Belfast/Lisburn 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

• predominantly built-over but with significant urban open space in parks, golf courses and playing fields
• several parks originated as demesnes and have mature trees
• notable wetland sites in Bog Meadows and the Harbour Estate

Woodland

Most woodland and treed areas in the LCA have their origin in former demesnes so that mature trees of oak, beech, lime and sycamore are common. However, the demesnes were of mixed planting and Scots pine, larch and Austrian pine are also frequent, together with other specimen conifers and broadleaves. Examples include a group of former demesnes between Finaghy and Dunmurry (including the grounds of Hunterhouse College and adjacent schools and parts of Seymour Hill), the grounds of Stranmillis College and adjacent areas and in the northeast, part of the grounds of Stormont - although there most of the stands of trees are of recent planting.

The lower part of Colin Glen Forest Park, located near Dunmurry village, is included in the LCA. The mixed deciduous woodland occurs on the steep sided valley of the Colin River and is dominated by beech with various other species in smaller quantities including ash, sycamore, hazel and oak - there are small areas of both upland oakwood and upland mixed ashwood. The lower glen was almost cleared in the Second World War as a shortage of imported hardwood timber led to the removal of the oak and other mature trees. This timber production led to The National Trust acquiring the upper glen (upstream of the Glen Road) to halt further felling whilst following establishment of the Colin Glen Trust, the lower part has been extensively replanted with native species. The woodland may be an ancient woodland site; possible old woodland indicator species include wood sanicle, wood sedge, sweet woodruff and broad-leaved helleborine. This site is an important habitat for red squirrel; other fauna, including badgers, foxes, rabbits, field mice, otters and bats occur here also.

Grassland and Arable

Only small patches of improved pasture and arable are found along the border of the LCA. Rough grassland and wasteland at Duncrue Street, Poleglass, Balmoral Industrial Estate, and Belfast Harbour Estate are important for bird life, including lapwing, red shank and snipe (see also under 'Wetlands').

Wetlands

Bog Meadows is the last, large area (10 ha) of the Blackstaff floodplain that has not been developed. The site has a variety of habitats extending from higher ground in the west with rough grazing and grading into fen and swamp. There is therefore a variety of insect life, including dragonflies; birds, including snipe, lapwing, reed bunting, corncrake and skylark; and plant life, including the common spotted orchid. Much is being done to increase the wetland and open water and, through the introduction of grazing, to maintain the wet meadows, whilst simultaneously enhancing the educational role of the site. The Belfast Harbour Estate, which includes wetlands, is a very important site for birds; the following Priority Species have all been found here - barn owl, curlew, golden plover, linnet, reed bunting, roseate tern, skylark, song thrush, and spotted flycatcher.

There are no significant areas of standing water. The River Lagan below Stranmillis has been extensively engineered and in more recent times has seen aeration equipment installed in an attempt to improve water quality. Extensive monitoring of the Lagan impoundment area is ongoing. Although this stretch of the Lagan is artificial it still has notable conservation potential as Laganside and wildlife groups are working towards the creation of wildlife and conservation areas along the Lagan bank as part of Laganside regeneration.

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: the majority of woodlands in this LCA occur as mixed woodlands in former demesnes; however, Colin Glen Forest Park contains the NI Priority Habitats upland oakwood and upland mixed ashwood

Actions:

• enhance the biodiversity value of demesne woodlands by discouraging any further felling or pollarding; by retention of fallen and veteran trees (particularly for bryophytes, ferns, fungi and fauna); ensure that hazel scrub is not cleared
• encourage control of grazing in broadleaved woodlands to foster herb layer and regeneration and if necessary, encourage replanting of canopy species
• further study of the history and ecology of Colin Glen Forest Park, particularly of old woodland indicator species, as a key to future management
• management plans for demesne woodland should be directed toward their survival, through natural regrowth or planting of native broadleaf species

GRASSLAND AND ARABLE

Issue: limited areas of improved pasture and arable of low biodiversity value

Actions:

• encourage (through participation in Environmental Schemes) adoption/continuance of less intensive management of pastures to allow reversion to/continuance of more species-rich grassland and protect unsown areas of grassland
• maintain and enhance damp grassland by where, possible, restricting field or arterial drainage
• maintain and improve field boundaries, especially hedgerows where they occur through adoption of correct cutting cycles; hedge laying and replanting where necessary; leave saplings uncut to develop into hedgerow trees; avoidance of spraying with fertilisers, slurry, herbicides; provision of wildlife strips and conservation headlands around fields; and limitation of field amalgamation

WETLANDS AND LAKES

Issue: important wetlands in this LCA include Bog Meadows, Belfast Harbour Estate and the River Lagan; Belfast Harbour Estate is a notable site for a range of NI Priority Species of birds

Actions:

• promote and encourage adoption of Countryside Management guidelines so that rivers are not polluted by releases from silage effluent, herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers or sheep dip; ensure that further eutrophication does not occur as a result of nutrient-rich surface waters from surrounding farmland
• prevent further loss of fen through drainage, reclamation, land-fill, new woodland planting and encroachment by scrub woodland; prevent dumping and fly-tipping and encourage removal of rubbish; care should be taken to divert the flow of nutrient rich water from agricultural land away from fens, so that sites do not become damaged by a change in species composition
• carefully assess any proposals for arterial and field drainage near to fens so that the water table is not lowered to the extent that fens are affected
• monitor the River Bann below Stranmillis to ensure that water quality improves; monitor effects of industrial activity on streams and on shoreline communities (reedbeds, fens etc.)
• further study of the River Lagan to examine more fully the relationship between nutrients, plant growth, river flows etc. would prove useful.

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