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Meenagarranroe Bog NHA is part of a series of upland blanket bogs just outside Barnesmore Gap, 2 km north-east of Donegal town, in south-east Co. Donegal.
The site occurs within the townlands of Meenagarranroe and Meenabrack. The altitude range over this site is from 175 m to 204 m. Bedrock geology is granite and metamorphosed sediments.
The site lies within a watershed between the Mourne Beg and Burn Daurnett Rivers. At the northern end of the site, several separate areas of very deep, intact blanket bog occur, surrounded by mature conifer plantation. Two of these areas are slightly domed and are completely undisturbed by human influences. They are ungrazed, except by small numbers of Red Deer, and undamaged by burning, drainage or peat cutting. To the south, a more shallow and drier area of blanket bog grazed by sheep and cattle, extends up to a mineral ridge on Meenalughoge Hill.
The areas of intact blanket bog support a continuous cover of characteristic blanket bog vegetation comprising a deep canopy of Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris), Deergrass (Scirpus cespitosus), cottongrasses (Eriophorum spp.) with frequent White Beak-sedge (Rhynchospora alba) and Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum) in wet hollows. The moss and liverwort cover is deep and species-rich. Up to 75% of intact areas consist of quaking bog with extensive interconnecting pool systems. Pools are colonised by a relatively rare species Intermediate Bladderwort (Utricularia intermedia), while pool margins contains quaking lawns of bog moss (Sphagnum auriculatum, S. magellanicum, S. cuspidatum) with Sundews (Drosera anglica, D. rotundifolia), Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) and frequent patches of other mosses (Campylopus atrovirens, C. brevipilus).
In between the pool systems there is an excellent hummock-hollow microtopography with large hummocks of bog mosses (S. subnitens, S. capillifolium, S. imbricatum, S. papillosum) and other mosses (Racomitrium lanuginosum, Breutelia chrysocoma), liverworts (Odontoschisma sphagni, Pleurozia purpurea) and lichens (Cladonia spp.) in abundance. Islands within the pools also contain large hummocks, but unusually, there is no difference in vegetation on the islands as there is virtually no grazing impact on the surrounding bog.
On the slightly drier margins of the bog, a tall, ungrazed canopy of Ling Heather occurs with abundant Bog-myrtle (Myrica gale), Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea) and Bell Heather (Erica cinerea). There are also occasional flushes characterised by Common Reed (Phragmites australis) and Purple Moor-grass on the wetter margins of the site where conifer plantation has failed. Other habitats that occur within the site include scrub woodland, small streams and lowland wet grassland. Several extensive drains transect parts of the site. These were probably excavated over 40 years ago during adjacent afforestation, but are now wholly re-vegetated and thus have a reduced impact.
The site hosts several Irish Red Data Book species, including Irish Hare, Hen Harrier, Golden Plover and Merlin, as well as a diverse dragonfly fauna.
There is no active land use within the northern part of the site, which was possibly targeted for afforestation but proved to be too wet to plant. There are no other activities disturbing the vegetation in these areas, apart from light grazing by Red Deer. The southern part of the site is moderately grazed and there is active mechanical peat-cutting occurring to the south and south-west of the site. The main threats to the site are from damaging activities associated with forestry development and peat extraction, particularly drainage and burning.
Meenagarranroe Bog NHA is a site of considerable conservation value due to the high state of integrity of the blanket bog habitat and the occurrence of particularily wet areas with notable and charateristic species. Blanket bog habitat is a globally scarce resource. It is largely confined to coastal regions at temperate latitudes with cool, wet, oceanic climates. North-west Europe contains some of the best-developed areas of blanket bog in the world. The most extensive areas are found in Ireland and Britain. Upland blanket bogs, due to their exposure to severe climatic conditions at high elevations, are particularly vulnerable to erosion by human activities and extensive areas are currently undergoing active erosion due mainly to overgrazing. The current area of intact upland blanket bog in Ireland represents only a fraction of the original resource, due to the combined impacts of afforestation and overgrazing, and intact examples are therefore extremely valuable for nature conservation. Their long-term survival requires sensitive management.
Original Format
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Biodiversity database
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Meenagarranroe Bog Natural Heritage Area
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lough Derg--Region--Meenagarranroe Bog--Heritage Area
Description
An account of the resource
A description of the Meenagarranroe Bog Natural Heritage Area (NHA)
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland
Source
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Site Synopsis, Meenagarranroe Bog Natural Heritage Area (NHA) entry
Publisher
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National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
20 January 2004
Format
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Natural Heritage Area (NHA) entry
Language
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English
Type
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Biodiversity database
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DD_0450
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
54.7574, -7.85296
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
CC BY 4.0 International License
References
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Site code: 002437
afforestation
Bell Heather (Erica cinerea)
Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum)
Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale)
Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)
bogland
cattle
Common Reed (Phragmites australis)
conifer plantations
Deergrass (Scirpus cespitosus)
Donegal Town
dragonflies
drainage
Golden Plover
Hen Harrier
Intermediate Bladderwort (Utricularia intermedia)
Irish Hare
Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
Merlin
moss
Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea)
quaking bog
red deer
sphagnum moss
vicinity
White Beak-sedge (Rhynchospora alba)
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Cashelnavean Bog NHA consists primarily of upland blanket bog and is located in Barnesmore Gap, 8 km south-west of Ballybofey in Co. Donegal. It is situated mostly in the townlands of Cashelnavean and Croaghonagh. The site forms part of the catchment area for the Sruhanderg River that drains into Lough Mourne, east of the site. The lower part of this river divides the bog into northern and southern halves. A second smaller stream drains the northern portion of the bog into Lough Sallagh. Coniferous forestry plantations form most of the boundary on the northern, western and southern parts of the site. The road to Ballybofey forms the boundary along much of the eastern side. Bedrock geology is metamorphic sandstone and the altitude of the site ranges from 180 m to 252 m.
