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 approximately 6% of the land cover of the LCA; the majority of this is in three state forests that are predominantly coniferous. In all three - Camlough, Fathom and Slieve Gullion - Sitka spruce, Lodgepole pine and Japanese larch are the most common species, but all have some areas of broadleaves. Outside of the state forests, coniferous trees occur in small patches and whereas some are recent, many have their origins in nineteenth century landscaping - particularly of circular planting on artificial mounds and knolls; these are predominantly Scots pine and larch.
Broadleaved semi-natural woodland is, apart from the upper slopes of Slieve Gullion, scattered throughout the LCA. However, almost all the sites are small and are either wet woodland or alternatively patches on rocky hillsides or stream-sides. Wet woodlands are found predominantly in broad valley floors on cut-over bogs and are associated with fen communities. Willow is dominant, sometimes forming almost pure stands, but otherwise mixed with alder and, on drier peat remnants, birch. Examples include valley floors at Longfield, Drumintee and Aghadavoyle. The latter is extensive (6ha) birch-willow woodland, but because of the range of water levels and soil moisture has several other species including oak, ash, rowan and Scots pine. Hillside and stream-side semi-natural woodlands are dominated by hazel. On the hillsides these woodland patches are associated with hawthorn and blackthorn scrub, and in addition to hazel may have a range of species present. Ash, sycamore and rowan are common, but willows are also found on pockets of wetter soils. More extensive hillside woodland occurs on the northern slopes of Ballymacdermott Mountain; this is developing from scrub and is dominated by rowan with scattered ash and sycamore trees.
Wet woodlands are best managed by allowing succession to take place, but there is a need for fencing in some locations to prevent too much trampling and a general need to eliminate dumping. Hillside woodlands would also benefit from fencing so that grazing and trampling can be limited to that which would allow regeneration of trees and development of ground flora.
Most of the areas of mature, tall, broadleaf woodland have a planted history, either in demesnes or from landscaping of the countryside. Hawthorn Hill FNR conserves part of one of these estates. Throughout beech is the most frequent species, but there are stands also of oak and of mixed broadleaves and conifers, that include sycamore, Scots pine and larch, and in the upper part pure stands of old Norway spruce. Ground flora also changes with height from grass and rush at lower altitude to heather-bilberry heath in the higher areas. Killevy Castle, also on the eastern slopes of Slieve Gullion, adjoins Hawthorn Hill and similar species are dominant. There are plantations of oak and beech, but the extensive parkland (Lowland woodland pastures and parkland) has a wide range of species that also includes ash, sycamore, lime, wych elm and horse chestnut, as well as larch, Norway spruce, Scots pine, Douglas fir and Sitka spruce. There are several other parklands in the LCA, often with similar or greater species diversity, but characteristically they are often only remnants of their former extent and/or have been neglected; many plantations within them are grazed, trees are post-mature and there is little regeneration of canopy species.
Outside of the parks, landscaping is evident in small plantations of oak and beech as near to the old cornmill at Forkhill and the flaxmill at Silverbridge, or on mounds and knolls as at Carrickastrickan and Tullydonnell.
Management of parks and other areas of tall broadleaf woodland could include control of grazing, removal of invasive species that are changing the species balance (e.g. sycamore), planting of saplings of canopy species, and removal of rhododendron and laurel so that the understorey and ground flora can develop. Veteran and fallen trees should be left to encourage biodiversity of flora and fauna. Dumping, including of cars and machinery, needs to be discouraged. Some areas may be long-established woodland and require research.
Grassland and ArableGrassland accounts for nearly 75% of the land cover of the LCA; of this almost three-quarters is improved pasture. Although there is variation in intensity of management, improved pastures generally tend to have low biodiversity as does arable land. Land classed as arable, which includes grass re-seeding, is very limited in the LCA and occurs as scattered fields in the broad flat-floored valleys.
Although most of the improved pastures have high levels of management, there are pasture fields in this LCA where traditional management is still practised. These less-managed and traditionally managed grasslands (Lowland meadows) are rare in Northern Ireland, especially in the east. On sloping sites where soil drainage is good, species-rich dry grassland has developed in these fields. Examples exist at Carrickastickan ASSI where the two fields are managed for hay and are dominated by the grasses crested dog's-tail, red fescue, common bent and sweet vernal grass. They have herbs typical of traditionally managed grasslands on slightly base-rich soil conditions. As traditionally managed grasslands they provide valuable feeding and roosting sites for a range of animals, including birds and invertebrates. A variety of butterflies have been recorded in the area including meadow brown and common blue. Similar species rich dry grasslands of some extent are also found at the northwest foot of Slieve Gullion in Levallymore. Species-rich wet grasslands and fen meadows are also found scattered through the lower parts of the LCA where they merge with fen and reed communities.
