Ballyquintin and Lecale Coast 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

• occupies the southern tip of the Ards Peninsula below Cloghy and the east coast of Down District
• flat to gently undulating coastal landform becomes more undulating and with scattered drumlins inland towards Downpatrick and the North Lecale Hills
• large, flat areas between drumlins often have small loughs and wet pastures
• largely devoid of woodland
• land cover is dominated by an intimate mix of arable and pasture fields

Woodlands

The LCA is devoid of woodland (only 0.56% of the area) with only a few small patches around farmhouses.

Grassland and Arable

Grassland and arable fields are the most dominant land covers in the LCA and together occupy 92% of the land. Most of this is an intimate mix of arable and pasture fields, but purely arable land is quite extensive (34% of total LCA) in the centre stretching from Ardglass to Corbally. Also in this central region there are extensive areas with only pasture fields; these are improved pastures of high productivity, but of low biodiversity. Drained wetland areas are common inland of Killough and Ardglass and north of Corbally; however, despite drainage they are still wet and give rise to damp grassland with rushes. Natural grasslands are rare in the LCA except for some small areas of maritime grassland.

Lowland Raised Bog

There is no peat bog left in the LCA.

Wetlands

There are only one or two small patches of fen remaining in the LCA; former fens have been drained and converted into grassland, although some of this remains wet and has rushes. Open water and lakes are likewise rare. Strand Lough, Killough, is one of the few brackish lagoons in Northern Ireland and has the grey bulrush and slender spike rush, both of which are of limited occurrence in Northern Ireland. It is also important for over-wintering waterfowl.

Coastal Communities

LCA 92 is characterised by its coastal position and there are significant areas with a relatively high biodiversity - several of which are National Nature Reserves, Areas of Special Scientific Interest or are protected by the National Trust. These include Killard NNR where there are many plants uncommon or rare in Northern Ireland; particularly noteworthy is the display of orchids in early summer. The reserve is also notable for its butterflies such as Meadow Brows and Common Blues and the Northern Ireland Priority Species Wall Brown butterfly. Notable birds at this reserve include fulmar, sand martin, yellowhammer, curlew and snipe which are all RSPB Red List species. Ballyquintin Point NNR and ASSI has some similar grassland to Killard, as does the Kearney National Trust property. Small pockets of coastal saltmarsh are also found at Ballyquintin Point and St. John's Point. Cloghy Rocks NNR and Granagh Bay NNR are noteworthy for their populations of common and grey seals as well as for their rich variety of shoreline birds.

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: exceptionally low woodland cover

Actions:

• enhance biodiversity through measures to extend woodland cover such as The Woodland Grant Scheme or The Farm Woodland Premium Scheme; management plans for woodland around farmhouses should be directed toward their survival, through natural regrowth or planting of native broadleaf species
• enhance the biodiversity value of farmland woodlands by discouraging any further felling or pollarding; by retention of fallen and veteran trees (particularly for bryophytes, ferns, fungi and fauna); ensure that any hazel scrub is not cleared

GRASSLAND AND ARABLE

Issue: improved grassland and extensive areas of purely arable land dominate land cover in this LCA, particularly in the central region, but are 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 and protect any unsown areas of grassland
• 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; 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: a small number of NI Priority Habitat fens and saline lagoons remain and require protection; Strand Lough, Killough features rare species of rush.

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; care should be taken to divert the flow of nutrient rich water from agricultural land away from fens, so that sites do not become damaged by a change in species composition
• carefully assess any proposals for arterial and field drainage near to fens so that the water table is not lowered to the extent that fens are affected
• promote and encourage adoption of Countryside Management guidelines so that lakes and saline lagoons are not polluted by releases from silage effluent, herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers or sheep dip; ensure that further 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 shoreline communities (reedbeds, fens etc.)

COASTAL COMMUNITIES

Issue: significant coastal areas of high biodiversity value are reflected in a number of Areas of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves and National Trust properties; the NI Priority Habitat coastal saltmarsh is also featured in this LCA.

Actions:

• ensure that NI Priority Species, rare plants and RSPB Red List Species are protected from factors such as new development, erosion, waste tipping and pollution e.g. at Killard NNR.
• cliff areas are vulnerable to development which may cause erosion - any new development needs to be carefully considered
• protect rare coastal saltmarsh communities from sources of pollution and waste tipping in addition to damaging activities such as land-fill and construction

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