The Tullamore Wetlands Project began in 2019 and is the first phase of the ‘Living River Project’.
It located in the heart of Tullamore and the Tullamore Wetlands is the centrepiece of the Tullamore Living River Project. Tullamore Wetlands is designed to bring people closer to Tullamore River, help to protect water quality, enhance biodiversity and help to restore the river to its natural state.
The Living River Project has been developed in collaboration with Tullamore Tidy Towns, Tullamore Credit Union, LAWPRO, Applegreen, Offaly County Council and other agencies.
After identifying key areas along the Tullamore River, which runs through the Decarbonising Zone, projects were identified which aid adaptation to rising flood levels, while also helping to improve water quality, enhance biodiversity and benefit wellbeing by providing this amazing amenity in the centre of Tullamore.
The site previously was the location of two historic water treatment plants and essentially infilled waste ground after the new water treatment facility was built. It was identified as a great location to engineer a larger wetland connected directly to the Tullamore River.
The site was excavated and the basin area was created leaving features that would be submerged later and add ecological interest. Then it was flooded by opening it to the river channel. Then came efforts to soften and naturalise the area, to give nature a helping hand by planning large areas of native wildflower seed and native trees throughout the site, all the time retaining access for visitors with the surrounding path and mowing paths through what would become wildflower meadow.
The aquatic plants have emerged giving cover for breeding waterbirds such as Mallard, Coot and Moorhen, we get frequent visits form the local herons. Underwater you’ll find a plethora of aquatic invertebrates that form the base of the food chain for fish and the birds which form their own part in the wetland ecosystem at the top of which are the local otters who visit here too. Recently the Sedge Warbler breed arrived which is a migratory song bird who makes its way from Africa each year to rear their young at suitable wetland areas.
The next phase of the works on implementing improvements to the riparian zone (river bank) and bed to improve the habitat for plants, insects and river species, including the brown trout and otters that reside here. That work was completed in collaboration between the Climate Action Team and the Biodiversity Officer earlier this year through Local Biodiversity Action Fund grant.