The Pure Mile, an environmental initiative which aims to create a greater awareness of the countryside of the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands, saw an increase in people getting outside and improving and enhancing their local areas. The PureMile is an environmental, community, heritage initiative, established by the PureProject, which encourages communities and groups living in rural areas of Wicklow, South Dublin and Dun-Laoghaire, to adopt a mile of road, or miles of road, in their local area, or in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands and organise litter picks, clean-ups, anti-dumping campaigns, research information about their local wildflowers, plants, trees, animals, and the built, cultural, and social heritage of an area.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions the annual Pure Mile Gala Evening, which would usually attract hundreds of Pure Mile Volunteers, was cancelled this year. However, Pure consider it important to celebrate the hard work and achievements of the Pure Mile Volunteers in Cleaning Up The Wicklow/Dublin Uplands.
2020 was the eleventh year of the Pure Mile, with the largest number of groups and volunteers involved in the project since it was established in 2009. In the first year the Pure Mile had 6 miles of road, and over the years the project has grown extensively to over 100 communities, groups, scouts, beavers, primary schools, secondary schools, walking groups, cycling groups, running groups, businesses and organisations, who collectively improved and enhanced over 650 miles of road, mountains, woodlands, valleys, forestries, upland amenities, car parks, and beaches, with the removal of tonnes of illegal dumping and litter from the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands. Over 300 litter picks and clean-ups were organised in 2020 and additional projects included, natural heritage, built heritage, community, biodiversity, and education. The groups ranged from all over South Dublin, Wicklow and Dun-Laoghaire and each one will receive a Pure Mile Certificate, and all will be included in the popular Pure Mile Calendar, which will also be launched this month.
Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan T.D. commented on the success of Pure Mile 2020, ‘Now more than ever we need to protect our environment, illegal dumping has no place in our society, I welcome the success that Pure has had in reducing illegal dumping in the South Dublin and Wicklow uplands.
The Pure Mile is an environmental initiative which aims to foster an appreciation and awareness of the country landscapes and scenic road networks in the uplands. More than that, it is a chance for communities to come together to make a measurable difference by improving the environment we share and live in. Preserving areas of interest for everyone to enjoy and appreciate, including the many visitors that are attracted to this region. I am proud to say that since its inception back in 2006 the Government has been providing funding to Pure’.
Groups from all over South Dublin, Wicklow and Dun-Laoghaire organised litter picks and clean-ups of numerous South Dublin Upland areas, including, Piperstown, Cunard, Castle Kelly, Glenasmole, Kilakee, Military Road, Cruagh Road, Ballybetagh and Glencullen, removing considerable amounts of unsightly litter and illegally dumped waste from this beautiful, scenic, upland landscape. The South Dublin Uplands is a unique landscape and environment, attracting thousands of visitors annually. Much of the area is of both Irish and European significance and protected under the European Habitats Directive as a Special Area of Conservation, and now part of the Wicklow Mountains National Park.
South Dublin County Council Mayor, Cllr Ed Byrne, also commented, ‘The Pure Project has demonstrated the power of the community in addressing illegal dumping in the Dublin Wicklow Mountains. The proof of its success is the continued reduction of illegal dumping in the area, which is a credit to all the hard work put in by the Pure Mile Volunteers carrying out the community clean ups and raising awareness. South Dublin County Council is delighted to be a part of the project and looks forward to its continued success’.
The Pure Mile is the perfect opportunity for communities and groups who want to make a positive contribution to their locality and environment, and assists people in improving and enhancing the place they live in, or recreate in. Special interest groups such as, walking groups, cycling groups, scout groups, businesses, and organisations, adopt a mile, or miles of road, in the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands and help Pure to Clean Up The Uplands. Pure provide all groups with Pure Mile signage, Pure Mile bags, gloves, litter pickers and Pure Mile high-vis vests, and they also remove all of the rubbish collected by the groups.
The Atha Cliath Cleanup the Uplands Team Pure Miles and the Glencree Walking Group Pure Miles were recipients of The CleanUp The Uplands Award. In the past, the group organised massive cleanups that resulted in the removal of 3.5 tonnes, and that’s 3,500kg of illegal dumping from the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands, staring in Kilakee Car Park in South Dublin, travelling on the Military Road down to Glencree, on to Sally Gap and including the Wicklow Mountains National Park areas of Piperstown, Cunard, Glenasmole,
Another Group from the South Dublin Uplands who were also awarded, Best The CleanUp The Uplands Award, were a new group to The Pure Mile, The Cunard Glenasmole Pure Miles. This groups also concentrated their efforts in cleanups of areas located in the South Dublin Uplands of, Piperstown, Cunard, Glenasmole, Castle Kelly, and other South Dublin Upland areas. A special award was announced to a young man in the south Dublin uplands who assisted with cleanups, Christopher Collins, received a Certificate of Recognition Award for the Pure Mile Youth Ambassador 2020.
