Site code: IE0002301 NATURA 2000 Data Form

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NF002301

Site code: NATURA 2000

STANDARD DATA FORM

FOR SPECIAL PROTECTION AREAS (SPA)

FOR SITES ELIGIBLE FOR IDENTIFICATION AS SITES OF COMMUNITY IMPORTANCE (SCI)

AND

FOR SPECIAL AREAS OF CONSERVATION (SAC)

1 Site code: IE0002301 NATURA 2000 Data Form

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

1.1. TYPE 1.2. SITE CODE 1.3. COMPILATION DATE 1.4. UPDATE

K IE0002301 200306

1.5. RELATION WITH OTHER NATURA 2000 SITES: NATURA 2000 SITE CODES

IE0004057

1.6. RESPONDENT(S): National Parks & Wildlife Service of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2, .

1.7. SITE NAME: River Finn

1.8. SITE INDICATION AND DESIGNATION/CLASSIFICATION DATES:

DATE SITE PROPOSED AS ELIGIBLE AS SCI: DATE CONFIRMED AS SCI:

200306

DATE SITE CLASSIFIED AS SPA: DATE SITE DESIGNATED AS SAC:

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2. SITE LOCATION

2.1. SITE CENTRE LOCATION

LONGITUDE LATITUDE

W 7 46 0 54 48 0

W/E (Greenwich)

2.2. AREA (HA): 2.3. SITE LENGTH (KM):

5501.79

2.4. ALTITUDE (M):

MINIMUM MAXIMUM MEAN

-2 400 150

2.5. ADMINISTRATIVE REGION:

NUTS CODE REGION NAME % COVER

IE011 Border 94

Marine area not covered by a NUTS-region 6

2.6. BIOGEOGRAPHIC REGION:

Alpine AtlanticBoreal Continental Macaronesian Mediterranean

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3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

3.1. HABITAT types present on the site and assessment for them:

ANNEX I HABITAT TYPES:

CODE %COVER REPRESENTATIVITY RELATIVE SURFACE CONSERVATION GLOBAL STATUS ASSESSMENT

7130 16 BCCB 3110 16 BBBB 4010 3 BCCC 7140 1 BCBB

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3.2. SPECIES

covered by Article 4 of Directive 79/409/EEC

and

listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC

and

site assessment for them

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3.2.a. BIRDS listed on Annex I of Council directive 79/409/EEC

CODE NAME POPULATION SITE ASSESSMENT Resident Migratory Population Conservation Isolation

Breed Winter Stage

A037 Cygnus 1-13 i CB C columbianus bewickii A038 Cygnus cygnus <571 i BBC A103 Falco peregrinus 2 p CB C A098 Falco columbarius 1-2 p CB C A140 Pluvialis 371 i CB C apricaria

3.2.b. Regularly occuring Migratory Birds not listed on Annex I of Council directive 79/409/EEC

CODE NAME POPULATION SITE ASSESSMENT Resident Migratory Population Conservation Isolation

Breed Winter Stage

A067 Bucephala clangula 133 i CB C A043 Anser anser <349 i BBC A050 Anas penelope 64 i CB C A052 Anas crecca 573 i CB C A053 Anas platyrhynchos 349 i CB C A061 Aythya fuligula 87 i CB C A067 Bucephala clangula 78 i CB C A069 Mergus serrator 27 i CB C A142 Vanellus vanellus 401 i CB C A160 Numenius arquata 457 i CB C A162 Tringa totanus 56 i CB C A183 Larus fuscus 500 p BA CA A282 Turdus torquatus 1-2 p CB C

3.2.c. MAMMALS listed on Annex II of Council directive 92/43/EEC

CODE NAME POPULATION SITE ASSESSMENT Resident Migratory Population Conservation Isolation

Breed Winter Stage

1355 Lutra lutra p CA CA

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3.2.d. AMPHIBIANS and REPTILES listed on Annex II of Council directive 92/43/EEC

3.2.e. FISHES listed on Annex II of Council directive 92/43/EEC

CODE NAME POPULATION SITE ASSESSMENT Resident Migratory Population Conservation Isolation

Breed Winter Stage

1106 Salmo salar c CA CA

3.2.f. INVERTEBRATES listed on Annex II of Council directive 92/43/EEC

3.2.g. PLANTS listed on Annex II of Council directive 92/43/EEC

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3.3. Other Important Species of Flora and Fauna

GROUP SCIENTIFIC NAME POPULATION MOTIVATION BMARFIP

P Cephalanthera longifolia p A M Lepus timidus hibernicus p A M Lepus timidus hibernicus p B M Lepus timidus hibernicus p C M Meles meles p A M Meles meles p C A Rana temporaria p A A Rana temporaria p C R Lacerta vivipara p C F Salvelinus alpinus p A B Lagopus lagopus p A B Ardea cinerea 24 i C B Cygnus olor 30 i C B Lagopus lagopus p C

