Under the EU’s Habitats Directive, 57 sites have been designated as SACs specifically for their raised bog habitat. This is one of the rarest habitats in the world; in Ireland the extent of ‘active’ raised bog (i.e. where wet peat was still growing) was mostly recently calculated at 0.6% of its original extent. However, this figure is now likely to be significantly smaller.
Details sent to the IWT (and reproduced below) show that of the 57 SACs, turf-cutting was monitored by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) at half of the sites (28 SACs) since 2016.
Start Date: 01/02/2022 End Date: 31/01/2028 Total Budget: 7,402,299 € EU Contribution: 5,551,724 €
Protecting and restoring Irelands network of machair systems and associated breeding wader and pollinator communities
BACKGROUND
The LIFE on Machair project is taking place within 9 SACs & 4 SPAs in the west and north-west of Ireland and aims to protect and restore the priority Annex I habitat Machair (*21AO) as well as associated coastal habitats and the species they support. The conservation status was assessed as Unfavourable – Bad: (a habitat in serious danger of disappearing, at least regionally) in Ireland’s 2019 Habitats Directive reporting and further evidence suggests there has been further degradation since 2013. Additionally, machair forms a complex with the priority Annex I habitat *2130 Fixed dunes which was also assessed as unfavourable – bad in 2019. This project aims to address the primary pressures negatively impacting machair systems: unsustainable agricultural and recreational/tourism activities. Agriculture pressures include inappropriate stocking levels and timing of grazing and interference with the machair physical structure. Inappropriate grazing reduces the diversity of vegetation structure and plant communities, diminishing floral resources for pollinators, and producing a sward structure that is not suitable for nesting waders.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of the LIFE on Machair project is to improve the conservation condition of Ireland’s ‘Machairs’ habitat and the ecological conditions for breeding waders and pollinators within project sites. The project will employ an integrated management approach; provide education, guidance, and informed management policies for stakeholders, and deliver concrete conservation actions within a network of machair and wader Natura 2000 sites.
The specific objectives of the project are to:
Work with farmers to develop and roll out agricultural management agreements on project sites that incentivise and reward farmers for improving habitat functioning and delivering ecological resources for breeding waders and pollinators in the long term;
Work with landowners to implement site-specific conservation interventions (e.g. revegetation, predator control) to address acute threats to the targeted habitats and species;
Provide opportunities and support for local farmers and communities to engage in capacity building and knowledge sharing on the sustainable management of machair sites;
Reduce the negative impacts of recreational users on popular sites by developing a sustainable tourism model for machair sites;
Develop a strategy to ensure replication and transfer of project results in the context of the After- LIFE Plan.
The project will contribute to the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, the Habitats Directive and Birds Directive, and the development of Ireland’s Prioritised Action Framework (PAF) for Natura 2000 including results-based agri-environmental agreements. It will contribute to the EU Pollinators Initiative, policy aiming to improve coastal habitat resilience to climate change, in line with the EU Strategy on Green Infrastructure. The project also complements the EU International Multi-Species Action Plan for the Conservation of Breeding Waders in Wet Grassland Habitats in Europe (2018-2028).
RESULTS
Expected results:
Improved structure and functions of the component habitats over a total machair system area of around 3,500 ha, with improved ecological conditions for waders and pollinators;
A results-based agri-environment measure designed and implemented on up to 3,000 ha of target lands, thereby improving habitat functioning and delivering ecological resources for waders and pollinators in the long term;
Site-specific concrete conservation actions for habitats, waders and pollinators implemented on around 3 500 ha of SACs (overlapping with approximately 560 ha of SPAs), reducing and/or eliminating acute threats to these habitats and species;
The above actions will improve the conservation condition of the targeted 1,200 ha of ‘Machairs’ (*21A0), that is 39% of the total area of machairs habitat in Ireland, and the EU, and 1 000 ha of ‘Fixed dunes’ (*2130), 12% of total area in Ireland;
The total population of breeding waders within lands targeted by the project at least maintained at 259 pairs, but ideally will have increased;
Annual community workshops in project sites will have explored the sustainable use of machair sites for tourism and recreation, and a sustainable tourism model for machair sites will have been developed;
Approximately 6 knowledge exchange groups covering all project areas implemented, supporting and improving farmer/landowner capacity to sustainably manage machair sites;
Local community initiatives developed during the workshops will have been facilitated through the provision of small grants for eco-friendly tourism to the value of €80,000; and
A strategy to ensure replication and transfer of project results in the context of the After-LIFE Plan will have been developed.
