Article first published in:
Wicklow Mountain Views – The Newsletter of the Wicklow Uplands Council.
Issue No. 31 – Winter 2022
PURE Project’s Impact Continues To Grow
Since its launch in September 2006, the PURE (Protecting Uplands & Rural Environments) Project has continued to make great strides in tackling the challenging issue of illegal dumping and fly-tipping across the Wicklow and Dublin upland region.
Key to the environmental project’s success, is working closely with regional communities and engaging with a huge array of stakeholders to positively contribute to ensuring that the uplands’ conservation, biodiversity and heritage are both celebrated and protected.
Removing tonnes of illegal dumping and litter so far this year through its various initiatives, PURE’s lasting impact across Ireland’s largest continuous mountain range can not be overestimated, nor can the public’s fondness towards it, with an ever-growing number of volunteers seeking to participate in the PURE Mile a testament to its success.
First launched in 2010, the PURE Mile is a unique environmental, community initiative, which encourages communities and groups to adopt a mile of road, (or miles) or other settings, and to work together to enhance these areas by keeping them tidy, free of litter and to research information about local wildflowers, plants, trees, animals, and the built, cultural, and social heritage. Some groups have taken the extra step of creating websites, heritage booklets and walking routes to the benefit of locals and visitors alike.
For the 2022 Pure Mile, there were over 800 miles of roads, mountains, woodlands, valleys, forestries, and upland amenities, signed up – the largest number ever since the initiative began.
Along with community groups, under the ‘Clean up the Uplands’ category, the PURE Mile continues to welcome special interests groups such as sports and recreational groups, scouts, schools and a growing number of corporate bodies, who are currently active across all areas of the upland
With over 1,000 litter picks/clean-ups undertaken by Pure Mile Groups in the first 6 months resulting in the collection of over 3,000 bags of litter, rubbish, and dumped material being removed from the Wicklow and Dublin upland region, the thousands of Pure Mile volunteers involved should indeed be celebrating their collective accomplishments.
Following a two year hiatus, the PURE Mile Gala made a welcome return to The Brooklodge Hotel in October for a wonderful evening organised to thank and acknowledge the efforts of each and every group and volunteer participating this year.
Photos featured in this article appear courtesy of Mick Kelly and the PURE Project.
Also, the ‘PURE Truck’ that for the last 16 years has become an iconic sight across every area of the Wicklow and Dublin Uplands that’s unfortunately suffered from illegal dumping and fly-tipping activities, is soon to be replaced having received capital funding from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications in 2021.
2022 has also seen a new, freephone number launched to encourage the reporting of illegal activities, and as the project’s impact and influence continues to grow, so too does the team tirelessly working to deliver its success, with the recent arrival of an administration assistant to the busy Tinahely office.
Wicklow Uplands Council, who are project partners along with Department of Environment, Climate, and Communications, Wicklow County Council, South Dublin County Council, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Coillte, and the National Parks & Wildlife Service, would like to congratulate and thank all involved with ensuring our uplands remain cherished and pristine for future generations to explore and enjoy.
- To report fly-tipping/illegal dumping in Wicklow and Dublin Uplands, please phone 1800 365 123
- For more information on Pure Project and the Pure Mile Competition, please visit www.pureproject.ie
Your Environment – Your Community – Your Heritage
Newsletters Available Online
This newsletter and many of the previous publications are available online to view and download as PDF files directly from the Wicklow Uplands Council website.
CLICK HERE for this issue – Winter 2022.
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