Around €2 million has been spent since 2016 on clearing rhododendron in Killarney National Park.
The ongoing battle to tackle the non-native invasive plant was the subject of a dedicated conference organised by South Kerry Development Partnership in conjunction with Kerry UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The conference heard a call for a national programme to tackle rhododendron and supports and incentives for farmers and private landowners.
Rhododendron ponticum was introduced to Ireland in the early 19th century as an ornamental garden plant and to provide game cover for hunting.
However, the evergreen shrub outcompetes native plants by blocking out light; the plant produces up to 7,000 seeds on each flower head allowing it to spread easily.
Regional Manager with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Seamus Hassett told the conference in The Brehon Hotel that around a third of the 10,200 hectares of Killarney National Park is affected by rhododendron.
Between 2016 and 2020, €1.6 million was spent on eradicating the plant in the south west, mainly in Killarney National Park, with a further €530,000 allocated this year.
Mr Hassett said a detailed management plan for the park will be completed within the next two years.
It will be split into over 70 zones with 53 under the active management of conservation rangers; detailed GPS mapping has also been carried out to identify areas of concern.
Mr Hassett paid tribute to the work of volunteers in tackling rhododendron in Killarney National Park; he noted the loss of international volunteers due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
