SURVEY TO LOCATE MOUNTAIN BLANKET BOGS OF SCIENTIFIC INTEREST IN IRELAND Dr Enda Mooney Roger Goodwillie Caitriona Douglas Commissioned by National Parks and Wildlife Service, OPW 1991 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 METHODS 3 Site Evaluation 4 RESULTS: General Observations 6 High Blanket Bog 8 Flushed Slopes 9 Headwater Bog 9 Mountain Valley Bog 10 High Level Montane Blanket Bog 10 Low Level Montane Blanket Bog 12 SITES OF HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE SITE NAME COUNTY PAGE NO Cullenagh Tipperary 17 Crockastoller Donegal 19 Coomacheo Cork 24 Meenawannia Donegal 28 Malinbeg Donegal 31 Altan Donegal 34 Meentygrannagh Donegal 36 Lettercraffroe Galway 40 Tullytresna Donegal 45 Caherbarnagh Cork 47 Glenkeen Laois 51 Ballynalug Laois 54 Kippure Wicklow 57 Doobin Donegal 61 Meenachullion Donegal 63 Sallygap Wicklow 65 Knockastumpa Kerry 68 Derryclogher Cork 71 Glenlough. Cork 73 Coumanare Kerry 75 SITES OF MODERATE-HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE Ballard Donegal 78 Cloghervaddy Donegal 80 Crowdoo Donegal 83 Meenaguse Scragh Donegal 86 Glanmore Cork 88 Maulagowna Kerry 90 Sillahertane Kerry 91 Carrig East Kerry 95 Mangerton Kerry 97 Drumnasharragh Donegal 99 Derryduff More or Derrybeg Cork 100 Ballagh Bog (K25) Kerry 103 Dereen Upper Cork 105 Comeragh Mts. Waterford 107 Tullynaclaggan Donegal 109 Tooreenbreanla Kerry 111 Glendine West Offaly 114 Coomagire Kerry 116 Graignagower Kerry 118 Tooreenealagh Kerry 119 Ballynabrocky Dublin 121 Castle Kelly Dublin 125 Shankill Wicklow 126 Garranbaun Laois 128 Cashel Donegal 130 Table Mt Wicklow 132 Ballynultagh Wicklow 135 Curraun Waterford 140 SITES OF A LOWER VALUE CONSERVATION Kingarrow Donegal 143 Meenvaghran Donegal 145 Coomlettra Kerry 147 Carrignabinnia Mt. Tipperary 150 Carrickatimpan Donegal 152 Tor Donegal 154 Meenaboll Donegal 155 Coguish (Crow R.) Donegal 156 Knockanafrin Waterford 158 Cloghermore Galway 160 K42 Kerry 161 Dunloe Upr Kerry 163 Cork Donegal 164 WX1 Wexford 165 Drumnaliffeney Mt Donegal 166 Saggartnadoish Donegal 168 Lough Deale Donegal 170 Lough Agrougha Donegal 171 Binswilly Donegal 172 Scraigs Donegal 174 Croaghanard Donegal 176 Owendoo Donegal 178 Doobin Donegal 180 Meenaguse L. Donegal 182 Coguish (Crow R.) Donegal 184 Owenteskinny Hill Donegal 186 Knockreagh Kerry 187 Tooreenbreanla (Glas. L) Kerry 196 Sillahertane Kerry 198 Goughane Barra Kerry 200 Mangerton Kerry 202 L. Namweela Kerry 204 Slieveanore Kerry 205 Loughnambrackdarrig Kerry 207 Feohanagh Kerry 209 Coumanare Kerry 211 Glenlough Cork 213 Crossterry Cork 215 Derrryclogher Cork 217 Borlin Valley Cork 219 Knocknafallia Waterford 221 Knockanask Waterford 223 UNSORTED SITES Coumtay Waterford 224 Farbreaga Tipperary 226 Moanyarha Waterford 227 Galtybeg Tipperary 228 Slieve Blooms Laois 229 East of The Cut Sl. Bloom Mts. Laois 231 West of The Cut Sallygap Wicklow 233 Barnacullion Wicklow 236 Garryknock Wicklow 237 K8 Kerry 241 W8 Brockagh Wicklow 243 K11 Kerry 245 C8 (No desc) Cork 247 K37 Kerry 249 K39 Kerry 251 K11 Kerry 253 Graignagower K15 Kerry 255 C8 (no desc) Cork 257 K21 Kerry 259 K27 Kerry 261 K30 Kerry 263 K32 Kerry 265 K36 Kerry 267 K5 Kerry 269 W5 Wicklow 271 W6 Wicklow 273 Mountain Blanket Bog Survey Report CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 METHODS 3 Site Evaluation 4 RESULTS: General Observations 6 High Blanket Bog 8 Flushed Slopes 9 Headwater Bog 9 