Tellus Alert for Liverstock Owners
It’s a case of ‘eyes to the sky’ over Kildare, north Laois and north Wicklow as the latest airborne phase of Tellus, a major geological survey of Ireland, gets underway in the regions.
Tellus is led by the Geological Survey of Ireland and is funded by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. The current survey is the fourth phase of a wider geological mapping project which collects and analyses geochemical and geophysical data on rocks, soil and water across Ireland.
Due to fly over the coming months (weather permitting), the plane will fly at a low level, surveying a substantial area of Eastern Ireland including counties Meath, Kildare, rural Dublin and northern parts of Wicklow and Laois. Having already completed a number of successful weeks surveying from the air over Offaly, the aircraft will now focus on Kildare, north Laois and north Wicklow.
Renowned for world-class horse breeding and racing, Eastern Ireland has been the focus of an intensive communications campaign by the Tellus team in recent months, to ensure horse owners are aware of the project and flight plans – a point highlighted by Tellus Project Manager, Mairéad Glennon:
“This is an important and very exciting project – one which could pay great dividends in the future in terms of inward investment, land management and agricultural productivity”.
“We are undertaking a communications campaign to make sure that people and animals on the ground are not disturbed by the low flying aircraft. This includes close contact with organisations such as the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Weatherby’s Thoroughbred Stud Book Authority and the Irish Farmers Association”.
Mairead added: “Now that the plane is up in the air, we would like anyone who wants to know more about the survey or who has any concerns, particularly in relation to horses, to get in touch. We will do all we can in relation to our flight plans to avoid causing disruption.”
To gather data, the Tellus project has commissioned an aircraft operated by Sander Geophysics Ltd, equipped with state-of-the-art technology. The plane traverses the skies over rural areas at a height of 60m – approximately eight times the height of a standard two storey house. Based at Weston airport in Co Dublin, the aircraft is a white twin propeller plane, bearing the registration number C-GSGF.
The survey will operate safely within Irish Aviation Authority permits, however, the sound of the plane flying overhead is similar to that of a passing lorry and could startle sensitive livestock, such as horses or pedigree cattle.
The data collected from the Tellus Survey – which is made freely available to members of the public and interested organisations – has the potential to deliver positive economic, environmental and agricultural benefits. Previous phases of Tellus have prompted significant international interest in mineral exploration in the border region and provided information for more detailed radon risk maps.
Tellus aims to complete surveying of 50% of the country by end 2017, and to eventually complete the geological ‘jigsaw’ of Ireland on a phased basis, providing the most comprehensive and fully integrated map of Ireland’s geology to date.
Those with questions or concerns about the Tellus survey, particularly anyone who own horses or sensitive livestock, can contact the Freephone Information Line on 1800 303 516 or visit www.tellus.ie. The Tellus website is updated weekly with flight plan information.
For further information please contact Clare Daly/Claire Bonner/Haley Adams/Kerri Smith at Morrow Communications on 04890 393837