Lough Neagh Wetlands
Purple moor-grass &
rush pasture
Habitat Action
Plan
2008 - 2013
Lough Neagh Wetlands Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Habitat Action Plan
Purple moor-grass and rush pasture in the Lough Neagh
Wetlands
Introduction
Purple moor-grass and rush pastures occur on poorly drained, usually acidic
soils in the lowland areas of the Lough Neagh Wetlands. The habitat is found
fragmented in part parcels, often as wet hollows or field corners, along the edges
of Lough Neagh. The largest area of the resource is found on the west shore of
Lough Beg. At this site, the vegetation of this habitat grades into other
agricultural grasslands.
Purple moor-grass and rush pasture comprises a wide range of species
assemblages. In general these are grasslands with varying proportions of
grasses, sedges and rushes together with a mixture of herbs characteristic of
grasslands, wetlands and heathlands. They are dominated by purple moor-grass
and/or tall rushes, predominantly sharp-flowered rush. It includes a suite of
characteristic plant species, which vary according to the dominants – for
example, species associated with purple moor-grass rich pastures often include
devil’s-bit scabious, meadow thistle, and tormentil, whilst rush-dominated sites
may include marsh bedstraw and wild angelica. There will be less than 25%
cover of scrub or dwarf shrub present.
There is a need to distinguish the species-rich priority habitat, outlined above,
from the species-poor purple moor-grass and rush pastures .These include
species-poor modified wet grasslands, characterized by Yorkshire fog and soft
rush, and species-poor acid flushes dominated by sharp-flowered rush and
Sphagnum mosses.
Characteristic species of good purple moor-grass and rush pasture habitat are:
devil’s-bit scabious, meadow thistle, glaucous sedge, carnation sedge, flea
sedge, tawny sedge, cross-leaved heath, quaking grass, lesser spearwort, lesser
butterfly orchid, orchids of the Dactylorhiza genus, marsh hawk’s-beard,
primrose, watermint, ragged robin, marsh pennywort, creeping jenny, marsh
bedstraw, wild angelica and the mosses Breutelia chrysocoma and Ctenidium
molluscum.
Background
Purple moor-grass and rush pastures often occur in complex mosaics with other
communities and habitats such as wet heaths, dry grassland, swamp, scrub and
flushes and consequently transitions are often very common. Purple moor-grass
and rush pastures frequently grade into marsh and there are many similarities in
the range of species present in both.
The conservation value of purple moor-grass and rush pastures can be
determined by the condition of the habitat. Favourable condition is defined by
the presence of characteristic vegetation which are reliable indicators of the
Lough Neagh Wetlands Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Habitat Action Plan
health of the habitat. These include the abundance and diversity of sedge
species; the presence or absence of indicator species such as ragged robin, and
orchids of the Dactylorhiza genus and the presence or absence of vegetation,
species or factors associated with disturbance such as burning, overgrazing or
excessive drainage.
Purple moor-grass and rush pastures are important for a number of priority
species, including Irish lady’s-tresses orchid, skylark, redshank, curlew, lapwing,
reed bunting, marsh fritillary butterfly and Irish hare.
Lough Neagh and Lough Beg with their extensive areas of purple moor grass
and rush pasture have been designated as one Special Protection Area (SPA)
under the European Birds Directive. The Strand on the west shore of Lough Beg
holds the largest proportion of this habitat in the wetlands.
Threats
Inappropriate management
Purple moor-grass and rush pastures are dependent upon wet or waterlogged
soils, low nutrient levels and medium levels of disturbance. Factors which alter
these conditions, or which lead more directly to the destruction of the habitat
include drainage, cultivation, fertilizer and pesticide application, ploughing and reseeding grasslands, the latter being the most significant threat to purple moorgrass and rush pastures. Purple moor-grass and rush pastures are highly
susceptible to agricultural modification and reclamation.
Low levels of grazing are necessary to maintain the habitat, which ensures that a
low nutrient status is kept and that competitive species are kept in check.
Overgrazing causes stress tolerant species to dominate and results in a
reduction in species diversity. Supplementary stock feeding can lead to
eutrophication as well as localized poaching, where high soil moisture levels
result in the soil profile being particularly sensitive to hoof damage.
In the absence of management by cutting, grazing or burning, purple moor-grass
and rush pastures undergoes vegetation change leading to rankness and the
development of scrub, woodland and, in some cases, heath.
Infilling
Purple moor-grass and rush pastures associated with wet corners and
depressions are destroyed as they are in-filled to create level fields and increase
the area suitable for cultivation.
Lough Neagh Wetlands Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Habitat Action Plan
Habitat Fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation is a common problem for many sites around Lough Neagh
where a reduction of stand size and the separation of small unimproved
grassland sites results in reduced opportunities for species colonization.
Opportunities
Habitat management and restoration
This is one of the most threatened habitats in the Lough Neagh Wetlands, where
the greatest losses have resulted from conversion to agricultural grasslands.
