River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme in association with 3.4 ECOLOGY This ecological constraints assessment has been carried out to provide decision makers with clear and concise information on the international, national, regional and local ecological issues that must be taken into account when planning and designing the River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme. This section will provide the main ecological issues and constraints that could significantly affect the design of the scheme, delay progress or influence the costs. The findings of this section will feed into further stages of the proposed scheme such as the Environmental Impact Assessment. 3.4.1 Methodology The methodology followed in completing this section of the report consisted of desktop research, field research and consultation with a number of governmental and non- governmental bodies. Consultation was held with the following bodies: • National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), • Development Applications Unit of Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, • Environment Protection Agency, • Bat Conservation Ireland (Dr. Tina Aughey), • An Taisce, • Irish Peatland Conservation Council, • Mayo County Council, • BirdWatch Ireland; • Irish Wildlife Trust, • Lough Conn and Lough Cullin Anglers, • Crossmolina Fishing Club, • Crossmolina Tidy Towns, • Bord na Móna, • Coillte Teoranta • Salmon Research Agency, • Earthwatch (Friends of the Earth Ireland), • Inland Fisheries Ireland, • Waterways Ireland, Constraints Study Report 14 River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme in association with • Western River Basin District Office, • Voice of Concern of the Irish Environment. The following sources were also used in the compilation of this section of the constraints report: • 1:50,000 scale Discovery series mapping; • 1:10,560 OS Maps of the study area • Aerial photography of the Study Area • NPWS site synopses and database of information on designated sites and records of protected species. • New Atlas of the British & Irish Flora (Preston et al., 2002) • The Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland’ (Sharrock, 1976), ‘The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988-1991’ (Gibbons et al., 1993) and ‘The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland’ (Lack, 1986) • The EPA website http://www.epa.ie/rivermap/data • The Water Framework Directive website www.WFD.ie The Study Area was also visited on the 24th October 2012 and a targeted walkover survey was undertaken to verify details on the ground. During this visit, the general habitat types within the Study Area, in particular along the course of the River Deel, were observed and photographed. The purpose of this was to observe the habitats in the area first hand and to a certain extent to ground truth the findings of the desk study that is detailed in Section 3.4.2 below. No detailed floral or faunal surveys were carried out during this visit. 3.4.1. Desk study 3.4.2.1 Designated Areas With the introduction of the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) which was transposed into Irish law as the Natural Habitats Regulations, 1997, the European Union formally recognised the significance of protecting rare and endangered species of flora and fauna, and also, more importantly, their habitats. Member states were directed to provide lists of sites for designation. Natural Heritage Areas Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) are heritage sites that were designated for the protection of flora, fauna, habitats and geological sites of national importance. Management of NHAs is guided by planning policy and the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000. It was from these NHAs that the most important sites were selected for international designation as SACs and SPAs. Constraints Study Report 15 River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme in association with Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas There are two types of EU site designation, the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and the Special Protection Area (SPA). SACs are designated for the conservation of flora, fauna and habitats of European importance and SPAs for the conservation of bird species and habitats of European importance. These sites form part of “Natura 2000” a network of protected areas throughout the European Union. Annex I of the Habitats Directive lists certain habitats that must be given protection. Certain habitats are deemed ‘priority’ and have greater protection. Irish habitats include raised bogs, active blanket bogs, turloughs, heaths, lakes and rivers. Annex II of the Directive lists species whose habitats must be protected and includes Lesser Horseshoe Bat, Otter, Salmon and White-clawed Crayfish. 