Ian Davis, Pure Project Manager commented,
‘The Pure Mile has grown every year with over 2,500 volunteers involved in the project. We had some major clean-ups this year which resulted in the removal of over 3,000 bags of rubbish and illegal dumping from the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands. Due to Covid-19 we saw an increase in people getting involved in the Pure Mile and more people were walking their local roads, rediscovering their local areas, becoming more aware of their natural environment and landscape, the flora and fauna, and appreciating their built heritage. People decided to organise litter picks of their local roads, removing litter and rubbish from the verges, hedges, and drains, and they have made a huge difference to the areas they live in or recreate in. It’s amazing the amount of time, effort, and enthusiasm that groups invest in the Pure Mile, and it’s an absolute pleasure meeting them, and getting to know them.’
Twenty of the Pure Mile groups will receive Certificates of Recognition for their efforts and a cash prizes of €250, with a total of €5,000 distributed to groups which will further assist them in their local projects to improve and enhance the Wicklow/Dublin Uplands.
If any groups, communities, individuals, schools, walking groups, cycling groups, scouts, businesses, anyone, want to get involved in next years Pure Mile, they can contact Pure at info@pureproject.ie or download and application from www.pureproject.ie/what-we-do/the-pure-mile/. You can also write to; Pure Project, Wicklow Mountains, National Park, Kilafin, Laragh, Bray, Co. Wicklow and they will post out all the information or request an application form and information pack by phoning Pure on 0404 45547.
Pure would like to congratulate and thank all of the 2020 Pure Mile Groups – Annalecky, Fauna, Kilbaylet Pure Miles, Avoca, Kilmagig, Castlemacadam, Red Kite Walk Pure Miles, Avoca Scouts & Beavers Pure Miles, Arklow Rock Pure Miles, Atha Cliath Uplands Cleanup Team Pure Miles, Athdown Pure Miles, Aghowle Pure Mile, Ballinaclash Pure Miles, Barndarrig Pure Miles, Ballyduff Pure Miles, Ballycoog Pure Miles, Ballylug Pure Miles, Ballyknockan Pure Miles, Ballysheeman Pure Miles, Ballydowling Pure Miles, Ballyvaltron Pure Mile, Baltynanima Green Road Pure Miles, Ballyteige, Ballinatombay, Ballinabarney Pure Miles, Beech Road, Millennium Road, Love Lane Pure Miles, Blainroe Pure Mile, Blessington Rowing Club Pure Mile, Butter Hill, Woodend, Lugnagun Pure Miles, Barnbawn Pure Miles, Ballymoyle Lane Pure Mile, Ballybetagh Pure Miles, Castletimon Brittas Pure Miles, Castleruddery Pure Miles, Clara Vale to Cronybyrne Pure Miles, Conary Pure Miles, Crossbridge Pure Miles, Cruagh Pure Miles, Coolafancy/The Fancy Pure Miles, Cool Killer Cows Whisperers, Dunlavin Pure Miles, Donard Village Pure Mile, Stranakelly Donard Pure Mile, Newtown Road Donard Pure Miles, Enniskerry Pure Miles, Ballybrew, Curtlestown, Kilmolin, Kilgarron Pure Miles, Eco Trail Pure Miles, Glenmalure Pure Miles, Glenmacnass Pure Miles, Glen Heste Pure Miles, Glencree Walking Group Pure Miles, Glencormack/Aurora Pure Miles, The Many Many Pure Miles of Grange Con – Grange Con Baronstown Pure Miles, Griffinstown Glen Pure Miles, Knocknamuck Pure Miles, Whitehills Pure Miles, Ballycore Pure Miles, Five Crossroads Pure Miles, Rathsallagh Pure Miles, Ballyhurtim Pure Miles, Grangecon Lower Pure Miles, Ballyhook Pure Miles, Bessina Pure Miles, Baronstown Pure Miles, Baronstown Upper Pure Miles, Rathtoole Pure Miles, Ballynure Pure Miles, Knockdoo Pure Miles, Castle Hill Pure Miles, Grangecon Hill Pure Miles, Knockarigg Hill Pure Miles, Lowtown Pure Miles, Moneymore Pure Miles, Knoxtershill Pure Miles, Colbinstown Pure Miles, Oldcourt Pure Miles, Greenan Pure Miles, Hill Picket Pure Miles, Hollywood Pure Miles, Irish Mountaineering Running Association Pure Miles, Jim O’Brien Aughrim Pure Miles, Johnstown Hill Pure Miles, Johnstown Beach Pure Mile, Johnstown North Pure Miles, Kilquiggin Pure Miles, Kilmacurragh Pure Miles, Lacken Pure Miles, Laragh/Ballard Pure Miles, Lough Dan Scouts Pure Miles, Lugglass Pure Miles, Munny Pure Miles, Newtown Road Pure Miles, Newtown Scouts Pure Mile, Raheen Rampere Pure Miles, Rathmoon Carrigeen Pure Miles, Redcross Ballykean Loop Pure Miles, Rednagh Annacurra Pure Miles, Red Lane Sugar Loaf Pure Miles, Reservoir Cogs Pure Miles, Roscath Roads Pure Miles, Shielstown Pure Miles, Snugborough Pure Miles, Stratford On Slaney Pure Miles, Sugar Loaf Car Park Pure Miles, Three Castles Manor Kilbride Pure Miles, Tinoran Pure Miles, Tomriland Pure Miles, Vagabond Tours Pure Mile, Wicklow Uplands Council Pure Miles, Woodfield Loop Pure Miles.