The site consists mainly of upland blanket bog with areas of wet heath, re-vegetated cutover, an infilling lake and wet quaking areas. The heath vegetation is mostly confined to the higher ridge that runs in a north-east/south-west direction along the centre of the site. Flat plateau areas hold deep blanket peat with pool systems while the lower lying area along the western boundary holds quaking areas and an infilling lake.
Characteristic species on the wet plateau areas include White Beak-sedge (Rhynchospora alba), Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium), Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix), Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea), Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum), Star Sedge (Carex echinata) and Deergrass (Scirpus caespitosus). The presence of bog mosses accounts for approximately 40 % of ground cover, consisting mainly of Sphagnum cuspidatum, S. auriculatum and S. papillosum, with S. capillifolium forming hummocks around the pools. Also common are the Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), Great Sundew (D. anglica) and cushions of lichen, Cladonia portentosa. Deeper pools contain Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata), Bog-sedge (Carex limosa) and Lesser Bladderwort (Utricularia minor).
Occasional isolated hummocks stand up to 1.5 m high, carrying species such as Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris), Bell Heather (Erica cinerea), Purple Moor-grass, Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile), Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and mats of Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum). Cushions of the mosses Racomitrium lanuginosum, Hylocomium splendens, and Rhytidiadelphus loreus also occur. The presence of the locally occurring species, Juniper (Juniperus communis), in this vegetation, is of significant interest.
Drier land at the higher, rockier altitudes has shallower peat with a vegetation more characteristic of heathland, being dominated by Ling Heather, Bell Heather, Heath Rush (Juncus squarrosus), and Purple Moor-grass. The cutover slopes along the main road are wet and are dominated by Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale). Bog mosses are also present (approximately 35 % of ground cover), consisting mainly of Sphagnum cuspidatum, S. subnitens and S. papillosum. In the wetter, low-lying areas along the streams and infilling lake, sedges occur, such as Bottle Sedge (Carex rostrata) and Bog-sedge (Carex limosa), with Common Reed (Phragmites australis), Bog Pondweed (Potomogeton polygonifolius) and Black Bog-rush (Schoenus nigricans).
Red Grouse, an Irish Red Data Book species occurs on the site. Fox and Snipe also occur.
The site is potentially threatened by the possible expansion of coniferous plantation forestry. A degree of disturbance has also resulted from sheep grazing, both along the eastern slopes and the wetter, western boundary, with bare patches of peat and low peat hags resulting. Both activities can cause drying of the peat and loss of characteristic bog flora.
Cashelnavean Bog NHA is a site of considerable conservation significance. It contains a good example of upland blanket bog. The site is reasonably diverse in terms of species and communities due to local variation rather than large scale diversity. Blanket bog habitat is a globally scarce resource. It is largely confined to coastal regions at temperate latitudes with cool, wet, oceanic climates. North-west Europe contains some of the best-developed areas of blanket bog in the world. The most extensive areas are found in Ireland and Britain. Upland blanket bogs, due to their exposure to severe climatic conditions at high elevations, are particularly vulnerable to erosion by human activities and extensive areas are currently undergoing active erosion due mainly to overgrazing. The current area of intact upland blanket bog in Ireland represents only a fraction of the original resource, due to the combined impacts of afforestation and overgrazing, and intact examples are therefore extremely valuable for nature conservation. Their long-term survival requires sensitive management.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Biodiversity database
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cashelnavean Bog Natural Heritage Area
Subject
The topic of the resource
Lough Derg--Region--Cashelnavean Bog--Heritage Area
Description
An account of the resource
A description of the Cashelnavean Bog Natural Heritage Area (NHA)
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Site Synopsis, Cashelnavean Bog Natural Heritage Area (NHA) entry
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
27 January 2004
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Natural Heritage Area (NHA) entry
Language
A language of the resource
English
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Biodiversity database
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DD_0449
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
54.7511, -7.92523
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
CC BY 4.0 International License
References
A related resource that is referenced, cited, or otherwise pointed to by the described resource.
Site code: 000122
Bell Heather (Erica cinerea)
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
biodiversity
Black Bog-rush (Schoenus nigricans)
blanket bog
Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum)
Bog Myrtle (Myrica gale)
Bog Pondweed (Potamogeton polygonifolius)
Bog Sedge (Carex limosa)
Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata)
bogland
Bottle Sedge (Carex rostrata)
Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium)
Common Reed (Phragmites australis)
conifer plantations
Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix)
Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum)
Deergrass (Scirpus caespitosus)
dryness
Great Sundew (D. anglica)
Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile)
Heath Rush (Juncus squarrosus)
Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Lesser Bladderwort (Utricularia minor)
Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris)
Purple Moor-grass
Purple Moor-grass (Molinia caerulea)
Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia)
sphagnum moss
Star Sedge (Carex echinata)
Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)
vicinity
White Beak-sedge (Rhynchospora alba)