Portlaoise staff tackle invasive species in park
Twelve employees of the Midlands Park Hotel have been working hard to reduce Himalayan Balsam in Linear Park, Portlaoise
A group of Portlaoise staff came together to tackle invasive species taking over a park in the town. Twelve employees of the Midlands Park Hotel recently donned gardening gloves and wellies to reduce Himalayan Balsam, an invasive plant species growing wild in Linear Park, Portlaoise.
Laois Volunteer Centre organised this innovative project in conjunction with Portlaoise Tidy Towns and Laois County Council.
Rachel Dooley, Human Resource Administrator with the hotel said “We were pleased to be part of another year of volunteering as part of Corporate Volunteering to aid the Portlaoise Biodiversity Action Plan with Laois Volunteer Centre and Portlaoise Tidy Towns. Twelve members of our team participated in the removal of invasive Himalayan Balsam from Linear Park, contributing to a wider conservation effort focused on enhancing biodiversity and protecting local green spaces.
“Now in our third year of involvement, we are proud to continue supporting this important work. The beautiful weather on the day was an added bonus and was enjoyed by everyone involved. We were delighted to have the opportunity to give back to the community, and the day proved both enjoyable and rewarding for all involved. Our thanks go to Laois Volunteer Centre, Portlaoise Tidy Towns and Michael Buckley and Lisa Doyle of Laois County Council for their continued support. We look forward to participating again next year and continuing this great work.”
Chairperson of Portlaoise Tidy Towns, Vincent Booth, said the it was fantastic to see local business showing an interest in community biodiversity.
“Thank you to the staff of Laois Volunteer Centre for hosting another corporate volunteering day with the staff of The Midlands Park Hotel. Controlling invasive species of flora is an on-going battle but having the help of such an enthusiastic bunch of volunteers makes it so much easier. It is very evident to us that the work The Midlands Park team carried out last year has paid off as there’s a considerable reduction in the growth of Himalayan Balsam this year. Hopefully, the team will come back again next year.”
Lisa Doyle, Biodiversity Officer, Laois County Council said "The removal of Himalayan balsam by the Midlands Park corporate volunteers is a valuable contribution to protecting native biodiversity in Linear Park. Community and business involvement like this is vital in helping tackle invasive species and improve local habitats."
“This project was a very successful, collaborative effort,” said Caitriona Ryan, Manager of Laois Volunteer Centre. We organised it as part of our corporate volunteer programme whereby we facilitate business organisations to provide group volunteering opportunities for their employees.
If your company would like to take part in our corporate volunteering programme, contact Caitriona on [email protected]