The Project is focused primarily on the blanket bog SACs and associated lands from Galway Bay up to north Donegal and the objective is to achieve good habitat quality in the north-western SACs.
The project is being piloted in the Owenduff/Nephin SAC area in Mayo for 2021 and 2022 with payments for both years.
IFA clarification that participating farmers will be allowed to “stock their land to its potential”
The Cessation of Turf Cutting Compensation Scheme was established to compensate land owners and turbary right holders affected by the restriction on turf cutting on the 53 raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). This Scheme is administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage on behalf of the Minister.
In 2014 the Minister has extended the Scheme to include land owners and turbary right holders affected by the restriction on turf cutting on 36 raised bog Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs). Details of this scheme, and the application forms needed to apply, are available via https://www.npws.ie/peatlands-and-turf-cutting/turf-cutting-compensation-scheme
The scheme offers qualifying applicants the option of a payment of €1,500 per year; index linked, for a period of 15 years or, where feasible, relocation to a non-designated bog where they can continue to cut turf.
Qualifying applicants may avail of the annual payment or the delivery of 15 tonnes of turf to their homes while awaiting relocation to non-designated bog where they can continue to cut turf.
These are prime wildlife conservation areas in the country, considered to be important on a European as well as Irish level. Most Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are in the countryside, although a few sites reach into town or city landscapes, such as Dublin Bay and Cork Harbour.
Detailed conservation objectives are available for some SACs and as additional ones are approved they will be posted on the NPWS website (www.npws.ie).
The legal basis on which SACs are selected and designated is the EU Habitats Directive, transposed into Irish law in the as amended in 1998 and 2005.
The Directive lists certain habitats and species that must be protected within SACs
This is a national dataset and is split into two separate file download: SACs within the bounds of the ITM coordinate reference system and off-shore SACs which are provided in WGS 84.
The EU Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) requires designation of SPAs for: listed rare and vulnerable species; regularly occurring migratory species, such as ducks, geese and waders; wetlands, especially those of international importance, which attract large numbers of migratory birds each year. (Internationally important means that 1% of the population of a species uses the site, or more than 20,000 birds regularly use the site.)
The CANN project is a cross-border environment project which aims to improve the condition of protected habitats and to support priority species found within Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Scotland, allowing the region to meet key EU biodiversity targets and ensuring the future of these internationally important habitats and species.
With €9.4 million of funding from the INTERREG VA programme the CANN project team will produce Conservation Action Plans for a range of sites across the jurisdictions which are designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and accumulatively account for over 25,000 hectares of land.
Direct conservation actions will be carried out on 3,650 hectares of these SACs, all with an aim to help and guide the habitats and species found at these sites towards a favourable conservation status.
Made up of leading government departments, local authorities, research institutions and charities from across the three jurisdictions, the CANN project team will work together with local communities and stakeholders towards a common goal of improving the environmental condition of these SACs.
This includes delivering educational and outreach programmes and raising awareness of the significance of the habitats and species found on the sites, with the aspiration of safeguarding the conservation of these key sites and ensuring their sustainability beyond 2021 and the lifespan of the CANN project.
