THE authority responsible for maintaining the scenic Dublin Mountains has admitted it needs to do more to consult with locals as the region gears up for thousands of summer visitors.

Hundreds of residents have vented concerns that their opinions and residency are not taken into account when it comes to everything from the planning of new walks and treks to issues surrounding the littering of the mountain and traffic congestion.

The mountain area is a highlight of local tourism and is expected to attract significant visitor numbers this summer, particularly with a new ethos of 'holidaying at home'.

But for many in the area, the Dublin Mountains Partnership (DMP) – the authority created in 2008 to safeguard the landscape – has been a disappointment. In response to pressure this month, Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, a member of the DMP, said it is aware of its need to do more to live in harmony with the locals.

"It is intended to address this issue in the near future by bringing forward proposals to the board on the formation of a stakeholder forum," the parks department said in a statement.

"The aim of the forum will be to improve communications and to establish a closer working relationship with those who live, work and have an interest in the mountains."

Cathaoirleach Lettie McCarthy, who has championed the cause for locals, said she has been contacted by several families in the area with serious concerns.

Numerous rumours have circulated regarding potential plans for the area's future as a direct result of the community's omission from DMP activity, she explained.

"The DMP doesn't expect to be able to solve this overnight but that is the direction we are going in. The more of us that take responsibility and ownership of the mountains the better in terms of the attitude of those who go to the mountains," she said.

"The attitude coming from locals is, 'look, it's our mountain and we live there and we make our livelihood there'. I met with some of the families and I take on board what they are saying. The locals would say that the visitors and the walkers go home and they are still living there.

"A lot of it is that they are hearing rumours, some of which have no substance, but they get legs and people get worried. They are afraid that some of the walks are going to go through their land."

The DMP, established two years ago, is an umbrella group of various bodies – including local authorities, the Parks and Wildlife Service and Coilte – which attempts to promote the mountains as a recreational facility "whilst recognising the objectives and constraints of the various landowners". It also has an action plan which includes "a range of other initiatives including the provision of new and upgraded trails".

A DMP spokesperson said that it is currently in the process of establishing the "stakeholders' forum" which would meet two to three times a year and present an opportunity for community representatives to air any concerns.