Kerry has joined the small number of local authorities which have compiled a five-year heritage plan to direct future planning decisions in their respective counties. Kerry councillors, along with those from Sligo, Laois, Offaly and Dublin city, are to be made aware of legislation governing wildlife and archaeological finds as well as laws covering architecture and heritage under the terms of the new Planning Act.
Ms Una Cosgrave, the county heritage officer, says that Kerry's new draft heritage plan, which is now before the public, covers the natural as well as the built and archaeological environment.
The importance of the heritage safeguards will become apparent once they are adopted in the planning process, Ms Cosgrave said, since planning applications will refer to them.
The general aim was to "raise awareness" of heritage among the public.
Kerry has some of the oldest geological formations in Ireland and a central objective of the plan is to "promote greater awareness of the importance of the rock that sustains so much of this county's natural beauty," Ms Cosgrave said.
One of the first projects will be compilation of a database of important geological features in the county and assessment of their level of risk from development as well as their tourism potential.
Some of the biggest development pressures in Kerry are on the natural landscape and the appointment of a natural heritage awareness officer is to be considered.
"The pressures on the land in Kerry now are equal to Famine times," Ms Cosgrave said. With only 70 or so conservation rangers nationally, there was a shortage of people on the ground and much was being lost.
Ms Cosgrave appealed to the public to make submissions over the next two months while the draft plan is on display.