Town of Ennis; adding to flood risk & unpredictable weather

Town of Ennis, Upon hearing about the plans by Ennis County Council to allow for the destruction of the wooded area across from Páirc na Coille, I was deeply shocked and confused.

The town has lost so many acres of green space over the years and urban developments lacking proper foresight and planning have led to many problems.

Flooding has plagued Ennis Town center in recent times and it was reported in the Clare Echo in January 2021 that an estimated 20 million will be spent on flood defense works in Ennis Municipal District.

As Ennis town has grown bigger, its green spaces have been slowly eroding, giving way to concrete and steel.
The land adjacent to Páirc na Coille is one of the few remaining substantial wooded areas left in Ennis.

The root systems of trees and shrubs are the best flood management defenses we have: and they come at zero cost.

Apart from the obvious benefit of filtering our polluted air, vegetation provides the perfect solution to a problem that was and still is to this day overlooked by town planners.

Town of Ennis

I would urge Clare County Council to re-imagine its future vision for Ennis Town Center and to stop the reckless destruction and sacrifice of its green spaces.
Progress is not progressing if it leads to the degeneration of our most valuable natural amenities and doesn’t account for the losses incurred.

It’s a real shame that the Council cannot learn from the mistakes of the past and move to secure a future, free from unnecessary problems that nature can help to prevent.

With climate change bringing more unpredictable weather patterns to this island, here’s hoping for more trees and fewer boats on the streets of Ennis in the future.

Jennifer O Malley
Ennis

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