Coleraine Farmland 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
- significant broadleaved woodland, particularly along the Bann, most in State Forest or estates
- grassland occupies around 59% of the land cover of the LCA of which three-quarters is in improved pasture generally of low biodiversity
- north of Coleraine rough grasslands - of greater plant and animal diversity - is frequent and associated with damp hollows or rocky outcrops
- no remaining intact bogs; several have been colonised by trees to form wet woodland
- no significant wetlands
- important coastal habitats, particularly the extensive sand dunes that have several rare and priority species.
Woodlands
Woodlands occupy almost 3.5% of the LCA of which just over half is broadleaved or mixed. The majority of the woodland is concentrated to the south of Coleraine extending along the Bann to the southern border of the LCA.
Unusually in Northern Ireland, much of the broadleaved woodland is in State Forests - including Somerset, Castleroe, Knockantern, Colebreene, Coole Glebe and Gills Upper. It is often difficult to separate areas within the forests because there are many small compartments with different species or mixtures of species dominating. In addition, some former estate woodland has been included in the forests. Ash, oak and sycamore are the most frequent broadleaved species. At Somerset, oak and Norway spruce mixtures are common but there are also compartments of oak, and of oak-beech-ash as well as of Sitka spruce and Scots pine-Noway spruce. Mount Sandel has ash, beech and birch mixed with Japanese Larch, but also willow and alder, especially north of the fort. At Castleroe ash dominates the northern third with much of the remainder in a mix of larch, lodgepole pine, Scots pine and spruces. At Knockantern oak, alder and mixed broadleaves surround a core of Sitka spruce. Coole Glebe has only a fringe of broadleaves around Sitka spruce forest, but Colebreene is entirely of ash and sycamore. Gills Upper has alder although Sitka spruce is dominant. The small Loughan Island FNR is a mix of broadleaved species.
These State Forests are part of an almost continuous stretch of woodland along the Bann; the intervening areas between the Forests are in estates (Lowland woodland pasture and parkland) or other plantations. These include Knocktarna and Cooldaragh on the eastern bank, and Castleroe - Camus on the western. Trees are predominantly broadleaved; species include sycamore, ash, beech and oak with some conifers, including Scots pine and larch. In wetter parts and along the riverbank, willow and alder are frequent.
Away from the R. Bann, wooded estates include Leslie Hill on the outskirts of Ballymoney, and Coldagh House/O'Harabrook on the lower Ballymoney River. Woodland at Leslie Hill is extensive and predominantly broadleaved or mixed; species include oak, lime, sycamore, ash, beech and larch as well as specimen trees. Coldagh House is predominantly of well-grown beech but there are also some ash, sycamore and Scots pine. In the north of the LCA, the estate woods at Cromore House, on the outskirts of Portstewart, are predominantly young re-growth with sycamore, ash, rowan, beech and some planted spruce. Willow and alder are found in wetter parts.
Outside of the demesnes and forests, woodland is scarce. Killcranny Wood on the lower slopes of Cranagh Hill is a mixed ash wood with sycamore, alder and willow. At Dromore, a small tributary of the R. Bann has hazel with oak and shrub, field and ground layers all present. Other broadleaved woodlands are largely confined to former bogs. Notable is Coolderry South bog with birch, alder and willow, and Pullans North where most of the former cut-over bog is treed with dry birch, some of which is coppiced; there is also cattle grazing. Alder-willow carr (wet woodland) is extensive in Upper Glenleary and Kilmaconnell.
As descibed above, coniferous forest is largely intermixed with broadleaved planting in the State Forests. Coolyvenny Wood, not State Forest, is predominantly of Sitka spruce and is located on former cut-over bog. Other small conifer plantations occur on golf courses in the area and as screening to caravan parks.
Grassland and Arable
Grassland occupies around 59% of the land cover of the LCA of which three-quarters is in improved pasture. However, there is a marked distributional pattern; north of Coleraine land cover is a complex mosaic of arable, less managed grasslands and some gorse (whin) heath with improved pasture of scattered occurrence. Much of the less-managed grassland is associated with damp hollows that are important for birds, including snipe. but other parts have thinner soils and rocky outcrops where rough grassland is associated with gorse.
South a line drawn across the LCA through the northern outskirts of Coleraine, improved pasture dominates with only small patches of rough grassland in the environs of the town. These improved pastures have generally low biodiversity as a result of relatively intensive management. Some are sown grasslands dominated by ryegrass and few other species - low biodiversity is in-built. Others 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.
Arable land, which includes land under grass re-seeding, is scattered through the area to the north of Coleraine and extensive tracts are located between Ballymoney, Ballygan and Ballindreen where basalt soils are better drained. Arable accounts for about 14% of the land cover, more than double the Northern Ireland average. Arable land is often of low biodiversity interest, but can be significant for farmland birds; yellowhammer, song thrush, linnet, skylark and bullfinch have been recorded in areas of arable land in the LCA - note, however, that in these areas although arable may dominate, other habitats may be present.
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, as in parts of this LCA there are few semi-natural habitats. Hedgerows are a refuge for many woodland and farmland plants and animals. In this LCA, hedgerows are generally well maintained and dense although on poorer land, for example in damper areas, they tend to be overgrown and gappy.
