Lough Neagh Wetlands
Wet Woodland
Habitat Action
Plan
2008 - 2013
Lough Neagh Wetlands Wet Woodland Habitat Action Plan
Wet Woodland in the Lough Neagh Wetlands
Introduction
Wet woodland occurs on poorly drained or seasonally waterlogged soils. The wet
woodland resource is diverse in composition and structure, usually dominated by
willow, alder, or downy birch but also sometimes includes ash or oak on the drier
riparian areas or margins of flushes.
Wet woodland habitats occur on a range of soil types including nutrient-rich
mineral and acid soils and nutrient-poor peaty soils. They occur on the margins of
water bodies along lowland and upland streams, on hill-side flushes and as
successional habitat on fens and bogs. Wet woods frequently occur in a mosaic
with other woodland habitats and with wetland habitats. Boundaries with other
woodland types can sometimes be sharp but are often gradual transitions. The
type of wet woodland may change over time through succession, depending on
the hydrological conditions and the management of the wood and surrounding
habitat. Management of mosaic sites needs to consider wet woodland in relation
to the requirements of each of the habitats.
Background
In many areas of the wetlands, wet woodland is generally unmanaged and is
often utilized for grazing and shelter by livestock. In the past, wet woodlands
around Lough Neagh containing willow were coppiced. Much of the current
resource is largely secondary and of relatively recent origin that is less than 100
years old.
The conservation value of wet woodland can be partly determined by the
condition of the habitat. Favourable condition is determined by the percentage of
native trees and shrubs, the vegetation structure, the presence of key indicator
species and the absence of vegetation, species or factors associated with
disturbance such as invasive species, overgrazing or dumping.
Wet woodland can be of significant value for flora and fauna. Rare plant species
include elongated sedge and large bitter-cress, while relict species from the
former open wetlands or ground flora are found in old woodlands, including bog
mosses Sphagnum spp., sedges Carex spp., marsh marigold, bottle sedge, and
common marsh-bedstraw. Standing and fallen dead wood is an important
element of wet woodland, and its association with water provides specialized
habitats not found in dry woodland types. The high humidity found in the wet
woodland favours bryophyte growth.
Wet woodland fauna has been poorly recorded but the number of invertebrate
species associated with alder, downy birch and willow is very large. Wet
Lough Neagh Wetlands Wet Woodland Habitat Action Plan
woodland habitat also provides cover and breeding sites for otter and is of value
for bats.
Threats
Inappropriate management
Inappropriate grazing by domestic livestock and general lack of woodland
management.
Invasive species
Invasive species such as sycamore, rhododendron, Himalayan balsam and giant
hogweed.
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Habitat loss and fragmentation can lead to greater ecological isolation of existing
woods through the removal of trees in field boundaries and small patches of wet
woodland and scrub in fields.
Water Levels
Changes in water levels due to drainage, agricultural practices, peat extraction,
dought and climate change..
Nutrient enrichment
Nutrient enrichment may occur from spray drift or runoff from adjacent
agricultural land.
Pesticides
Pesticide drift into woodland margins may cause localized damage to some flora
and fauna.
Lough Neagh Wetlands Wet Woodland Habitat Action Plan
Opportunities
Habitat creation, restoration and managment
Identify the areas of ancient or long established Wet Woodland and prioritize for
restoration and management. Promote the use of trees of Local Genetic Origin
and plant new woodland on sites adjacent to existing woodland, and where the
ground flora is suitable for recovery of this habitat.
Produce and implement management and or restoration plans, and include plans
to link up fragmented sites.
Nutrient Management
Promote the need for Nutrient Management Plans for areas adjacent to wet
woodland.
Mapping
Map the location of all wet woodland larger than 0.5ha. Compile a register of all
Wet Woodland sites around Lough Neagh that are >0.5ha.
Protect against infilling
Monitor key sites which are at risk from illegal dumping and/or infilling, especially
fir inappropriate building developments.
Raise awareness
Raise awareness of wet woodland and its biodiversity.
