Our eco credentials
At Ballynahinch Castle we view ourselves very much as custodians of this beautiful environment. The woodlands have been here for generations and the river has flowed past for millennia. Our duty is to ensure that we exploit this wonderful resource without damaging it and in fact we must help restore any damage done and protect it against external forces.
Ballynahinch Castle Hotel and Estate have for many years being to the forefront of the campaign to protect the wild fisheries of Connemara. 20 years ago we established a co-operative of all the stake holders in the fishery system to ensure that a concerted plan of habitat renewal and enhancement was undertaken. Today we enjoy one of the cleanest wild fisheries in Ireland with a single catchment management plan unequalled in Ireland.
In addition to this we have lobbied and challenged the Salmon Farming industry who operate at the expense of wild fisheries. We have highlighted the effect of the parasites emanating from these farms on wild salmon and sea trout as the run to sea. This is now accepted as scientific fact and the salmon farms in our bays have ceased operations resulting in an immediate renaissance in the fishery.
We have participated directly in the campaign to remove the drift nets from the seas and our team have given evidence directly to the Oireachtas (Parliamentary) committee investigating the matter and have also presented to the environment directorate of the EU in Brussels. We now no longer have interceptory drift nets on our seas.
On the estate we are undertaking a native woodland management program which has seen the removal of invasive rhododendrons and the planting of over 1000 hard wood trees. This program continues and we are now nurturing hundreds of native oaks from our own plants. We are also participating in a study with Trinity College Dublin, on the effects of climate change on Irish hardwoods. This is a long term project that will span the next 30 years.
Over the past 3 years our recycling program has seen our land fill waste reduce by 65% and our target is to achieve 100% reduction.
Following considerable investment of over €1.5m we have now achieved a carbon neutral hot water and heating supply to the hotel. This has been achieved by the installation of Solar panels and wood pellet boilers.
Plant a Tree
Guests can participate in our work and in a small way make their contribution to this wonderful estate. We offer guests to come on a tree planting break and when they do so they receive a certificate detailing their tree and the event is recorded in our Tree Ledger. Here the guest records when and where they planted the tree and what species of tree they planted. They may also enter a dedication, perhaps in memory of a loved one or the celebration of the birth of a child. It is a very personal and satisfying experience.
