Lower Slieve Croob Foothills Biodiversity

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

• low ridges and intervening valleys, some with flat floors in which fens may occur
• several fens drained and converted to large pasture fields, but some in rough grassland with abundant rushes
• woodland largely absent, groups of trees confined to shelterbelts around farmhouses, alongside streams and on fens
• grassland dominates the land cover

Woodlands

There are no significant areas of woodland in the LCA, indeed woodland occupies less than 0.5% of the area. Small patches of trees occur as shelterbelts around larger farmhouses, alongside streams, on fens and as conifer plantations. There is considerable scope for enhancing the woodland cover of this LCA

Grassland and Arable

Grassland covers 84% of the LCA, the majority in improved pastures. Rough grassland occurs in damp valley bottoms, where they may be quite rushy, and in the east of the LCA where the land rises towards the Slieve Croob hills.

Wetlands and Lakes

Fens are scattered through the LCA; several appear to have originated from cutting of peat in the past. Removal of the layers of acid peat has enabled the sites to develop under the influence of more basic surface waters with their higher levels of nutrients. In this development, some are being colonised by willows and alders and may eventually form carr woodland. There is evidence in the pattern of large fields and drainage ditches that fens have been drained for pastureland whereas others have been used for tipping. Although there are presently no records of Priority Species, the small fens represent examples of a relatively rare complex of habitats that are under threat and have declined over the recent past. Further loss should be avoided and also care should be taken that the sites are not damaged by a change in species composition through inflow of nutrient rich waters from agricultural land.

Apart from the otter, there are no records of Priority Species in the streams, but the water quality of these can also be affected by agricultural activities. Adoption of Countryside Management Guidelines will assist in the avoidance of pollution incidents (from fertilizers, slurry, herbicides , pesticides and silage effluent). With the spread of rural dwellings increasing, the effects of septic tanks on water quality also needs to be monitored

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: no significant areas of woodland, but considerable scope for enhancing woodland cover

Actions:

• encourage planting of broadleaved woodlands rather than the conifer plantations and shelterbelts that are of poor biodiversity and landscape value; ensure that hazel scrub is not cleared
• improve biodiversity through measures to improve and extend the woodland cover such as The Woodland Grant Scheme or The Farm Woodland Premium Scheme; management plans for demesne woodland should be directed toward their survival, through natural regrowth or planting of native broadleaf species
• enhance the biodiversity value of small existing broadleaved woodlands by discouraging felling; halt any further felling or pollarding; by retention of fallen and veteran trees (particularly for bryophytes, ferns, fungi and fauna)
• encourage control of grazing to foster herb layer and regeneration and if necessary, encourage replanting of canopy species

GRASSLAND AND ARABLE

Issue: improved pastures of low biodiversity value, but including patches of rough grassland

Actions:

• 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
• encourage (through participation in Environmental Schemes) adoption/continuance of less intensive management of pastures to allow reversion to/continuance of more species-rich grassland
• protect, maintain and enhance damp grassland by where, possible, restricting field or arterial drainage

WETLANDS AND LAKES

Issue: NI Priority Habitat fens are under threat and have declined over the recent past.

Actions:

• prevent further loss of fen through drainage, reclamation, land-fill and encroachment by scrub woodland; prevent dumping and fly-tipping and encourage removal of rubbish; divert the inflow of nutrient rich water from agricultural land into fens
• promote and encourage existing good farming practices (Countryside Management guidelines) so that rivers are not polluted by releases from silage effluent, herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers or sheep dip
• monitor streams in relation to expansion of rural/urban housing and associated septic tanks/sewage treatment plants

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