St. Gobnet's Wood

St Gobnet's Wood (alternative spelling: St. Gobnait's Wood) is a protected area of oak woodland at Baile Bhuirne, County Cork, Ireland. Along with Cascade Wood it is included in a fragmented Special Area of Conservation.

In 1998 St Gobnet's Wood was proposed as a Site of Community Importance under the EU Habitats Directive. The National Parks and Wildlife Service gave the size of the wood as about 30 ha.[1] Subsequently, Cascade Wood, on the other side of the N22 road, was identified as the habitat of species of European interest, notably the rare Kerry slug.[2][3] In 2007 the Irish Environment Minister, John Gormley, proposed the expansion of the St Gobnet's Wood Special Area of Conservation to include Cascade Wood. The European Environment Agency's records show the site as covering 44 ha on both sides of the main road, following an update in 2008.[4]

When the Irish government gave protection to Cascade Wood, it was also agreed that the alignment of a proposed by-pass should avoid the SAC.[5] As at 2013 the road in question, the new route for the Macroom-Baile Bhuirne section of the N22, has yet to be constructed.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Site Synopsis (1999), National Parks and Wildlife Service, retrieved 2011-09-04
  2. ↑ The bats of Cascade Wood, Cork County Bat Group
  3. ↑ Catherine Ketch (2009), Kerry Slug researcher visits Baile Bhúirne and Beara, The Corkman
  4. ↑ Data set (IE0000106), European Environment Agency, retrieved 2011-09-03
  5. ↑ Alan Healy (2007-09-27) Kerry slug has forced re-think on new bypass, The Kingdom (Kingdom Media Ltd), retrieved 2011-01-20
  6. ↑ Macroom bypass a step closer as legal way cleared

See also

Coordinates: 51°56′29″N 9°10′00″W / 51.94139°N 9.16667°W / 51.94139; -9.16667

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