Dromore Lowlands 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

• Little woodland in this LCA. Largest area is found at Moles wood, the rest exists as small parks, estate woodlands and wet woodland around fens but scope for new planting
• Many areas of fen originating from cutting of peat bogs with associated scrub woodland
• Improved grassland is dominant but there are significant areas of rough, damp grassland

Woodlands

Woodland accounts for approx. 3% of land cover in this LCA, the majority of which is broadleaved. The largest area of woodland is located to the west of Dromore and consists of a mature beech plantation. Moles Wood is approx. 130 years old with a varied ground flora featuring species such as bluebell and sanicle. There are several other small areas of woodland predominantly associated with houses with extensive gardens and small parklands such as Quilly House (Lowland woodland pasture and parkland). Beech, ash, sycamore, horse chestnut and Austrian pine are the most common species associated with these estates. At Gillhall, also west of Dromore, there are quite extensive conifer plantations, some young plantings of oak, beech and sycamore as well as mature trees associated with its parkland history (including beech, oak and a range of conifers).

There are also many small areas of wet woodland scattered throughout the LCA and associated with old cut over bog sites - many of these are now fen.

Grassland and Arable

Grassland covers approx. 80% of this LCA, the majority of which is improved (66%). There are several areas of rough grassland predominately to the east, along the River Lagan, and to the south of Dromore. These areas of rough grassland are generally damp and are important for breeding waders such as lapwing and snipe.

Arable land accounts for approx. 11% of land cover in this LCA and occurs in a belt around Dromore on higher ground above the lower lying damp pastures and fens. Farmland is an important habitat for wildlife especially decreasing farmland birds such as the skylark and tree sparrow, which have been recorded around the Balleny region. Leaving stubble over the winter and growing spring-sown cereals increases food supplies and creates favourable environments for other farmland birds such as the linnet.

Heath and Bogs

There are no extant peat bogs in the LCA, all have been cut over and either reclaimed for agriculture or have developed into fen.

Wetlands and Lakes

There is only one lake in this LCA, Skillyscolban Lough which is moderately enriched and is of little interest in terms of biodiversity.

This LCA is characterised by its many low-lying areas of fen and associated scrub woodland. These wetland areas are found throughout the LCA and many appear to have originated from cutting of peat in the past. The largest fen site in this LCA is Big Bog, a degraded area of old cut over bog with associated areas of wet woodland, which is generally of little ecological interest due to extensive eutrophication. Several other areas of fen in this LCA have experienced some level of enrichment and many have also been drained or been used for tipping. Although the fens are generally enriched there are a few that have good areas of bottle sedge fen and some notable species such as spiky bog-moss and rigid bog-moss and are important areas for breeding waders such as snipe and lapwing. The small fens represent examples of a relatively rare complex of habitats that are under threat and have declined over the recent past.

A small section of the River Lagan, a crowfoot river flows through the north-eastern corner of this LCA. Apart from the otter, there are no records of Priority Species in the streams, but the water quality of these can also be affected by agricultural activities. Adoption of Countryside Management Guidelines will assist in the avoidance of pollution incidents (from fertilizers, slurry, herbicides, pesticides and silage effluent).

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 broadleaved woodlands, but including the NI Priority Habitats Lowland woodland pasture and parkland and wet woodland

Actions:

• enhance the biodiversity value of broadleaved woodlands by discouraging felling; halt 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
• further study of the history and ecology of broadleaved woodlands within the LCA, particularly any ancient and long-established, as a key to future management; ensure that hazel scrub is not cleared
• ensure conservation of wet woodlands by allowing succession to take place and installing fencing to prevent trampling; ensure that they are not lost through drainage, reclamation, landfill or dumping/tipping
• improve biodiversity through measures to improve and extend the woodland cover such as The Woodland Grant Scheme or The Farm Woodland Premium Scheme; management plans for demesne woodland should be directed toward their survival, through natural regrowth or planting of native broadleaf species, particularly in field corners and set-aside fields

GRASSLAND AND ARABLE

Issue: improved grassland and arable of low biodiversity value, however, NI Priority Species skylark and treesparrow have been recorded around Balleny.

Actions:

• 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
• 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 unsown areas of rough grassland for breeding waders
• maintain and enhance damp grassland by where, possible, restricting field or arterial drainage
• leave stubble over winter, rather than autumn ploughing to increase food resources for farmland birds; spring-sown cereals are beneficial to farmland birds

WETLANDS AND LAKES

Issue: NI Priority Habitat fens are subject to a range of threats and have declined in recent years in this LCA.

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; divert the inflow of nutrient rich water from agricultural land into fens
• promote and encourage existing good farming practices (Countryside Management guidelines) by so that rivers such as the Lagan are not polluted by releases from silage effluent, herbicides, pesticides, fertilisers or sheep dip
• monitor streams in relation to expansion of rural/urban housing and associated septic tanks/sewage treatment plants

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