Portmore Lough Fringe Biodiversity Profile
In the following account of this LCA it should be noted that for consistency, the biodiversity section follows the standard order for all LCAs even though some of the communities discussed later may have more importance for biodiversity than those discussed earlier
Key Characteristics
- significant wet woodland, a Priority Habitat, around the shores of the lough comprising 7% of the land cover
- wet grasslands, amongst improved pastures, are an important constituent of the wetlands along with fen and reeds
- dominated by the lough itself which forms part of a wider region providing habitats for wetland birds - inter-related habitats not only include adjacent and intermixed fens, wet grasslands and carr, but also Lough Neagh and Lough Beg.
Woodlands
Woodlands account for 7% of the land cover, all of which is broadleaved wet woodland. Most of this woodland is around the shores of Portmore Lough and consists of willow and alder carr. A separate wet woodland occurs on cut-over bog at the southern margin of the LCA between Boghead Bridge and Rosemans Hill.
Grassland and Arable
Grassland covers 55% of the LCA, most in improved pastures although the extent of the improvement varies; some wetter areas have a high rush content and merge into the fen and carr which surrounds the lough. In these pastures and merging woodlands, several Priority Species of birds are found (as in the surrounding LCA 62), including barn owl, curlew and golden plover.
Heaths and Bogs
There is no intact bog in the LCA - there are only small remnants of cut-over bog, largely occupied by wet woodland in the extreme south.
Wetlands and Lakes
Portmore Lough ASSI is a eutrophic lough (eutrophic standing waters) with extensive marginal fen and reed vegetation and shows excellent transitions into carr woodland. It is part of the Lough Neagh and Lough Beg SPA which has internationally important numbers of wintering Bewick's swan and whooper swan, nationally important numbers of breeding common tern and regularly supports over 20,000 waterfowl in winter. The south-western shore is also an RSPB Reserve; in winter greylag geese and whooper swans visit the damp pasture fields and in summer, curlew and lapwing breed here.
Key Issues
General actions for UK and NI Priority Habitats and Priority Species are detailed in the Habitat Action Plans and Species Action Plans.
Most of the LCA is in the Portmore ASSI and issues relate principally to the lough and surrounding wetlands.
WETLANDS
Issue: fens and other wetlands in Northern Ireland are a large proportion of the UK resource or are nationally or internationally important, particularly for wetland birds
Actions:
- protect fens and wet woodlands against loss by drainage and infill, which includes use as official refuse tips as well as sites in which to deposit building rubble and fly-tipping
- maintain and enhance wet grassland by restricting field or arterial drainage
- leakage of fertilizers and slurry from surrounding agricultural land should be prevented as this increases the nutrient levels and affects species composition.
Issue: important eutrophic lake
Actions:
- protect water quality of lough and rivers through nutrient management; thus promote and encourage existing good farming practices so that streams and the lough are not polluted by run-off from agricultural land or seepage from silage pits
- promote and develop agreement with sporting interests so as to protect wildfowl and other wetland birds