Mountain Valley Bog 10 High Level Montane Blanket Bog 10 Low Level Montane Blanket Bog 12 .SITES OF HIGHEST CONSERVATION VALUE SITE NAME COUNTY PAGE NO C,1_11 e:nagt Tipperary 1 Crockastoller Donegal 19 I iCoomacheo Cork 24 Meenawannia Donegal 28 Malinbeg Donegal 31 i ltan Donegal 34 Meentygrannagh Donegal 36 40 ILettercraffroe Galway I Tullytresna Donegal 45 Caherbarnagh Cork 47 i G1enkeen Laois J 1 6allynalug Laois 54 ippure Wicklow 57 ,Doobin Donegal 61 C Mountain Blanket Bog Survey Report Meenachullion Donegal 63 Sallygap Wicklow 65 Knockastumpa Kerry 68 Derryclogher Cork 71 Glenlough. Cork 73 Coumanare Kerry 75 SITES OF MODERATE-HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE Ballard Donegal 78 Cloghervaddy Donegal 80 ,Crowdoo Donegal 83 Meenaguse Scragh Donegal 86 G1-anmore Cork 88 Matilagov a Kerry 90 Sillahertane Kerry 91 i Carrig East Kerry 95 Mangerton Kerry 97 Drumnasharragh Donegal 99 I Derryduff More or Derrybeg Cork 100 Ballagh Bog (K25) Kerry 103 Dereen Upper Cork 105 Comeragh Mts. Waterford 107 'Tullynaclaggan Donegal 109 Tooreenbreanla 111 Glendine 114 oomagire 116 Mountain Blanket Bog Survey Report Graignagower Kerry 118 Tooreenealagh Kerry 119 Ballynabrocky Dublin 121 Castle Kelly Dublin 125 .Shankill Wicklow 126 .Garranbaun Laois 128 Cashel Donegal 130 Table Mt Wicklow 132 ,Bailynu1tagh Wicklow 135 Curraun Waterford 140 SITES OFA LESSER CONSERVATION VALUE Kingarrow Donegal 143 Meenvaghran Donegal 145 Coonilettra Kerry 147 Carrignabinnia Mt. Tipperary 150 Carrickatimpan Donegal 152 Tor Donegal 154 Meenaboll Donegal 155 Coguish (Crow R.) Donegal 156 Knockanafrin Waterford 158 Cloghermore Galway 160 K42 Kerry 161 Dunloe Upr Kerry 163 Cork Donegal 164 Mountain Blanket Bog Survey Report wx1 Wexford 165 Drumnaliffeney Mt Donegal 166 Saggartnadoish Donegal 168 Lough Deale Donegal 170 Lough Agrougha Donegal 171 iBinswilly Donegal 172 Scraigs Donegal 174 Cr_oaq_.anard Donegal 176 Owendoo Donegal 1,78 I Dobbin Donegal 180 -i ItiTeenaguse L. Donegal 182 ,Coguish (Crow R.) Donegal 184 I 186 1 Owenteskinny Hill Donegal Knockreagh Kerry 187 Tooreenbreania (Glas. L) Kerry 196 Sillahertane Kerry 198 Goughane Barra Kerry 200 Mangerton Kerry 202 L. Namweela Kerry 204 iSlieveanore Kerry 205 rrig Kerry 207 Feohanagh Kerry 209 Coumanare Kerry 211 Gieniough Cork 213 Crossterry Cork 215 errrycloghQr Cork 217 11 Mountain Blanket Bog Survey Report Borlin Valley Cork 219 Knocknafallia Waterford 221 Knockanask Waterford 223 .UNSORTED SITES Coumtay Waterford 224 Farbreaga Tipperary 226 iMoanyarha Waterford 227 I Galtybeg Tipperary 228 229 : Slleve BtooiRs Laois ;East of The Cut Offaly Sl. Bloom Mts. Laois 231 WestofThe Cut Offaly jsallygap Wicklow 233 Barnacullion Wicklow 236 Garryknock Wicklow 237 K8 Kerry 241 W8 Brockagh Wicklow 243 K11 Kerry 245 C8 (No desc) Cork 247 %K37 Kerry 249 K39 Kerry 251 K11 Kerry 253 Graignagower K15 Kerry 255 C8 (no desc) Cork 257 L21 Kerry 259 L27 Kerry 261 Mountain Blanket Bog Survey Report K30 Kerry 263 K32 Kerry 265 K36 Kerry 267 K5 Kerry 269 W5 Wicklow 271 W6 Wicklow 273 INTRODUCTION Ireland's peatland habitats have long been r1 recognised as being of international importance owing to their richness, diversity and relatively intact state. In recent years the rate of destruction of Irish peatlands has greatly accelerated. In recognition of this and of the urgent need for their the Wildlife Service embarked ona J conservation, national inventory