Rough grasslands are found throughout the LCA and occur broadly in two situations, either on rocky outcrops or in damp, lower areas. Rough grasslands associated with rocky outcrops are found throughout the LCA, but occur in extensive areas in the northwest; grass is intermixed with patches of heather, bracken or gorse and pockets of bog. In damp, lower land, rough grassland, often with abundant rushes, merges with fens or represents reversion in previously drained land.
Heaths and BogsThere are no significant areas of intact lowland bog remaining in the LCA; all have been cut-over in the past. Some have subsequently been reclaimed into grassland whereas others have developed into diverse sites with fen, carr woodland, and remnant patches of bog.
As with lowland bogs, there are no intact blanket bogs remaining. Only the summit of Slieve Gullion would have qualified as blanket peat, but this shows evidence of having been cut-over and is now part of the larger area of upland heath which occupies most of the un-forested upper surface of the mountain.
The Upland heathland on Slieve Gullion is one of the largest expanses in Northern Ireland of this rare habitat type. It is dominated by heather and, where there is no intervening forestry, there is a transition downslope to lowland heaths and acid grasslands and fens. There is evidence of overgrazing in recent times, particularly on those lands that were not in the ESA scheme; thus there has been an increase in sheep's fescue grass, a decline in deer sedge, and a higher frequency of bare ground.
Wetlands and LakesMany of the fens in the LCA have developed in former cut-over lowland bogs so that there is diversity and complexity of habitats at individual sites. A community of bottle sedge, white sedge and common sedge often forms the main part of the fen. This may be accompanied by small patches of bog with, depending on wetness, heather, cotton sedge, bog asphodel and sundews. Yet other parts can be species-poor wet grassland dominated by soft rush or under developing wet woodland of willow. Cashel Loughs ASSI is an example; the wetlands include a range of communities from the open waters of the three loughs to adjoining fen, cut-over bog, wet heath and rush pasture. The site contains a number of vascular plants with a restricted distribution in the British Isles, including marsh St. John's-wort, western gorse and a number of notable mosses. The diversity of wetland habitats typically supports a rich invertebrate community including many species of water beetle, of spiders and of ground beetle. These fens and the associated wet grasslands also provide habitats for birds, including waders.
Although fens are widespread in Armagh and Down, together with those in the west of Northern Ireland they form a large proportion of the UK total. It is therefore important that they are retained. However, they are under threat in this LCA and measures are required to prevent change and loss. Several have recently cut drains around their edges as part of improvement of pastures - this will affect species composition and diversity of communities; others are unfenced and the edges are heavily poached by grazing animals; and there has been in-fill, particularly of those fens and cut-over bogs near to the Dublin road in the east and Camlough in the north.
Cam Lough and Cashel Lough Lower are classed as mesotrophic lakes, that is, characterised by having a middle level of nutrients between nutrient poor (oligotrophic) and nutrient rich (eutrophic). Mesotrophic lakes potentially have the highest macrophyte diversity of any lake type. Furthermore, relative to other lake types, they contain a higher proportion of nationally scarce and rare aquatic plants. This is an increasingly rare type of lake in Northern Ireland because the nutrient status of many is being increased through input of water from agricultural land that has had applications of fertilizers and slurry. The occurrence of such lakes in the LCA is important to the biodiversity of the LCA and Northern Ireland and it is essential that nutrient enrichment from agricultural and other sources is prevented. Cashel Upper Lough and the un-named lough close by are examples of lakes, often in the uplands, that have very low plant nutrient concentrations and the most diverse aquatic macrophyte flora of the upland lakes; it is important that these too are protected against nutrient enrichment.
Similarly, water quality in rivers and streams must be maintained or improved and pollution incidents avoided if the biodiversity of the waters, and of the lakes into which they flow, is to be retained or enhanced. Care must be exercised in application of fertilizers, slurry, pesticides and herbicides and in the avoidance of leakage of silage effluent into streams. It is also important that the increase in rural housing, with associated septic tanks, and of small towns and villages should be considered in relation to water quality. The Forkhill River has river water-crowfoot.
Key IssuesGeneral actions for UK and NI Priority Habitats and Priority Species are detailed in the Habitat Action Plans and Species Action Plans.
WOODLANDSIssue: coniferous woodland of low biodiversity value dominates the LCA, however, there are broadleaved areas, including the NI Priority Habitats wet woodland and Lowland woodland pasture and parkland
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Issue: improved pastures and very limited arable of poor biodiversity, although there are also examples of traditionally managed NI Priority Habitat Lowland meadows at Carrickastickan ASSI.
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Issue: remnant patches of bog may be in a transitional state to fen and carr woodland and can continue to provide valuable habitats for birds and invertebrates
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Issue: this LCA contains one of Northern Ireland's most extensive areas of the rare NI Priority Habitat Upland heathland
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Issue: this LCA contains examples of the NI Priority Habitats fens and mesotrophic lakes, which require protection
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