(B = Birds, M = Mammals, A = Amphibians, R = Reptiles, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, P = Plants)

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4. SITE DESCRIPTION

4.1. GENERAL SITE CHARACTER:

Habitat classes % cover

Tidal rivers, Estuaries, Mud flats, Sand flats, Lagoons (including 6 saltwork basins) Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) 27 Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens 25 Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana 7 Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland 10 Extensive cereal cultures (including Rotation cultures with regular 5 fallowing) Improved grassland 15 Broad-leaved deciduous woodland 1 Mixed woodland 1 Artificial forest monoculture (e.g. Plantations of poplar or Exotic 1 trees) Inland rocks, Screes, Sands, Permanent Snow and ice 1 Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, 1 Industrial sites) Total habitat cover 100 %

Other site characteristics This site comprises almost the entire freshwater element of the River Finn and its tributaries - the Corlacky, the Reelan sub-catchment, the Sruhamboy, Elatagh, Cummirk and Glashagh, and also includes Lough Finn, where the river rises. Lough Derg and a section of River Derg, and the tidal stretch of the Foyle north of Lifford to the border, are also part of the site. The underlying geology is Dalradian Schists and Gneiss for the most part though quartzites and Carboniferous Limestones are present in the vicinity of Castlefinn. The hills around Lough Finn are also on quartzite. The mountains of Owendoo and Cloghervaddy are of granite felsite and other intrusive rocks rich in silica. The rivers in the western, upland part of the site flow mainly through peat based soils, while eastwards of the Ballybofey area the main Finn channel passes though fairly intensive agricultural land. In addition to rivers, lakes, bog and heath, the site includes native broad-leaved and mixed woodland, scrub, wet grassland and freshwater marsh. Intertidal mudflats and extensive reedbeds occur along the . Improved grassland and arable land are included for water quality reasons. The Finn passes through a number of medium sized towns, notably Lifford, Castlefinn, Stranolar and Ballybofey.

4.2. QUALITY AND IMPORTANCE: This extensive site contains good examples of the Annex 1 habitats lowland oligotrophic lakes, blanket bog, transition mires and wet heath. Water quality of the lakes is good, as is that in most of the rivers and streams (majority classified as unpolluted). The blanket bog, which is best developed in the Owendoo/Cloghervaddy area, is typical upland bog and is fairly extensive in area. The Finn is an important system for Salmo salar, being an excellent grilse river with extensive spawning habitats. The Finn system sustains one of the only stable spring salmon populations in the country. The rivers and lakes support important populations of Lutra lutra. The upland habitats support a number of important bird species, notably Falco peregrinus and Falco columbarius (Annex I species) and Lagopus lagopus and Turdus torquatus (both Red Data Book species). Lough Derg supports the largest colony of Larus fuscus in Ireland. The section of the River Foyle within the site, along with a contiguous stretch in of the river in , supports important populations of waterfowl

9 Site code: IE0002301 NATURA 2000 Data Form in autumn and winter, with an internationally important population of Cygnus cygnus, and nationally important numbers of Anser anser, Anas crecca and Phalacrocorax carbo. Salvelinus alpinus occurs in Lough Finn and possibly Lough Derg. A Red Data Book plant species, Cephalanthera longifolia, is known from the site.

4.3. VULNERABILITY While water quality throughout much of the site is good, there are some locally polluted stretches of river within the lowlands. Pollution, emanating from agricultural activities and centres of population, is a threat to the important Salmo salar populations. Afforestation already exists in part of the Finn catchment and poses a threat to water quality and fish stocks due to acidification and sedimentition. Further afforestation in the catchment could be damaging. The blanket bog and heath habitats are vulnerable to erosion due to over-grazing by sheep. Any further drainage within peatlands would be very damaging.

4.4. SITE DESIGNATION:

4.5. OWNERSHIP State : Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources

Private : multiple

4.6. DOCUMENTATION Bracken, J. J. and O'Grady, M. E. (1992). A review of freshwater fisheries research in Ireland. In Feehan, J. (ed.) Environment and Development in Ireland, pp 499-510. The Environmental Institute, UCD, Dublin.

Colhoun, K. (2001). I-WeBS Report 1998-99. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin.

Central Fisheries Board (2001). Irish Salmon Catches 2000. http://www.cfb.ie/: February 2001.

Creme, G.A., Walsh, P.M., O'Callaghan, M. and Kelly, T.C. (1997). The changing status of the lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus in Ireland. Biology and Environment. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 97B: 149-156.

