driving by Booterstown Marsh and Nature Reserve in Dublin, Ireland on Rock Rd. on 5/23/23
Channel: John Edwards
Date: 18/01/2024

This shows the view of Booterstown Marsh a/k/a Booterstown Nature Reserve a/k/a Booterstown Salt Marsh in Dublin, Ireland that can be seen from a Viking tour bus driving by on Rock Rd. on 5/23/23.  The marsh is situated between the coastal train tracks and Rock Rd. This is the only remaining salt marsh on the south shore of Dublin Bay and constitutes about 4.3 hectares or 10.6 acres of brackish water and has both fresh and salt water intakes. It is an important feeding and roosting area for ducks, geese and other wading birds and actually constitutes part of Dublin Bay. It is reported to contain the highest concentration of wintering waterfowl of any Irish estuary. It also provides a necessary refueling and rest area for migrating birds. During World Wars I and II the area was drained and cultivated for use as war time allotments, but the water intakes were not eliminated and so when the allotments became disused after WWII, the marsh vegetation reclaimed a good deal of the land. It has been under conservation management since 1979 by An Taisce, a conservation society and is now considered a nature reserve.  The Booterstown DART station is located just to the south of the southeast corner of the Reserve which has parking for cars. There is also a parking area for cars at the northern end of the Marsh.