Carrigeenamronety Hill: Difference between revisions
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| Carrigeenamronety Hill | |
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| Cnoc Charraigín na mBróinte | |
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| Location | County Limerick and County Cork, Ireland |
| Nearest city | Ballyorgan, County Limerick |
| Coordinates | 52°17′39″N 8°26′13″W / 52.2943°N 8.43696°W |
| Area | 94.75 hectares (234.1 acres) |
| Governing body | National Parks and Wildlife Service |
The Carrigeenamronety Hill (Irish: Cnoc Charraigín na mBróinte) Special Area of Conservation or SAC is a Natura 2000 site in the Ballyhoura Mountains.[1] The qualifying interests for which it is protected as an SAC are the presence of the Killarney Fern and the presence of a Dry Heath habitat.[1][2]
SAC qualification
The Carrigeenamronety Hill site was designated as a Natura 2000 site in 1998 under the Habitats Directive.[3] Statutory Instrument No. 221 of 2017, establishing the site as an SAC (Site code: 000397), was passed in 2017.[2] The National Parks and Wildlife Service notes two features which qualify this site for an SAC designtation:
- Killarney Fern or Trichomanes speciosum (Natura 2000 code 1421)
- Dry Heath (Natura 2000 code 4030)[1][2]
The European Environment Agency website EUNIS notes that the Carrigeenamronety Hill site is protected as a Natura 2000 site due to the presence of two habitat types:
- European dry heaths (Natura 2000 code 4030)
- Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix (Natura 2000 code 4010)[3]
The Biodiversity Information Systems for Europe (BISE) webpage for the Carrigeenamronety Hill site notes that the site is protected as a Natura 2000 site under the Habitats Directive due to the presence of the Killarney Fern (Trichomanes speciosum or Vandenboschia speciosa), and due to the presence of a habitat containing heath and scrub.[4] The Carrigeenamronety Hill site is also a proposed National Heritage Area site or pNHA.[5]
Location
The SAC site of Carrigeenamronety Hill is located close to the village of Ballyorgan in County Limerick. The site includes areas in the townlands of Boleynanoultagh, Gortacurrig (E.D. Kildorrery) and Graigue (E.D. Templemolaga) in County Cork and Kilcruaig in County Limerick.[2]
Features
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) site synopsis for this SAC describes the ecological features of the site. As well as key flora and fauna, the synopsis notes that the underlying geology of the area is Old Red Sandstone and Silurian rocks. An escarpment of conglomerate rock occurs at the summit of the hill.[6]
Flora
The flora at this site is primarily dry siliceous heath (60%) and wet heath (10%).[6] At the lower altitudes of this mountain site, unimproved grassland of Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) are noted, as are areas of improved grassland. The key flora at this site is the Killarney Fern (Trichomanes speciosum). European Dry Heath, a protected habitat, occurs here. The Killarney Fern is a rare plant and is vulnerable to collecting. Monitoring of the species is carried out by the NPWS.[7]
Fauna
According to the NPWS site synopsis, two bird species listed in the Birds Directive are known to use this site:
- Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
- Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)[6]
Conservation objectives
The NPWS conservation objectives for the Carrigeenamronety Hill SAC were published in 2021.[8] In this document, it is noted that, while dry heath is the primary habitat in this SAC, the extent of dry heath at the site has not been recorded in detail. Wet heath also occurs here, as does dry-humid acid grassland. The target for the site is to ensure the area is stable or increasing, with regard to natural processes. Maintaining appropriate soil pH and nutrient levels is also set as a target, however, the current nutrient levels have not been defined. The deposition of nitrogen at the site is known to be an issue for the site.[8] Maintenance of the dry heath vegetation communities at the site is a target objective, however, the extent of the diversity of dry heath vegetation at the site has not yet been mapped.[8] Maintenance of the distribution, populations, colonies, population size, infrastructure and other features of the protected Killarney fern is a key objective for the SAC.[8]
Threats
The Biodiversity Information Systems for Europe webpage for the Carrigeenamronety Hill site notes three threats and pressures to the site :
- Fire and fire suppression (high)
- Artificial planting on open ground (non-native trees) (medium)
- Walking, horseriding and non-motorised vehicles (medium).[4]
The NPWS site synopsis for the site notes that conifer planting for commercial afforestation is a significant threat at this SAC.[6]
- ^ a b c "Carrigeenamronety Hill". www.npws.ie. National Parks & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d "S.I. No. 221/2017 - European Union Habitats (Carrigeenamronety Hill Special Area of Conservation 002037) Regulations 2017". irishstatutebook.ie/. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ a b "EUNIS - Carrigeenamronety Hill SAC". eunis.eea.europa.eu. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ a b "BISE - Carrigeenamronety Hill SAC". eunis.eea.europa.eu. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
- ^ "NPWS Designations Viewer". dahg.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d "NPWS Carrigeenamronety Hill SAC Site synopsis" (PDF). npws.ie. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ "Monitoring and assessment of Killarney Fern (Vandenboschia speciosa (Willd.) Kunkel) in Ireland, 2015-2018. Irish Wildlife Manuals 133. Ní Dhúill, O'Neill, Hodd; 2022" (PDF). npws.ie. National Parks & Wildlife Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d "NPWS Carrigeenamronety Hill SAC Conservation Objectives" (PDF). npws.ie. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.