Baronscourt ASSI
| Site No | ASSI 349 |
|---|---|
| Area | 105.61 (ha) |
| Declared Date | 09/02/2011 |
| Confirmed Date | 22/08/2011 |
| County | Tyrone |
| Council(s) | Strabane District Council |
| Keywords | Historic Parkland Invertebrates |
Baronscourt has been declared an ASSI because of its parkland habitat and associated species. Historic parklands are generally characterised by old, open-grown trees and shrubs which have significant amounts of standing and fallen dead wood. These old open-grown trees provide a specialist habitat for rare and uncommon species of invertebrates, lichens and fungi.
A wide variety of trees and shrubs are present in the parkland, with many veteran trees and some ancient trees. Ancient trees usually have large girths, hollow trunks, large amounts of dead wood and often have a characteristic “stag headed” appearance due to their upper canopy dying back. All ancient trees are also referred to as veteran trees, as are younger trees which have some of the characteristics of ancient trees.
Oak is the dominant parkland tree species at Baronscourt with Beech, Sycamore, Ash, Lime, Hawthorn and Horse Chestnut. There are occasional specimens of species such as Hornbeam and Sweet Chestnut.
The parkland trees and shrubs support a high quality invertebrate fauna. Of particular note are the flies and beetles which are associated with the trees, including a number of rare beetles which breed in bracket fungi on the trees and an attractive, rare black and orange cranefly, which breeds in decaying wood. Other important invertebrates include a barkfly which is found on the lichens covering the trees.
The parkland trees and shrubs at Baronscourt support a variety of bracket fungi which cause decay in trees. Decay is part of the natural aging process of a tree and eventually creates hollow cavities, which in turn provides habitat for a wide range of animals. Bracket fungi recorded on the trees at Baronscourt include Southern Bracket, Chicken of the Woods and Beefsteak Fungus. Fallen dead wood around the trees also provides a temporary habitat for fungi such as Turkeytail. In addition, the grassland within the parkland supports rare fungi, such as Summer Bolete.
Correct management is essential for special places like Baronscourt to ensure the survival of the area’s rich range of plants and animals. Traditional agricultural practices will ensure the survival of the parkland habitat and associated species.
Site Related Documents
Site map (.PDF2.5Mb)
and Citation document (.PDF 370Kb)
