Carrickfergus Farmed Escarpment 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

• narrow LCA along the steep slopes and southern foothills of the basalt plateau
• biodiversity poor, but with opportunity to develop woodland and more species-rich grassland on the steeper slopes
• under threat from ribbon development

Woodlands

Woodlands occupy only 2% of the LCA. The North Woodburn Glen ASSI comprises the most important area of broadleaved woodland; it is an example of an Upland Mixed Ashwood. Ash and hazel dominate with willows common alongside the stream. There is a well-developed herb layer with some locally important species, including toothwort and wood vetch, and a rich moss and lichen flora. Apart from hazel wood and scrub on the steep slopes of the basalt plateau, broadleaved trees are confined to small pockets on golf-courses, around houses and in hedgerows. A small part of Woodburn Forest extends into the LCA; this is almost entirely coniferous.

Grassland and Arable

Grasslands occupy about 77% of the LCA, most of this is improved pastures in a grid of small rectangular fields enclosed by hedges. Hedges, some of which have Scots pine, are often poorly maintained and gappy, especially towards the steep slopes of the basalt plateau. Immediately above the Dorisland Reservoir there are several sheep grazed fields that are fairly species-rich and at Stoney Glen there is a more diverse, species-rich dry grassland that tends towards calcareous grassland where soils are thin.

Wetlands

There are two reservoirs located within this LCA, Copeland Reservoir and Dorisland Reservoir, but both are of limited biodiversity interest - although the beaked beardless moss has been recorded at Copeland Reservoir. No Priority Species have been recorded from the rivers and streams of the LCA.

Urban

Urban land currently occupies only 3% of the LCA, but there is ribbon development on both the east-west roads and north-south lanes that poses a potential threat to the biodiversity of the LCA - not only directly, but also through abandonment of agricultural practices (such as hedgerow management) as the potential for building increases, and through pollution of streams from septic tanks and waste water.

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: limited woodland cover, but including the NI Priority Habitat Upland Mixed Ashwood within North Woodburn Glen ASSI

Actions:

• enhance the biodiversity value of broadleaved woodlands by discouraging any further felling or pollarding; by retention of fallen and veteran trees (particularly for bryophytes, ferns, fungi and fauna)
• encourage control of grazing in broadleaved woodlands to foster herb layer and regeneration and if necessary, encourage replanting of canopy species; removal of invasive species could increase the diversity of ground flora, especially where the canopy species are not beech
• 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; particularly on the steep slopes and in field corners
• management plans for broadleaved 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

GRASSLAND AND ARABLE

Issue: high grassland coverage, mostly as improved pastures with poorly maintained hedges 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 - annual mowing and removal on steeper slopes may gradually reduce nutrient status and allow pastures to revert to more species-rich grassland
• manage grazing levels to ensure that species-rich grassland areas are not encroached by scrub vegetation or experience a fall in species richness due to overgrazing
• protect unsown areas of grassland including dry, calcareous grassland above the Dorisland Reservoir and at Stoney Glen
• 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: care should be exercised to maintain the water quality and biodiversity of the two reservoirs and rivers in this LCA

Actions:

• promote and encourage adoption of Countryside Management guidelines so that reservoirs and rivers 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 recreation, including fishing, on freshwater communities

URBAN

Issue: ribbon development threatens the biodiversity of the LCA

Actions:

• monitor ribbon development along the east-west roads and north-south lanes
• monitor streams in relation to expansion of rural/urban housing and associated septic tanks, sewage treatment plants and waste water

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