I welcome the opportunity the opportunity to make a submission to the public consultation re:

Section 2.7.2 Self Sustaining Growth Towns/ Self sustaining Town - Rathcoole

Amendment 2.13

Page 73

I am asking in relation to the proposed rezoning and zoning amendments to map 8, that all the rewilding area, the majority of which is Woodlands, is protected. The rewilding area is the land owned by South County Dublin County Council, the GAA  and Dept of Education.

The largest rewilding area in South County Dublin, the majority of which is woodland, including priority Annex habitat AlluvialWoodland, should be kept intact. This is supported by 2 Ecological Reports, BSM report and the Hodd report.
This means that where the rewilding areas overlaps with the Res - N in the zoning map accompanying CS10 SLO1 along with the proposed rural zoning: is changed to, in order of  preference:

Nature/Biodiversity Conservation Zoning (new zoning)

High Amenity Zoning

Rural Zoning

This is accepting that Rural zoning  does not provide full protection. We need to have strong conservation action on this biodiversity gem.

To support my submission, I attach a link to a video I made showing the rewilding area. An area with birdsong, bees, pollinators, grasses, trees, wetlands,meadows along with the Alluvial protected Woodlands.

YouTube link https://youtu.be/q31zJIYIyZE

This already rewilded area , at a time of biodiversity & Climate crises, should be treasured, valued and fully protected by reconsidering the zoning as suggested above.

As an artist I regularly stroll through these lands capturing the beauty of nature and the landscape that surround me.

"Beautiful landscapes are irreplaceable in that they fulfill our longing  to be part of nature and the natural world and heal the rift between subject and nature.  Both the nature out there and the nature in  us " ... " beautiful landscapes makes us feel at home in the world. Their great and irreplaceable value lives therein." Quote from Krebs , Why  Landscape  Beauty Matters

The question is how , how much real value does SDCC put on this gem of a landscape and the rich habitats that have made it their home?

Will they destroy this landscape with grey hard infrastructure or take the necessary steps to preserve all of it?

I urge the Council to reconsider the zoning of all of this rewilded area to truly value and protect it.

Sally Ryan Graver
Visual Media Artist
MA Fie Art Digital Media