·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 CharacteristicsWoodlands account for about 2.5% of the land cover of the LCA, about half of the percentage for Northern Ireland as a whole. Most of this is semi-natural and developed on cut-over lowland bog. However, Annagarriff Wood (Annagarriff NNR) in Peatlands Park has an older origin because it appears to have survived as a hunting preserve for over 200 years; it is at least 'long-established' and may be 'ancient'. Such woodlands have had sufficient time for species to colonise and therefore tend to have higher species diversity than more recent woodlands. Although felled on occasion, Annagarriff Wood appears never to have been farmed and most native tree species are present. Oak and birch predominate but rarities such as yew, aspen and alder-buckthorn may be seen, the latter in areas of wet woodland. These are usually dominated by downy birch and grey willow below which the woodland floor is mainly of acid communities composed of a thick bryophyte carpet of Polytrichum spp., Scleropodium purum and a variety of bog-mosses (Sphagnum), through which grow a scattering of grasses, sedges and herbs. There is an abundance of mammals and birds include sparrowhawk and long-eared owl; this is the only known Irish site for the wood ant (Formica aquilonia). Some of the low hills at Peatlands Park have planted pines with rhododendron beneath, part of the planting of the Church Hill estate.
The majority of the woodland, developed on cut-over bog, is of birch with some willow species in wetter parts. Where it occurs, the herb layer is varied, partly depending on the density of the canopy and the wetness, and often consists of purple moor grass, brambles, gorse, raspberry and mosses.
Grassland and ArableGrassland cover approaches the percentage for Northern Ireland as a whole (c.71%); almost all of this is improved pasture. Arable land (includes grass re-seeding) also compares with the c.6% for Northern Ireland as a whole. It is largely restricted to the eastern half of the LCA, generally avoiding the peat, and much of it is grass re-seeding. There is also some horticulture on drained peat.
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 commonly treed - ash, beech and oak on the drier land and birch and alder in the peat areas. Hedges tend to be well managed on some of the intensive dairy farms, but elsewhere are gappy and remaining shrubs very overgrown. In those areas of flat land near to Lough Neagh where there are large pasture fields, hedges may be less common and boundaries are of ditches and fence-and-wire.
Rough grassland is found in three situations - in the surroundings of Craigavon where they form part of the undeveloped land or of the open design of the town; on cut-over bogs that have not been colonised by trees, and in fields that have been 'reclaimed' from peat in the past. On the cut-over bogs, the variation in depth of peat left leads to variation in the cover so that the acid grasslands may have small 'islands' with common heather and sedges or in some drier sites, gorse. Grassland reclaimed in the past may be dominated by rushes and generally poor in plant species. On the southern shore of Lough Neagh many of the reclaimed grasslands are rush-dominated, but wet grasslands in this district are an important part of the habitats for wetland birds that are associated with the lough.
The inter-mix of farmland with areas of cut-over bog, damp grasslands and woodland gives rise to a mosaic of habitats for birds and many of the Priority Species are found in the LCA - including bullfinch, linnet, skylark, song thrush, reed bunting, tree sparrow, curlew and spotted flycatcher. Most of these are recorded also in the undeveloped grassland and scrub woodlands around Craigavon.
Heaths and BogsNorthern Ireland has a large proportion of the UK's lowland raised bogs and they are therefore of national importance; they are also of European importance as examples of the maritime or oceanic types of lowland raised bogs. However, although lowland raised bog is widespread across the LCA, almost all has been cut-over in the past and much has been colonised by birch woodland (see above). The major intact bog is Mullenakill NNR; this has most of the typical bog species including hare's tail cotton sedge, common cotton sedge, bog mosses (Sphagnum) and sundews. At Peatlands Park ASSI where areas of cut-over peat are protected against further extraction, regeneration is taking place with common heather, cross-leaved heath, a mixture of sedges including hare's-tail cotton sedge and common cotton sedge, and bog-mosses. The peatland flora includes bog-rosemary at one of its few Northern Ireland sites and the marsh fritillary butterfly is also found. Cut-over peatland can provide a diversity of habitats, not only those that are relatively dry (see above) but also water-logged sites or small pools that provide a habitat for dragonflies. There can be also patches of lowland heathland; this may be found where the peat left after cutting is shallow (wet heathland has less than 50cm of peat). However, because it is inter-mixed with other cut-over areas it is difficult to delimit.
Recent and present peat extraction is common on both sides of the Blackwater River, except at Peatlands Park, and includes both milling/vacuum and sod cutting, mainly for horticultural peat.
Wetland and LakesThe fens of north Armagh have long been recognised as of national and international significance, not only for their plant life, but as part of a complex of open water (especially Lough Neagh), reedbeds, wet meadows and carr woodland that provides a diversity of habitats for mammals, insects and birds. Although not as extensive as formerly, because of drainage for agriculture, the fens and other wetland habitats remain of importance. For example, Oxford Island NNR includes a diversity of habitats including wet meadows, reedbeds, woodlands and shoreline scrub, all of which are typical of the Lough Neagh shore. Sheltered bays provide a refuge for large numbers of wintering wildfowl, and whooper and Bewick's swans can usually be found grazing on wet grassland fields, that in summer provide habitats for butterflies, including some rare species.
Fens and reedbeds are not confined to the L.Neagh shore, they also occur around Lough Gullion, Derryadd Lake and as isolated patches along the major rivers, as at Derryvore in the Bann valley.
The LCA contains several large and small lakes, but although many are classed as mesotrophic lakes, most are considered to be of low biological interest because of nutrient enrichment from the surrounding land. Derrylard Quarry is mesotrophic, but relatively base and nutrient poor (a Nymphaea/Fontinalis/Littorella type. Derryadd Lake has eutrophic standing waters; the outstanding example of this type is, however, Lough Neagh. Lough Neagh ASSI 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.
This part of Lough Neagh has a number of the islands that have been designated, with others (about 80 in total), as the Lough Neagh Islands NNR. These provide secure nesting sites, free from predators, for many species of wetland birds. They also have habitats that in themselves are of interest to biodiversity; Coney Island (National Trust) has fringing reed swamp and alder carr and broadleaved woodland. Species of note include large bitter-cress which occurs within the woodland, and the cranefly (Erioptera squalida) - its only known location in Ireland.
The Upper Bann, the Callan River and River Blackwater have river water-crowfoot; the Blackwater River also is a salmon river (also trout and dollaghan). The otter is widespread.
Key IssuesGeneral actions for UK and NI Priority Habitats and Priority Species are detailed in the Habitat Action Plans and Species Action Plans.
WOODLANDSIssue: low woodland cover, but includes extensive wet woodland and example of possibly ancient woodland (Annagarriff)
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Issue: poor biodiversity of farmland
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Issue: raised bogs are of national and international importance
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Issue: fens in Northern Ireland are a large proportion of the UK resource
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Issue: Lough Neagh of national and international importance for wetland birds; nationally important for other Priority Species; rivers of importance to Priority Species
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