Lagan Parkland 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

• High percentage of woodland mostly consisting of mixed amenity parkland forming Lagan Valley Regional Park
• Rest of LCA incorporates scattered improved grassland and arable land
• Several important sites for wildfowl

Woodlands

The cover of woodlands in this LCA is very significant at approx. 17%. These wooded areas are largely former demesnes that now form part of Lagan Valley Regional Park and include National Trust properties and sites managed by the Ulster Wildlife Trust. The majority of these areas can be categorised as lowland woodland pasture and parkland and are important areas for the red squirrel. Tree species in this parkland are mainly native hardwoods in an intricate mixture with species such as sweet chestnut and specimen conifers. Only a small proportion of the woodland is semi-natural and is found mostly on the steeply descending tributaries to the south.

Small areas of oak dominated woodland can be found at Rathmore Grammar School, Three Acres, Longhurst, Malone Golf Course and Barnett's demesne where they commonly occur with beech and sycamore; the two most common tree species in the Lagan Valley Park. Edenderry, managed by the Ulster Wildlife Trust, is another area of oak and beech woodland with yew and holly. This site also comprises an area of marsh/carr habitat (wet woodland) which is dominated by alder and is important for a variety of wildlife such as the song thrush, pink meadow cap fungi and nodding bur-marigold.

Ash dominated woodlands exist as small patches for example at Longhurst, Ardnavalley House, and Lagan Meadows. Over 120 species of trees exist in the Lagan Valley Regional Park reflecting the importance of demesnes and parks for biodiversity. Of these about 40 are of common occurrence with beech and sycamore the most frequent: ash, pedunculate oak and Scots pine and limes are abundant too. Wych elm, once common, is particularly important in the sense that it is in rapid decline as a result of Dutch elm disease.

Estate Woodlands in this LCA contribute mature stands of trees which enhance the landscape e.g. Belvoir Forest Park where pipistrelle bats and skylarks have been recorded, Edenderry House, Malone House and Dixon Park. Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park is a large estate woodland comprising, sycamore, beech, oak and poplars and is characteristic of old estate woodland in this area, most of which are open to the public.

Mixed Plantations are found at Belvoir Forest and a large area is found also between Barnett's Demesne and Mary Peters' Track. Coniferous Plantations are often small in extent with the largest expanse being located at Belvoir Forest Park - predominantly comprised of Japanese larch.

New woodlands such as the Woodland Trust properties of Belvoir Nature Reserve and Seymour Hill also occur within this LCA and are important for the future of woodlands in this area. The main tree species at Belvoir are oak, ash, alder and birch. Seymour Hill comprises predominantly oak, ash and rowan.

Grassland and Arable

Grassland accounts for over 40% of the land cover in this LCA, the majority of which is improved grassland found scattered throughout the LCA around wooded and arable areas. Lagan Meadows managed by the Ulster Wildlife Trust comprises areas of grazed grassland which feature wild flowers, marshy grassland, open water and swamp with clumps of tussock sedge, scrub and woodland. This is a very important area for wildlife, red squirrel, badgers and otters have found a habitat here along with many birds such as the bull finch, song thrush, skylark, grasshopper warbler, sparrowhawk, siskin. Snipe, reed bunting and linnet also are found especially in damp areas.

Arable land is found in various extents throughout the LCA especially around Ballylesson, Ballynahatty and Tullynacross.

Wetlands and Lakes

Ballydrain Lake, located on the grounds of Malone Golf Club and Galwally Lake are both mesotrophic lakes. Ballydrain Lake is one of the most important habitats in the Belfast area for wildfowl species such as heron, coot, tufted duck, great crested grebe and little grebe, as is Galwally Lake which is managed as a private wildfowl sanctuary.

There are also significant areas of marsh on both sides of the River Lagan which provide an important habitat for nesting waterhen, reed bunting and sedge and grasshopper warblers. There are several important wet meadows including species such as cuckoo flower, meadow sweet, marsh marigold and tussock sedge. These meadows also attract butterflies, dragonflies and many other insect species.

The River Lagan flows through this LCA as does the Lagan Canal and Purdys Burn. The channel has been channelised and the banks resectioned in this part of the River Lagan with fisheries, weirs and groynes being common features. Threats to the rivers in this area include eutrophication from surrounding land and recreational activity; the latter has damaged river banks in some areas. Indeed, sculpturing of river banks, some associated with the former navigational use, has led to loss of riverside communities. Although the river has been modified it still provides an important habitat for many bank species such as mink, otter and stoat. This section of the Lagan also provides the main habitat for coarse fish including species such as brown trout, roach perch and pike. Many birds are also attracted to this area including heron, mallard, kingfisher, dipper and little grebe. Northern Ireland Priority Species such as river water-crowfoot and Spruce's bristle moss have also been recorded in the River Lagan.

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: very significant woodland cover, the majority as NI Priority Habitat lowland woodland pasture and parkland, but also comprising areas of wet woodland

Actions:

• management of demesne woodlands should include measures to remove diseased trees, especially elms and replacement with native species; the dominance of non-native species should be controlled by thinning out and removing saplings; discourage any further felling or pollarding; retain fallen and veteran trees (particularly for bryophytes, ferns, fungi and fauna)
• all wooded areas in this LCA should be protected from the threat of increased urbanisation
• 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 biodiversity of broadleaved woodlands within the LCA, particularly any ancient and long-established, as a key to future management
• enhance biodiversity through measures to improve and extend 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; farmers and landowners could be encouraged to plant field corners or set-aside fields
• ensure conservation of wet woodlands by allowing succession to take place and installing fencing to prevent trampling; ensure that loss does not occur through drainage, reclamation, landfill or dumping/tipping

GRASSLAND AND ARABLE

Issue: scattered improved grassland and arable lands of relatively poor biodiversity value; Lagan Meadows is a very important area for many NI Priority Species

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 wildflower meadows within Lagan Meadows
• 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 through a move to organic farming; provision of wildlife strips and conservation headlands around fields; and limitation of field amalgamation
• leave stubble over winter, rather than autumn ploughing to increase food resources for farmland birds; spring-sown cereals are beneficial to farmland birds
• ensure that further clearance of boulders does not occur on pastoral or arable land

WETLANDS AND LAKES

Issue: NI Priority Habitat mesotrophic lakes occur at Ballydrain Lake and Galwally Lake, in addition to valuable marsh habitats along the River Lagan

Actions:

• promote and encourage adoption of Countryside Management guidelines so that rivers and mesotrophic lakes are not polluted by releases from silage effluent, herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers or sheep dip; ensure that eutrophication does not occur as a result of nutrient-rich surface waters from surrounding farmland
• monitor streams in relation to expansion of rural/urban housing and associated septic tanks/sewage treatment plants
• monitor effects of recreational activity, including coarse fishing, on river banks and freshwater communities (reedbeds, fens etc.)

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