Heaths and Bogs
There are no examples of intact lowland raised bog remaining in the LCA, all have been cut-over, several are treed as a result of succession following cutting, some have been reclaimed into grassland and there has also been afforestation. Coolyvenny bog in the southwest, is an extensive area (c. 80ha) of cut-over bog, but an additional large part has been planted with conifers and the north-eastern edge has been colonised by trees. The bog at Upper Glenleary nearby is also cut-over and colonised. To the east of the R. Bann, as described above, Coolderry South bog and Pullans North are also cut-over and treed. To the east of Coleraine, there are several 'island' settlements (e.g. Island Heaghey, Islandeffrick) but there are no surrounding peatlands, just damp pastures.
Heaths are restricted to patches of gorse, predominantly in the north of the LCA where the underlying rock is exposed, soils are thin or there are peaty soils. Chough and stonechat can be found in areas with gorse - and if shrub vegetation such as willow, birch or gorse occurs on bog, generally cut-over, additional species of birds are attracted, including linnet, stonechat and whinchat.
Wetlands and Lakes
There are no significant wetlands in the LCA apart from former bogs (see above) and coastal-estuarine areas (see below). The Lower Bann, which has river water-crowfoot, has several tributary rivers and streams in many of which the otter has been recorded and several are salmonid rivers.
Coastal
The Bann Estuary ASSI (cSAC) incorporates a series of coastal sand dune systems with a complex mosaic of habitat types on the sand spit behind Portstewart Strand. These include embryo dunes bound together by sand couch and extensive areas of white dune dominated by marram. The grey dune complex includes a number of damp hollows and blow-outs and supports an array of plant and animal communities including rare and unusual species. In the few wet slacks the rare seaside centuary is found. The oldest dunes consist of a short-grazed sward, which supports the rare shepherd's cress. To the south of the Bann, in Grange Td., there are also ancient sand dunes but these have been heavily invaded by bracken and have suffered significant and damaging nutrient enrichment during the recent past.
The estuary also has coastal saltmarsh; notably at Grange Td. there is an unusually intact and extensive transition from saltmarsh into non-tidal fen and coastal and floodplain grazing marsh. However, this rich grazing marsh appears to be drying out and rapid remedial action to raise water levels is now essential.
The Bann Estuary as a whole is used by significant numbers of passage and wintering waders and wildfowl and is also important for breeding species including shelduck, redshank, snipe and lapwing. Together, these varied habitats of the Bann estuary and adjacent areas have a number of Priority Species, including common scoter, linnet, reed bunting, roseate tern, skylark, tree sparrow, curlew, golden plover, wall brown butterfly, narrow bordered bee hawk moth, and dwarf spike rush.
Coastal sand dunes are also extensive to the east of Portrush where they are used in the golf links.
To the east of Portstewart, the coastline is of cliffs (maritime cliffs and slopes) and platforms of the exposed bedrock. For example, at Ringagree the igneous bedrock has a wide variety of rock pools that are rich in flora and fauna. The upper shore has a mix of fucoids and ephemeral algae, whilst the mid shore region is characterised by mussels.
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: although low woodland cover of variable biodiversity value, there is a significant area especially along the Bann
Actions:
- enhance the biodiversity value of demesne/parkland woodland through control of grazing and felling; by encouraging planting of saplings of the standard trees; by preventing further loss of parkland (particularly in this LCA through expansion of Coleraine into the wooded estates along the Bann); by retention of fallen and veteran trees (particularly for bryophytes, ferns, fungi and fauna)
- further study of the history of demesne and other broadleaved woodlands particularly any ancient and long-established, as a key to future management
- woodlands developing on cut-over bogs should be retained and protected from grazing
- encourage new woodland planting, especially of native broadleaves, through appropriate grant schemes
GRASSLAND AND ARABLE
Issue: poor biodiversity of farmland
Actions:
- maintain and improve field boundaries especially hedgerows . This may be achieved through adoption of correct cutting cycles; hedge laying and replanting where necessary; leaving saplings uncut to develop into hedgerow trees; avoidance of spraying with fertilizers, slurry, herbicides; provision of wildlife strips and conservation headlands around fields; and limitation of field amalgamation
- encourage adoption of less intensive management of pastures to allow reversion to more species-rich grassland and protect unsown areas of species-rich grassland
- leave stubble over winter, rather than autumn ploughing, to increase food resources for farmland birds; spring sown cereals are beneficial to breeding farmland birds
HEATH AND BOGS
Issue: raised bogs even though cut-over have habitat and species diversity
Actions:
- maintain existing lowland raised bogs by for example, preventing infilling, fly-tipping, fires, new drainage and new peat cutting
- consider restoration of raised bog habitats through appropriate water level management
- prevent new forest planting on raised bog
WETLANDS
Issue: important rivers for flora (including river water-crowfoot) and fauna (including salmonid rivers)
Actions:
- protect water quality rivers through nutrient management, thus
- promote and encourage existing good farming practices so that streams are not polluted by run-off from agricultural land or seepage from silage pits
- continue monitoring of streams below industrial plants
- monitor streams in relation to expansion of rural/urban housing and associated septic tanks/sewage treatment plants
COASTAL
Issue: extensive and important sand dune systems
Action:
- ensure that recreational activities do not damage dune systems - protect against trampling damage; avoid disturbance of bird life; guard against management of golf courses affecting species and habitat composition; protect against nutrient enrichment; limit spread/remove bracken
Issue: drying out of coastal and floodplain grazing marshes
Action:
- consider introduction of measures to control water levels; investigate whether drying out is a natural phenomenon or the result of human activityNote that in the tables below the presence of a species in this LCA and its significance is based on currently available information and may in some instances reflect the distribution of recording rather than the distribution of that species