The CANN project aims to improve the condition of protected blanket bog and key wetland habitats and to support the priority species found there through:
Carrying out on the ground conservation actions on over 3,650ha of designated sites (Special Areas of Conservation) to improve their environmental condition;
Producing 27 Conservation Action Plans (CAPs) which will act as a roadmap to recovery for these sites and inform strategic planning processes to ensure that these sites continue to be guided towards favourable conservation status beyond the lifespan of the CANN project;
Operating as a multi-jurisdictional network to exchange conservation knowledge and environmental best practice, to strengthen cross-border co-operation in facilitating the recovery of these protected habitats and priority species, and to ensure that borders do not represent an overwhelming barrier for conservation and biodiversity;
Working with stakeholders, landowners and local communities to bring about positive environmental change, and to raise awareness of the value of these habitats and species and the importance of conserving them.
May 2017: The CANN project receives permission to start work, and partner organisations sign the CANN partnership agreement.
Summer 2017 to date: Stakeholder engagement commenced during summer 2017 and has been on-going ever since.
Spring – Summer 2017: Work begins on establishing an accurate baseline assessment of habitats and species across the project sites through fieldwork, surveys, and digital mapping.
Autumn – Winter 2017: Liaison between the CANN project and government departments and agencies across the three jurisdictions increases as a template for the Conservation Action Plans is drafted, and agreements are made to facilitate the sharing of best practice, data and knowledge.
May 2018: A standard Conservation Action Plan (CAP) template is agreed with the relevant government departments and agencies.
June 2018: The CANN project holds a successful launch event in Co. Monaghan with Ella McSweeney, a renowned Irish Journalist and Environmentalist, delivering the key-note address.
Spring-Summer 2018: Baseline surveying is carried out across most project sites. This includes bird and nest location surveys, collection of bathymetry and water quality data, habitat quality assessments, and invasive species studies.
Spring -Summer 2018: Implementation of on the ground actions begins based on the data collected during baseline surveying in spring-summer 2017 and early 2018, namely nest protection and rhododendron control. The success of these on the ground actions will be carefully monitored year on year.
July 2018: The CANN project receives additional funding of €1.1million for Cuilcagh.
September 2018: The very rare Desmoulin’s whorl snail is found on a CANN project site in Co. Down – the first time this species has ever been found in Northern Ireland. Read more about how important a find this is here.
September 2018: CANN project staff carry out Sphagnum moss restoration trials on areas of degraded bog at Peatlands Park. These trials will be carefully monitored to see if they can be replicated across project sites. Read more about this revolutionary method here.
Summer 2018: workshops on best practice in writing conservation management plans, and peatland restoration techniques held on Islay. Biosecurity workshop held in Magheraveely/ Kilroosky and an International Bog Day celebration held on Cuilcagh.
Summer 2018: CANN showcased at various conferences including IUCN 2019 conference and UKILN (the UK and Ireland Lakes Network)
September 2018: CANN project staff carry out Sphagnum moss restoration trials on areas of degraded bog at Peatlands Park. These trials will be carefully monitored to see if they can be replicated across project sites. Read more about this revolutionary method here.
December 2018: Ten draft Conservation Action Plans are produced.
January 2019: draft plans for Eilean na Muice Duibhe and The Rinns produced, work continues all year with ongoing monitoring and stakeholder engagement to produce final plans
January 2019: Four draft plans submitted for Ballynahone Bog, Garry Bog, Tully bog and Turmennan
Spring/ Summer 2019: fieldwork and mapping projects are undertaken on Ben Nevis and many other Scottish sites
September 2019: Successful Mid Term Conference held. Read more about the conference here.
September 2019: Rhododendron control contracts were completed at Tully, Fairywater and Ballynahone bog
October 2019: CANN gave a presentation at the Burren Winterage event
October 2019: a complete habitat map of Sliabh Beagh site is produced including conifer mapping and landowner, turbary rights and bird data from Golden Eagle Trust
November 2019: CANN representatives attended the England and Wales Wildfire Forum Conference in Cardiff, on the theme of “Manage the fuel, reduce the risk.”
December 2019: Chainsaw course provided for landowners on Colonsay. This led to positive engagement and gave landowners the skills needed to remove rhododendron on their own land on the island through Single Tender Actions.
December 2019: a draft Conservation Action Plan was submitted for Moneygall Bog. A draft Habitat plan was completed for Magheraveeley, and Kilrooskey and habitat maps were completed for the 7 SACs on the Scottish mainland that are included in the CANN project.
