This call for tender seeks a suitable contractor to run a community led project which aims to develop and demonstrate a rhododendron control programme for targeted areas within both the Owenduff/Nephin Complex and Carrowmore Lake Complex Special Areas of Conservation in County Mayo.• The Owenduff/Nephin site is very large and includes the Owenduff and Tarsaghaun river catchments as well as Lough Feegh, the...

This call for tender seeks a suitable contractor to run a community led project which aims to develop and demonstrate a rhododendron control programme for targeted areas within both the Owenduff/Nephin Complex and Carrowmore Lake Complex Special Areas of Conservation in County Mayo.• The Owenduff/Nephin site is very large and includes the Owenduff and Tarsaghaun river catchments as well as Lough Feegh, the Scardaun lakes and much of the Nephin Beg mountain range. The Carrowmore site is north and east of Bangor Erris village, is adjacent to Carrowmore Lake and includes the Glenturk, Carrowmore and Largan More Bogs. It is envisaged that only specific targeted areas within both sites will be identified, mapped and graded with the aim of tackling the problem of Rhododendron ponticum, which is an invasive species and has a negative impact on our peatland habitats and the general ecosystem. A similar approach has been developed on the Bundorragha and Erriff catchments within the Mweelrea/Sheeffry SAC Complex and the aim is to extend a similar Rhododendron control programme to other Natura communities within Co. Mayo. The extent of Rhododendron in the site has not been mapped. The maturity and density of the Rhododendron varies throughout this area from sparsely distributed immature seedlings to dense thickets of mature plants. Currently, the extent of the Rhododendron within the Carrowmore Lake Complex has not been mapped but it is present in varying densities. The Owenduff/Nephin Complex and Carrowmore Lake Complex are both SACs, and are part of important salmonid catchments; therefore the lands within the SAC have potential ecological connection with other Natura 2000 lands and water courses and the aim would be to apply this approach to adjacent lands and connecting Natura sites in the vicinity. Likewise, there will be similar communities trialling this approach on peatland Natura sites in other parts of Mayo, Galway, and Donegal.There is strong interest from the local landowners to engage in Rhododendron control programmes within both sites. Collaboration with the local community and relevant stakeholders, is an integral part of the proposal as well as collaboration with the other working groups of similar projects throughout the region. As this programme has already been successfully implemented within a small area of the Mweelrea/Sheffrey complex, in the Bundorragha and Erriff catchments, the aim now is to extend the programme to other Natura communities along the Atlantic seaboard using the same approach.

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