of Irish peatlands in order to r, ascertain their current status and to assess the u relative scientific importance of individual sites. This began with the commissioning,in 1983,of a survey of Midland Raised Bogs. Since that time further surveys have been commissioned which completed theoriginalsurvey and which in 11 the work of addition, sought to determine the extent and scientific importance of Ireland's Western Raised Bogs and her Lowland Atlantic Blanket Bogs. In April 1991 The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) commissioned a survey of Irish upland bogs. The aim was to determine the range of variation to be found in upland bog sites, their degree of intactness, their relative scientific importance and to select the sites most worthy of conservation.This report presents the results of that survey. For the purposes of this survey, upland bogs are J defined as those lying above the 152 m in altitude. This is the altitude use by Hammond (1979) to define the lower limits of mountain blanket bog.This author has calculated that out of an original area of 434000 ha of this type of bog in Ireland, by 1979,320 000 ha :ii (74%) remained. 11 Incharacterising the vegetation of mountain blanket bogs, Hammond (loc. cit.) relies on the work of Moore (1964) who classifies Irish peatland plant LJ 0 0 0 0 0 cJ 0 0 0 0(52J 0 0 0 0 0 0 cI communities. Moore (loc. cit.) distinguishes mountain blanket bogs on the basis of the occurrence of Vaccinium myrtillus, Empetrum nigrum and Diplophyllum albicans in the vegetation.In addition, species characteristic of Atlantic Lowland Blanket Bog and Raised Bog, are scarce or absent. These include Molinia caerulea, Schoenus niaricans, Pleurozia purpurea, Campylopus atrovirens, Potentilla erecta, Polygala serpyllifolia, Pedicularis sylvatica and Drosera intermedia, in the case of the former, and Andromeda polyfolia, Vaccinium oxycoccus,Sphagnum U imbricatum, S. fuscum and S. magellanicum in the case r1 of the latter. Schouten (1984) subdivides the mountain blanket bog type, as defined by Hammond (loc.cit.), into mountain blanket bogs and highland blanket bogs. In the former type, he places bogs occurring above 300 m, and in the latter, bogs occurring at between 152 m and 300 m. These occur on areas with a very gentle gradient and generally have a vegetation intermediate between that characteristic of the lowland blanket bogs and the mountain blanket bogs. The work of the foregoing authors was used as a basisfor the present study. Thisstudy, while undertaking to examine the variation occurring in Irish upland peatlandsites, doesnot attempt a detailed phytosociological examination of these sites, J owing to limitations on time and resources. J METHODS Themethods used in this survey broadly follow J those used in earlier surveys of Irish peatlands (e.g. Douglas et al. ). In identifying mountain blanket bog areas, use was made of the Peatland Map of Ireland compiledby Hammond (1979). Due to the small scale of this map and the fact that it was known that certain uplandbog areas had been omitted from it, extensive use was made aerial photographs at a scale of 1:30000, taken during the 1970's, in order to locate potential sites. Aerial photographs from all the major upland areas in the country were examined.Potential sites identified and drawn on 1/2" or where they were available, 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey Maps.