January 2020: work on Wildfire Management plan for Cuilcagh mountain commenced in partnership with Pau Costa from Spain.
January 2020: CANN members attended the England and Wales Wildfire Forum Conference in Cardiff on the theme of “Reduce the fuel, reduce the risk.”
January 2020: Ammonia monitoring is started on Cuilcagh Mountain as part of a cross border investigation into deposition of this airborne chemical. Peatland park and other bogs are also going to have monitors fitted. Water level monitoring continues.
January 2020: RPS completes its restoration plans for Cuilcagh Mountain and water monitoring loggers are installed
January 2020: CANN is represented by Ulster Wildlife, Monaghan County Council and Armagh and Banbridge council at the Conference of the British Ecological Society.
January and February 2020: winter tranche of filming for the CANN video starts with ASG video filming at Moneygall and Cranny bogs to see drain blocking in action (see a short youtube video here) and at Peatlands Park to record vegetation clearance.
February 2020: a draft Habitat map was completed for Kilroosky/Magheraveeley lake cluster. Habitat maps were also completed for all the CANN sites on the Scottish Mainland which will be added to existing draft Conservation Action Plans completed in 2019.
February 2020: Tree planting of native species took place on Duich Moss on Colonsay to replace the shelter provided by the rhododendron that has been removed.
February 2020: 12 Ha of conifers and birch are removed from Moneygall bog. These trees were sucking the bog dry, and their removal means we can start the re-wetting process.
February 2020: CANN project received the award for the best environmental/ecological project at the All Ireland Community and Council Awards 2020
March 2020: winter bird recording season comes to an end, with wintering golden plover, snipe, hen harriers and red grouse all recorded. An outstanding year for long-eared owls across many sites.
March 2020: Radon testing carried out to discover the source of water on Kilrooskey/Magheraveeley. CANN staff are trained in molecular biology techniques to use eDNA in detecting populations of crayfish in the lakes.
March 2020: Drain blocking is completed at Cranny Bogs.
March 2020: the habitat map for Sliabh Beagh is completed and work in underway for maps for another 8 raised bogs.
March 2020: Covid 19 strikes, meaning that the spring bird surveys cannot be undertaken; this will leave a hole in our data and have an ongoing effect on our planning. Much fieldwork is postponed, but work on CAPs proceeds apace.
April 2020: a vast swathe of Sliabh Beagh is given to a new landowner, An Taisce the National Trust for Ireland. This will make CANN’s task much easier in this SAC as the aims of An Taisce closely align with those of CANN.
April 2020: tender issued for first interpretation project at Lough Arrow. Information gathering for the All-CANN site interpretation project started.
May 2020: CANN goes online organising Seminars and workshops for partners and stakeholders over the summer, so training and outreach continue while people are unable to travel.
May 2020: plans progress for the removal of the alien invasive plant Japanese Knotweed at Drumnafallow and Lecale Fens. A second tender is issued for the removal of Rhododendron and drain-blocking at Fairywater and Peatlands Park.
May 2020: Lidar is flown on Cuilcagh to map peat depths, drains and to help in wildfire modelling
May/June 2020: making the most of a mountain empty of tourists, vegetation restoration was carried out on the summit of Cuilcagh Mountain. Social distancing was strictly adhered to.
May/June 2020: as lockdown eases, staff and volunteers from The Golden Eagle Trust carried out the first round on breeding bird surveys in record time to attempt to catch up on the lost months of data. Summer tranche of filming also takes place on Cuilcagh, Lough Arrow and Sliabh Beagh.
June 2020: Draft Conservation Action Plans completed for Cranny and Curran Bogs. before and after Rhododendron clearance at Ballimony
June 2020: the CANN project installs fencing to allow the grazing of uplands of Sliabh Beagh by the traditional breed of Dexter Cattle.
June 2020: Rhododendron clearance is completed on Ballimony estate (following bird surveys to ensure no disturbance of breeding birds) and a a contract is issued to complete the journey to Rhodi-free status of Colonsay Island.