Lough Neagh Wetlands Wet Woodland Habitat Action Plan
Lough Neagh Wetlands Wet Woodland Habitat Action Plan
Wet Woodland - Objectives & Targets
Objectives & Targets
OBJECTIVE
TARGET
WW/01
Identify & Map all existing Wet Woodland within the Lough Neagh Wetlands
2009
WW/02
Maintain the area and condition of all Priority Wet Woodland
2013
WW/03
Restore degraded Wet Woodland on ancient and long established woodland sites
2013
WW/04
Create new wet woodland
2013
WW/05
Raise awareness of the value of this habitat for biodiversity
2013
Lough Neagh Wetlands Wet Woodland Habitat Action Plan
Wet Woodland - Action
Actions
ACTION
LEAD
PARTNER
WW/A1
Map the location of all sites that are more than 0.5ha and compile a
register of all sites in the Lough Neagh Wetlands and store
information on the Lough Neagh Wetlands GIS
Woodland Trust
WW/A2
Produce a management plan for Traad Local Nature Reserve and
manage for wet woodland
Develop a Watchdog Programme to engage the local community in
monitoring key sites which are at risk from illegal dumping/ and/or
infilling
MDC
WW/A3
WW/A4
Identify ancient or long established Wet Woodland, including those
that have been reduced and fragmented, and prioritize for restoration
and management. Then produce and implement habitat creation,
management and/or restoration plans for contiguous block(s) of
habitat that plant up areas next to good quality wet woodland and link
up fragmented sites by creating habitat corridors
LNP
Woodland Trust
PARTNERS
DARD / EHS /
Forest Service /
FWAG / LNAC /
LNP / MDC /
CDC / D&STBC /
CBC / LCC / ABC
/ BBC / Rivers
Agency
LNP / LNAC /
EHS
Woodland Trust /
CVNI / EHS /
LNAC / MDC /
CDC / D&STBC /
CBC / LCC / ABC
/ BBC
DARD / EHS /
Forest Service /
FWAG / LNAC /
LNP / Rivers
Agency/ QPANI
Lough Neagh Wetlands Wet Woodland Habitat Action Plan
TO BE
ACHIEVED BY
31st Dec:
2008
OBJECTIVES MET
WW/01
2008
WW/02 / WW/03
2008
WW/02 / WW/05
2010
WW/02 / WW/03 /
WW/04
WW/A5
Establish 1 demonstration site to transfer knowledge of applied
restoration and management of wet woodland habitat and hold 1
training programme on the conservation, management and
restoration of wet woodland habitat
EHS
Woodland Trust /
CVNI / DARD /
Forest Service /
FWAG / LNAC /
LNP / MDC /
CDC / D&STBC /
CBC / LCC / ABC
/ BBC / Planning
Service / Rivers
Agency
2010
WW/02 / WW/03 /
WW/05
WW/A6
Hold one event every 2 years to celebrate the biodiversity value of
Wet Woodland
LNP
2013
WW/05
WW/A7
Write 1 article per year to promote the biodiversity value of wet
woodland and to highlight the threat to habitat
LNAC
2013
WW/05
WW/A8
Raise awareness, on an annual basis, among agri-environment
scheme advisors of the need to promote the take-up of agrienvironment options that benefit wet woodland and associated
priority species in the Lough Neagh Wetlands.
LNAC
CVNI / DARD /
EHS / Forest
Service / FWAG /
LNAC / LNP /
MDC / CDC /
D&STBC / CBC /
LCC / ABC / BBC
/ Planning
Service / Rivers
Agency /
Woodland Trust
Woodland Trust /
CVNI / DARD /
EHS / FWAG /
LNP / MDC /
CDC / D&STBC /
CBC / LCC / ABC
/ BBC / Rivers
Agency
Woodland Trust /
CVNI / DARD /
EHS / Forest
Service / FWAG /
LNP / Rivers
Agency
2013
WW/05
Lough Neagh Wetlands Wet Woodland Habitat Action Plan