Purple moor-grass and rush pastures are classed as species-rich grasslands and
the key to their survival is sensitive grazing management and the application of
little or no fertilizers. The conservation of this habitat can be addressed by the
management of existing good quality habitat and, where appropriate, the
restoration of habitat.
At least 200ha of this priority habitat exists along the west shore of Lough Beg.
The habitat also exists in linear, fragmented areas around Lough Neagh,
particularly along the south west and southern shores of the Lough. In 2006,
works was undertaken to assess the condition of the habitat around Lough
Neagh. This identified areas where the habitat is in good condition, where it
conformed to the National Vegetation Classification M23. It also highlighted a
number of areas where the habitat conformed to the National Vegetation
Classification MG10 and M23b. Land classified as MG10 and M23b are areas of
degraded Purple Moore-grass and rush pasture but these areas are where
restoration work should be targeted, as this is where the habitat is most likely to
be restored.
Habitat creation
Habitat creation should also be targeted at land adjacent to very good quality
habitat, by producing low nutrient conditions that both protects the existing
resource and encourages the characteristic species of the habitat to spread
further into these new areas.
Lough Neagh Wetlands Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Habitat Action Plan
Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Objectives & Targets
Objectives & Targets
OBJECTIVE
TARGET
PMG/O1
Identify & Map all existing Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture within the Lough Neagh Wetlands
2009
PMG/O2
Maintain extent and condition of Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture in the Lough Neagh Wetlands
2009
PMG/O3
Restore degraded Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture in the Lough Neagh Wetlands
2013
PMG/O4
Create new Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture habitat
2013
PMG/O5
Raise awareness of the value of this habitat for biodiversity
2013
Lough Neagh Wetlands Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Habitat Action Plan
Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture - Action
Actions
ACTION
PMG/A1
PMG/A2
PMG/A3
PMG/A4
PMG/A5
PMG/A6
PMG/A7
Compile an inventory of all sites that are classed as NVC MG10
and M23b, degraded purple moor-grass and rush pasture which is
generally suitable for restoration and management.
Prepare a map inventory indicating the extent and location of all
known purple moor-grass and rush pasture in the Lough Neagh
Wetlands, by surveying and assessing sites as required
Initiate a Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Recovery Programme
and produce restoration & management plans.
 Maintain sites that have been classified as good quality
purple moor-grass and rush pasture (National Vegetation
Classification M23).
 Restore habitat on sites which have been classified as
degraded purple moor-grass and rush pasture (National
Vegetation Classification MG10 and M23b).
Establish a project fund for the co-ordinated approach to the
management, restoration and creation of purple moor-grass and
rush pasture habitat in the Lough Neagh Wetlands, and to
consider the acquisition of land for wet grassland restoration
Establish 1 demonstration site to transfer knowledge of applied
restoration and management of purple moor-grass and rush
pasture, and hold 1 training programme every two years
Produce advisory guidelines for local restoration work that identify
circumstances where degraded habitat should be restored and
managed
Monitor 5 sites per year for the presence of Irish Lady's Tresses
Orchid. Target sites with historical records of this species
LEAD
PARTNER
EHS
LNAC
EHS
PARTNERS
DARD / LNAC /
LNP / RSPB /
UWT / CBC
DARD / EHS /
LNP / RSPB /
UWT / CBC
DARD / LNAC /
LNP / RSPB /
UWT / CBC
TARGET
DATE
2008
OBJECTIVES MET
PMG/O3
2008
PMG/O1
2010
PMG/O3
LNP
EHS / DARD
/LNAC / RSPB /
UWT / CBC
2010
PMG/O2 PMG O3/
PMG O4
EHS
DARD / LNAC /
LNP / RSPB /
UWT / CBC
DARD / EHS /
FWAG / LNP /
RSPB / UWT /
CBC
DARD / FWAG /
LNAC / LNP /
2010
PMG/O5
2010
PMGO4, PMG/O5
2013
PMG/O2
LNAC
EHS
Lough Neagh Wetlands Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Habitat Action Plan
UWT / CBC
PMG/A8
PMG/A9
PMG/A10
Raise awareness, on an annual basis, among agri-environment
scheme advisors of the need to promote the take-up of agrienvironment options that benefit purple moor-grass and rush
pasture and associated priority species in the Lough Neagh
Wetlands.
Run 5 school programmes (1 per year) at Lough Beg National
Nature Reserve to promote the biodiversity associated with purple
moor-grass and rush pasture
Liaise with Greenmount Agricultural College to raise awareness of
restoration and management of purple moor-grass & rush pasture
and provide input into 1 land management course per year
LNAC
DARD / EHS /
FWAG / LNP /
RSPB / UWT /
CBC
2013
PMG/O5
RSPB
EHS / LNAC /
LNP / MDC
2013
PMG/O5
LNAC
DARD / EHS /
FWAG / LNP /
RSPB
2013
PMG/O5
Lough Neagh Wetlands Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Habitat Action Plan
Lough Neagh Wetlands Purple Moor-grass & Rush Pasture Habitat Action Plan