A University of Limerick environmental scientist has claimed the Burren's unique ecology is under threat of being destroyed unless radical action is taken.
Dr Richard Moles, director of the university's centre for environmental research, said the fragile landscape in the Burren National Park was deteriorating quickly because it was not being actively managed.
He has taken photographs over the past 20 years which he claims show that an out-of-control population of feral goats is destroying the flora and habitats.
He said areas of heath were degenerating into coarse grassland, grassland supporting the area's unique flowers was shrinking and soil was being eroded. "There is major soil erosion. The soil is literally disappearing down holes in the ground."
The argument that as long as the interpretative centre at Mullaghmore was not built, everything would be fine was fundamentally flawed. The 10-year saga ended two years ago when An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for a visitors' centre. The area, near the village of Corofin, forms part of the State-owned national park.
In 1994, Dr Moles warned in an article in Geonews, the newsletter of the Geographical Society of Ireland, of the dangers of the controversy over the building of interpretative centres eclipsing a debate about conservation policy. Now he believes the divided loyalties which resulted from the Mullaghmore campaign has led to a breakdown in the relationship between academic researchers and Dúchas, the Heritage Service.
He said that even within the restoration of the Mullaghmore site, there had been problems. Soils used in that restoration had come from agricultural sources and contained cabbage seed. Cabbages have now sprouted at the reconstructed site.
He said there needed to be a concerted effort to restore a good working relationship between researchers and Dúchas.
"The conservation of the area requires the hands-on expertise of Dúchas and Dúchas needs researchers to provide the information needed for the effective management of the park.
"We have lost sight entirely of the fact that the debate should have been how do you ensure that the Burren National Park is managed in the most effective way."
The Burren was a humanly created landscape, he added, which needed to be actively managed. "It cannot be actively managed because there is no presence of the National Parks and Wildlife Service on site. There needs to be some sort of centre on site in order to give the service a base."
The population of goats which was once domesticated but now run wilds was about 400 after they were reduced to 100 in a cull 10 years ago. They had destroyed holly bushes and aspen groves and there was little regeneration of ash, hawthorn and yew because of over-grazing.
"They are hugely exceeding the carrying capacity of the area and the damage caused by too many goats is way, way greater than any damage that might be caused by any office-cum-waiting room." He added that cattle grazing in the summer months was reducing flower species because the animals were eating flowering heads.
"The thing is complicated by the fact that there has to be some grazing. Because if you do not have grazing, the grass grows too well and the orchids and the violets and the gentians would all be crowded out."
A spokesman for Dúchas said the park was being managed by a team based at Corofin and that two conservation rangers patrolled the area. He said that the goat population was not causing major soil erosion and said numbers were being monitored.
He said relations had not broken down with academics. There were student and post-doctorate research programmes.