June 2020: Drain blocking is complete on Tully Bog
June/July 2020: nest protection measures continue on Sliabh Beagh, sadly recreation and turf cutting pressures have caused problems for hen harriers and ground-nesting birds.
July/August 2020: Bird monitoring continued on Sliabh Beagh, Cuilcagh, lowland raised bogs by Golden Eagle Trust and on Islay by Islay Natural History Trust. Low numbers of Red Grouse were seen due to disturbance and poor weather, but 6 – 9 pairs of hen harriers bred on Sliabh Beagh. Seven wader species bred on Islay, hen harriers, bred on 4 sites, and Red Throat divers bred at Eilean an Muice Duibhe.
Jute laying at Lough Arrow August 2020: 1600square metres of jute matting was laid over invasive alien Elodeanuttali weed, native stone worst will grow through, but this matting will provide a weed-free corridor for boats which will be marked by buoys.
September 2020: Nineteen Conservation Action Plans (CAPs) have now been submitted to the relevant national governments. We are working on a further 8.
September 2020: The first year of follow up spraying was carried out on Duich and Ballinmony.
September 2020: A Drain blocking tender was advertised for drain blocking on Sliabh Beagh and work was undertaken to install plastic dams at Peatland Park and Fairywater and more peat dams on Moneygall.
September/October 2020: Filming continues on Turmenan and Islay and at Kilrooskey Lakes.
The CABB team will also conduct habitat management work at key sites, including blocking drains to re-wet blanket bogs, introducing predator fences and new grazing regimes on blanket bog and machair, managing rush on lowland wet grassland, and consolidating the sea wall at Loch Gruinart, Islay, to protect the habitat beyond for breeding waders and wintering wildfowl.
CABB is a three-country, six-partner conservation project that will improve habitats for birds, butterflies and plants across Northern Ireland, Ireland and the west coast of Scotland.
Four peatland SACs in Co Donegal selected for Conservation Plans, drawn up in consultation and with participation of landowners, farmers and other stake-holders such as foresters, local and state authorities, turbary owners and turf-cutters, water utilities, tourism operators and so on.
The CABB sites contain some of the best remaining expanses of lowland and upland active blanket bog, where notable, distinctive features are the mossy hummocks interspaced with wet hollows or Atlantic Bog Pools, Fens and flushes, Transition Mires and Quaking Bog, each hosting specialist flora and fauna that collectively makes up a treasure trove of Ireland’s ecology and biodiversity.
These plans will propose a package of steps, measures and actions aimed at accomplishing effective conservation and restoration of the EU Priority Habitat, Blanket Bog, as well as associated habitats and birds, especially Annex 1 or red-listed species including breeding Golden Plover, Dunlin, Red Grouse, and wintering Greenland-White-fronted Goose.
Objectives
Improve habitats for breeding wading birds such as curlews, lapwings, redshanks and snipe as well as hen harriers and marsh fritillary butterflies.
Work towards the restoration of 2,228 hectares (ha) of blanket bog across Northern Ireland, Scotland and Ireland.
Work closely with landowners and farmers to map habitats and prepare eight Conservation Action Plans (CAPs) for EU-designated sites (Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas).
Raise awareness in local communities of the environmental, cultural and historic importance of blanket bogs and key wetland habitats.
Share experiences, best practice and data.
Progress
Habitat improvement works at key wetland sites, including: • CABB funded fencing at Montiaghs Moss in Co Antrim, Airds Moss in Scotland and Pettigo National Nature Reserve in Co Donegal is facilitating much needed conservation grazing. • Rush cutting, maintenance work to predator fencing and scrub clearance work have enhanced conditions for breeding waders at Lough Erne, Co Fermanagh. • New machinery has been purchased in Co Fermanagh to aid in our conservation grazing efforts and management of wetland sites. A new Cot was purchased to transport livestock to the Lough Erne Islands of Fermanagh for conservation grazing and a new tractor with custom Soucy tracks has been delivered to delicately undertake rush cutting on the bog sites. • Removal of scrub and rank vegetation on Inisheher Island, Co Leitrim is supporting breeding curlew.