3.4.1.1 Designated Sites in the Vicinity of the Study Area The National Parks and Wildlife Service publish synopses of the information regarding areas designated for conservation. Figure 3.4.1 in Appendix C shows all designated sites within 15 kilometres of the Study Area in addition to Conservation Objectives for nearest Natura 2000 sites. Natura 2000 sites The nearest Natura 2000 sites (SAC’s or SPA’s) are: • River Moy cSAC (Site Code:002298) • Lough Conn and Lough Cullin SPA/pNHA (Site Code: 004228) The entirety of the Deel River within the Study Area is included within the River Moy cSAC, as is Lough Conn, into which the Deel River debouches. In addition, Lough Conn is also designated as part of the Lough Conn and Lough Cullin SPA/pNHA. The River Moy cSAC comprises almost the entire freshwater element of the Moy and its tributaries including both Loughs Conn and Cullin. The site is a candidate SAC selected for alluvial wet woodlands and raised bog, both priority habitats on Annex I of the E.U. Habitats Directive. The site is also a candidate SAC selected for old oak woodlands, alkaline fens, degraded raised bog and Rhynchosporion, all habitats listed on Annex I of the E.U. Habitats Directive. The site is also selected for the following species listed on Annex II of the same directive – Atlantic Salmon, Otter, Sea and Brook Lamprey and White-clawed Crayfish. The site supports populations of several species listed on Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive, and habitats listed on Annex I of this directive, as well as Constraints Study Report 16 River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme in association with examples of other important habitats. The presence of a fine example of broad-leaved woodland in this part of the country increases the overall habitat diversity and adds to the ecological value of the site as does the presence of the range of nationally rare and Red Data Book plant and animal species. The qualifying interests of the River Moy cSAC include the following Annex I habitats and Annex II species: • [1092] White-clawed Crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) • [1095] Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) • [1096] Brook Lamprey (Lampetra planeri) • [1106] Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) (only in fresh water) • [1355] Otter (Lutra lutra) • * [7110] Active raised bogs • [7120] Degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration • [7150] Depressions on peat substrates of the Rhynchosporion • [7230] Alkaline fens • [91A0] Old sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum in the British Isles • *[91E0] Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae) The conservation objective of the River Moy cSAC is to maintain or restore the favourable conservation condition of the Annex I habitats and the Annex II species for which the SAC has been selected, as listed above. Lough Conn and Lough Cullin are situated in north Co. Mayo and are connected by a narrow inlet near Pontoon. The main inflowing rivers to Lough Conn are the Deel, the Addergoole and the Castlehill while the main outflowing river from Lough Cullin is the River Moy. The lakes have a number of small islands. Fringing swamp vegetation occurs in some sheltered areas. Both Lough Conn and Lough Cullin are part of an important salmonid fishery. The site is a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the E.U. Birds Directive, of special conservation interest for the following species: Greenland White- fronted Goose, Tufted Duck, Common Scoter and Common Gull. The E.U. Birds Directive pays particular attention to wetlands and, as these form part of this SPA, the site and its associated waterbirds are of special conservation interest for Wetland & Waterbirds. Lough Conn and Lough Cullin is one of only four areas in the country where Common Constraints Study Report 17 River Deel (Crossmolina) Flood Relief Scheme in association with Scoter breed. The site also supports a good diversity of wintering waterfowl species, including Greenland White-fronted Goose and a nationally important population of Tufted Duck. The occurrence of Greenland White-fronted Goose, Whooper Swan and Golden Plover is of note as these species are listed on Annex I of the E.U. Birds Directive. The conservation objective of the SPA is to maintain or restore the favourable conservation condition of the bird species listed as Special Conservation Interests for this SPA: • Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) [wintering] • Common Scoter (Melanitta nigra) [breeding] • Common Gull (Larus canus) [breeding] • Greenland White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons flavirostris) [wintering] • Wetlands Other Natura 2000 sites within or partially within a 15 kilometre radius of the Study Area boundary are listed below: • Bellacorick Bog cSAC/pNHA (Site Code: 001922) • Bellacorick Iron Flush cSAC/pNHA (Site Code: 000466) • Lough Dahybaun SAC (Site Code: 002177) • Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SAC/pNHA (Site Code: 000458) • Killala Bay/Moy Estuary SPA (Site Code: 004036) • Newport River SAC (Site Code: 002144) • Owenduff/Nephin Complex SAC (Site Code: 000534) • Lough Hoe Bog pNHA/SAC (Site Code: 000633) These Natura 2000 sites are all either upstream of the Deel River or in a different catchment from the Deel River and therefore are unlikely to be directly affected by the project. However it should be noted that water levels within Natura 2000 sites such as the Bellacorick Bog Complex SAC, upstream of the Deel River and within the same catchment, could conceivably be affected by major drainage works downstream, and this should be considered as a constraint of the project.