Doris, Y., McGarrigle, M.L., Clabby, K.J., Lucey, J., Neill, M., Flanagan, M., Quinn, M.B., Sugrue, M. and Lehane, M. (1999). Water quality in Ireland 1995-1997. Statistical Compendium of River Quality Data. Electronic Publication on Disk. Environmental Protection Agency, Wexford.

Doris, Y., Clabby, K.J., Lucey and Lehane, M. (2002). Water Quality in Ireland 1998-2000. Statistical Compendium of River Quality Data. Electronic Publication on Disk. Environmental Protection Agency, Wexford.

Douglas, C., Dunnells, D., Scally, L. and Wyse Jackson, M. (1990). A Survey to Locate Blanket Bogs of Scientific Interest in Counties Donegal, Cavan, Leitrim and Roscommon. Unpublished report to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin.

Flanagan, P.J. and Toner, P. F. (1975). A Preliminary Survey of Irish Lakes. An Foras Forbartha, Dublin.

Hunt, J., Derwin, J., Coveney, J. and Newton, S. (2000). . Pp. 365-416 in Heath, M.F. and Evans, M.I., (eds.) Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sites for Conservation 1: Northern Europe. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 8).

Lloyd, C. (1982). Inventory of Seabird Breeding Colonies in Republic of Ireland. Unpublished report, Forest and Wildlife Service, Dublin.

Loughs Agency (2000). Mr P. Boylan provided information in a letter to Duchas

10 Site code: IE0002301 NATURA 2000 Data Form dated the 4th September 2000.

Loughs Agency, 2001. Personal correspondence from Danny Loughridge to Marie Dromey, Duchas.

McGarrigle M.L., Bowman J.J., Clabby K.J., Lucey J., Cunningham P., MacCarthaigh M., Keegan M., Cantrell B., Lehane M., Clenaghan C. & Toner P.F. (2002). Water Quality in Ireland 1998-2000. Environmental Protection Agency, Wexford.

Merne, O.J. (1989). Important Bird Areas in the Republic of Ireland. In: Grimmett, R.F.A. and Jones, T.A. (eds.). Important Bird Areas in Europe. ICBP Technical Publication No. 9, Cambridge.

Mooney, E., Goodwillie, R.N. and Douglas, C. (1991). Survey of Mountain Blanket Bogs of Scientific Interest. Unpublished draft to the National Parks & Wildlife Service, Dublin.

O'Reilly, P. (1998). Trout and Salmon : an Anglers Guide. Merlin Unwin Books, London.

Praeger, R.L. (1934) . The Botanist in Ireland. Hodges, Figgis & Co, Dublin.

Reynolds, J.D. (1998). Ireland's Freshwaters. The Marine Institute, Dublin 1998.

Sheppard, R. (1993). Ireland's Wetland Wealth. IWC, Dublin.

Young, R. (1973). A Preliminary Report on Areas of Scientific Interest in . An Foras Forbartha, Dublin.

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5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS AND RELATION WITH CORINE BIOTOPES

5.1. DESIGNATION TYPES at National and Regional level:

5.2. RELATION OF THE DESCRIBED SITE WITH OTHER SITES: designated at National or Regional level:

designated at International level:

5.3. RELATION OF THE DESCRIBED SITE WITH CORINE BIOTOPE SITES:

CORINE SITE CODE OVERLAP TYPE % COVER

800000765 800000133

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6. IMPACTS AND ACTIVITIES IN AND AROUND THE SITE

6.1. GENERAL IMPACTS AND ACTIVITIES AND PROPORTION OF THE SURFACE OF THE SITE AFFECTED IMPACTS AND ACTIVITIES WITHIN the site

CODE INTENSITY % OF SITE INFLUENCE 100A B C 5 + 0 - 120A B C 20 + 0 - 140A B C 60 + 0 - 160A B C 1 + 0 - 220A B C 15 + 0 - 502ABC 1 + 0 - 701A B C 5 + 0 - 810A B C 5 + 0 - 966ABC 5 + 0 - IMPACTS AND ACTIVITIES AROUND the site

CODE INTENSITY INFLUENCE 100 A BC + 0 - 120 A BC + 0 - 140 A BC + 0 - 160 A BC + 0 - 400 A B C + 0 - 403 A B C + 0 - 410 A B C + 0 - 701 A B C + 0 - 810 A B C + 0 -

6.2. SITE MANAGEMENT AND PLANS

BODY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SITE MANAGEMENT

SITE MANAGEMENT AND PLANS

A Conservation Plan for the management of this site will be prepared.

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7. MAPS OF THE SITE

- Physical map

- Aerial photograph(s) included:

NUMBER AREA SUBJECT DATE

OS-4112 Lough Derg View of Lough Derg 200005 OS-2289 Strabane View of River Finn to west of Strabane 200005

8. SLIDES

14