Steps being taken to safeguard 'The Burren of Kilkenny'

TAP '>' ABOVE FOR MORE PICS OF THE LANDSCAPE 

Semi natural grasslands haven't been afforded the attention they deserve as a biodiversity and climate solution, according to Minister for Heritage Malcolm Noonan.

The Kilkenny Minister visited beautiful farmland in Clomantagh recently with his National Parks & Wildlife Service team.

The landscape is the area shares a lot of similarities with the the landscape found in regions such as The Burren in County Clare

One progressive landowner there is even grazing Dexters (cattle used for conservation grazing) under the Farm Plan scheme.

The objective is to allow space for herbs and flowering plants to flourish through grazing down of rank tufted grass over time.

It's an important site too for waxcap fungi (click through pics above to see >) and this is a perfect time of year to bring an identification book and spot these beautifully diverse range of mushrooms.

Garda completes final tour of duty in Kilkenny

"We have lost so much of these vital grasslands over the past twenty years," Noonan said.

"Replanting multi-species swards is artificially trying to replicate the important work these grasslands did for centuries. The seed bank is there, it needs this conservation grazing to bring it back," he added.

"To find landscape like this in my own county is truly amazing. With great thanks to the farmer who has really embraced farming for nature, to Jimi, Eileen, Mary, Barry and Andy from NPWS for a really informative and fascinating site visit."