Butterfly Conservation are leading a dedicated programme to help the marsh fritillary butterfly by: • Identifying existing and potential breeding sites. • Working closely with landowners to sensitively manage habitat. • Training volunteers to assist with habitat and larval web surveys. In Autumn 2018, 34 new volunteers took part in training to record and identify breeding sites.
Large scale peatland restoration works successfully carried out at three sites in Scotland and Northern Ireland: • Over 1000 peat, wooden and stone dams have been installed to block drains at the Garron Plateau Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in Co Antrim. • In East Ayrshire, the Shiel Farm ‘Plantation to Bog Restoration’ project has been completed, and the former bog is now wholly rewetted. • 800 hectares of valuable peatland is now in recovering condition following restoration works at Tardoes Farm, also in East Ayrshire.
Contractors have delivered detailed habitat and LiDAR mapping of CABB sites in Northern Ireland, Ireland and Scotland. Mapping enhances our understanding of the varying habitats within each site and informs the specific actions that need to be taken to improve the condition of the land and enhance opportunities for wildlife.
The Conservation Action Plan (CAP) for the Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area (SPA) has been signed off by Scottish Natural Heritage. This is the first of eight CAPs which will be delivered by CABB.
CABB surveys for all sites have provided valuable, up to date records on vegetation distribution and species: • Three annual breeding wader surveys were carried out by BirdWatch Ireland across twenty key coastal and machair sites in counties Donegal and Sligo. • 177 new species records for Pettigoe Plateau, Co Fermanagh have been submitted to the Centre for Environmental Data and Recording (CEDaR) in Northern Ireland.
CABB project officers have continued to learn from each other, share-best practice and participate in collaborative initiatives with other projects, including: • Information sharing events with our sister project ‘Collaborative Action for the Natura Network’ (CANN). • Attendance at the 2018 (Loch Lomond) & 2019 (Belfast) IUCN Peatlands conference and networking events.
Public engagement activities to raise awareness and involve the wider community in CABB conservation efforts include: • Information events for landowners and local residents. • Production of CABB project newsletters, a special educational leaflet on the Marsh Fritillary and a short film of the Garron Plateau. • High profile coverage on radio and television, including the popular TV series ‘Chronicles of Erne’ (BBC NI) and ‘Lough Neagh’ (UTV).
Engaging volunteers in all aspects of CABB, from surveys, scrub removal and fence repairs in the field, to assisting with finance, media and administration in the office.
Planned Work
By the end of 2021 we aim to have:
Published eight Conservation Action Plans for key EU designated SACs and SPAs.
Blocked drains on the Garron Plateau with a view to restoring 444ha of blanket bog.
Blocked drains on the Muirkirk Uplands to allow 435ha of blanket bog to start recovering.
Improved the condition of 900ha of blanket bog on the Dunragh Loughs/Pettigo Plateau SAC by erecting fencing and improving grazing.
Blocked drains at Finandarry in the Ox Mountains with a view to restoring 449ha of blanket bog.
Improved 151ha of habitat at the Montiaghs SAC through water level management, scrub clearance, grazing and the installation of fencing.
Improved public access to the Montiaghs SAC through provision of a boardwalk and signage.
Improved 252ha of wet grassland in Co Fermanagh for breeding waders.
Consolidated the sea wall at Loch Gruinart, Islay, to protect key areas for breeding and wintering birds.
Uploaded habitat and species data to the main data management sites in each of the three countries.
Delivered practical conservation action for the endangered Marsh Fritillary butterfly to help manage the habitats it needs through conservation grazing.
For more information about:
CABB in general, please contact Caroline Marshall, CABB Programme Manager on 028 9069 9090 or caroline.marshall@rspb.org.uk
This dataset contains Nature Reserves for the Republic of Ireland, created by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS, formerly Dúchas – the Heritage Service).
The dataset comprises of a range of sites designated under Ministerial order.
