West Lough Neagh Shores 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

• woodlands cover approximately 3% of the LCA, the majority of which is broadleaved or mixed
• much of the broadleaved woodland in the LCA is developed on cut-over bog: wet woodland is also extensive
• grassland covers c.74% of the LCA, only slightly in excess of the percentage for Northern Ireland as a whole (c.71%); more than four-fifths of the grassland is in improved pastures
• wet grasslands in wide flat low-lying areas and along shore of Lough Neagh - of especial importance to breeding waders, but also as part of the intricate mix of habitats in the farmland to give habitats for Priority Species of birds
• no remaining intact lowland bogs
• Lough Neagh of national and international importance for the diversity of wetland birds and of national importance for pollan (one of two UK sites)

Woodlands

Woodlands cover approximately 3% of the LCA, the majority of which is broadleaved or mixed. State Forest comprises two parts of Cookstown Forest located near Coagh. The smaller, known as The Birch Wood, is mixed woodland of sycamore, oak, beech, alder, spruces, Douglas fir and Japanese larch. The larger site is predominantly coniferous with mostly Sitka spruce and Lodgepole pine and a fringe of birch and alder on the south side; the wood occupies former cut-over bog.

Much of the broadleaved woodland in the LCA is developed on cut-over bog; the Gort Moss/Annaghmore Moss, a largely cut-over bog has been colonised by trees and Killycolpy Wood is developed on a partially cut-over bog and typically consists primarily of alder and birch; the herb layer has considerable quantities of regal fern. The site has an unusual bramble flora with three extremely rare species having been recorded - they are associated with cut-over bogs and further cutting and drainage has led to their decline. To the east of Killycolpy Wood, woodland is extensive, again partly on cut-over bog; the presence of conifers at both sites indicates evidence of some planting. However, the eastern site adjoins the wet grasslands of the lough shore and here wet woodland and scrub is colonising.

Grassland and Arable

Grassland covers c.74% of the LCA, only slightly in excess of the percentage for Northern Ireland as a whole (c.71%). However, more than four-fifths of the grassland is in improved pastures. Arable (including grass re-seeding) accounts for about 16% of the land cover, well above the percentage for Northern Ireland (c. 6%).

Improved pastures generally have low biodiversity as a result of relatively intensive management. Some of the pastures are sown grasslands dominated by ryegrass and few other species - low biodiversity is in-built. Other grasslands have been converted to improved pastures through management. High levels of grazing or repeated cutting for silage, high inputs of fertilizers and slurry, and selective herbicides serve to reduce diversity of both flora and fauna.

Biodiversity in areas of improved pastures and arable is often concentrated in hedgerows. Indeed, they may be the most significant wildlife habitat over much of lowland Northern Ireland, especially where there are few semi-natural habitats. Hedgerows are a refuge for many woodland and farmland plants and animals. In this LCA predominantly hawthorn hedgerows are generally well-managed, dense and treed - and notably with oaks in some locations. However, hedgerows are replaced as field boundaries by ditches on the wide flat lands between the isolated drumlins.

The wide flat low-lying land, especially between Coagh and Blackers Rock and along the Balinderry, also has damp pastures and rush-dominated fields amongst the improved pastures. In addition to increasing the species diversity, these wet grasslands increase the habitats available so that the farmland as a whole has a wide range of Priority Species of birds - bullfinch, song-thrush, curlew, linnet, reed bunting, tree sparrow, yellowhammer, spotted flycatcher and skylark are widespread.

Wet meadows are most extensive near the shore of Lough Neagh. Here successive lowering of the lough since the 1840s has created a mosaic of fen, reedbeds, wet woodland and wet meadows that are seasonally flooded. This mosaic is extremely important for breeding waders with relatively high numbers of lapwing, redshank and snipe and some curlew. Irish hare also finds a refuge in these less-managed grasslands.

Heaths and Bogs

There are no heaths in the LCA and no intact lowland raised bog survives; bog has either been drained and reclaimed for agriculture or after being cut-over has been afforested or has become colonised by trees to form birch dominated woodland or wet woodland around the edge (see above).

Wetlands and Lakes

Fens and reedbeds form part of a mosaic along the shore of Lough Neagh together with wet woodland and wet grasslands. Both fens and reedbeds have declined in the UK as a result of drainage and reclamation, and the impact of nutrient enrichment from farmland and from expansion of rural settlement. Their occurrence in this LCA is important therefore as examples of a formerly more widespread ecosystem as well as providing habitats for wetland birds (see above).

Lough Neagh ASSI (Eutrophic standing waters) is part of a proposed SPA (along with Lough Beg ASSI and Portmore Lough ASSI) and of a Ramsar listed site. The site designations - of national and international status - are merited because it regularly supports internationally important numbers of wintering Bewick's swan and whooper swan and nationally important numbers of breeding common tern. The site regularly supports over 20,000 waterfowl in winter. Lough Neagh is also notable for supporting an assemblage of breeding birds that occur in nationally important numbers: great-crested grebe, gadwall, pochard, tufted duck, snipe, redshank, common gull, lesser black-backed gull and black-headed gull. Other important breeding wetland species include shelduck, teal, shoveler, lapwing and curlew.

The lough also hosts a declining population of pollan, one of the few locations in Ireland and one of the two known locations in the UK (the other is Lower Lough Erne). The decline of this fish perhaps associated with inflow of nutrients to the lough or over-fishing.

The Balinderry River has river water-crowfoot and the otter has been recorded in the river, as well as in several others.

Key Issues

General actions for UK and NI Priority Habitats and Priority Species are detailed in the Habitat Action Plans and Species Action Plans.

WOODLANDS

Issue: low woodland cover of variable biodiversity value

Actions:

• further study of the history and ecology of broadleaved woodlands particularly any ancient and long-established, as a key to future management
• encourage planting of native broadleaved woodlands, through appropriate grant schemes, rather than the small conifer plantations which are of poor biodiversity and landscape value
• allow succession of scrub and woodland on cut-over bogs and shoreline to develop

GRASSLAND AND ARABLE

Issue: poor biodiversity of farmland

Action:

• maintain and improve field boundaries especially hedgerows - where traditional in the landscape. This may be achieved through adoption of correct cutting cycles; hedge laying and replanting where necessary; leaving saplings uncut to develop into hedgerow trees (possible need to replace over-mature oaks in hedges); avoidance of spraying with fertilizers, slurry, herbicides; provision of wildlife strips and conservation headlands around fields; and limitation of field amalgamation
• encourage (through participation in Environmental Schemes) adoption of less intensive management of pastures to allow reversion to more species-rich grassland and protect damp grassland, particularly against arterial and field drainage
• leave stubble over winter, rather than autumn ploughing, to increase food resources for farmland birds; spring sown cereals are beneficial to breeding farmland birds.

WETLANDS

Issue: fens in Northern Ireland are a large proportion of the UK resource and together with patches of reedbeds, wet grasslands and wet woodlands provide an important mosaic of habitats along the lough shore

Actions:

• protect fens 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
• leakage of fertilizers and slurry from surrounding agricultural land should be prevented as this increases the nutrient levels and affects species composition.

Issue: Lough Neagh of national and international importance for wetland birds nationally important for other Priority Species; rivers of importance to Priority Species

Actions:

• improve water quality of the lough, thus attempt to lower the trophic level of the lough
• 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
• continued monitoring of streams below industrial plants to protect both streams and the lough
• monitor streams in relation to expansion of rural and urban housing and associated septic tanks/sewage treatment plants to preserve habitats in both streams and the lough
• monitor the effects of recreational activities on habitats and species, in particular on bird populations

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