed, were accommodated and provided with meals by some of Killarney’s well known hotels as a sign of their appreciation to the men for coming to Killarney to help with the problem. Transportation to and from the Abbey Woods was sponsored by a local bus company. We estimate accommodation, meals and transportation while in Killarney in the region of €20,000 – all of which was sponsored. Flogas sponsored transportation costs to and from Killarney for the members.

The process to deal with the Rhododendron is labour intensive so the Mens Shed were ideal volunteers. The members are hard working and like to get involved in projects that get them out in the fresh air and meeting other members from different Mens Shed. This year we were delighted to have RTE’s Nationwide programme feature this project.

(NOTE: Under the section What was the overall cost of the initiative if available (Euro) – we marked 0-500 as there was no cost to the Killarney Looking Good Committee, however, sponsorship while in town is estimated at €20,000)

Aim of Initiative

The aim of this initiative was two part. Firstly to manage the Rhododendron in the Park. Secondly, to provide a project that could harness the hard work of the Mens Shed members.

Who is it aimed at

The initiative whereby the Mens Shed participate in the Rhododendron controlled is aimed at our local Mens Shed group and Mens Shed groups from all over the country.

3 Steps critical to success

1. It was important that local businesses and hotels came on board to provide accommodation, meals and transportation for the project.
2. The National Parks and Wildlife Services provided advice and training on the correct procedure to control the Rhododendron to ensure that none of the visiting Mens Shed members were injured.
3. Media coverage so that other towns and villages might replicate the project. We were delighted that Nationwide did a programme on the project which aired on RTE in January 2024

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Co-ordinating hotels and local businesses to accommodate up to 50 Mens Shed members.
2. Ensuring Health and Safety of all members was a priority
3. Co-ordinating media coverage – RTE and local media to highlight the fantastic work of the members.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. A large area of Rhododendron was treated during this time.
2. Socially, it was a great way for members from different Mens Sheds to meet and chat.
3. The men have different skills so for future projects in the town, contacts have been made to draw on their skills.