A GUIDE TO H ABITATS IN I RELAND A G UIDE TO H ABITATS IN I RELAND T HE H ERITAGE C OUNCIL THE HERITAGE COUNCIL AN CHOMHAIRLE OIDHREACHTA A GUIDE TO HABITATS IN IRELAND by Julie A. Fossitt October 2000 THE HERITAGE COUNCIL AN CHOMHAIRLE OIDHREACHTA © An Chomhairle Oidhreachta / The Heritage Council 2000 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be printed or reproduced or utilised in any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or heretoafter invented, including photocopying or licence permitting restricted copying in Ireland issued by the Irish Copyright Licencing Agency Ltd., The Writers Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1. Published by the Heritage Council Produced and designed by B. Magee Design ISSN 1393 – 68 08 Photos: (Richard T. Mills) P.8 & P.11 (Liam Lysaght) P.7, P.9, P.10, P.12, & P.13 The Heritage Council of Ireland Series ISBN 1 901137 27 9 Price £12 CONTENTS FOREWORD / BROLLACH 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 6 INTRODUCTION 7 SUMMARY OF THE CLASSIFICATION 14 FRESHWATER 16 Lakes and ponds 17 Watercourses 20 Springs 23 Swamps 24 GRASSLAND AND MARSH 26 Improved grassland 27 Semi-natural grassland 28 Freshwater marsh 32 HEATH AND DENSE BRACKEN 34 Heath 35 Dense bracken 38 PEATLANDS 39 Bogs 40 Fens and flushes 45 WOODLAND AND SCRUB 48 Semi-natural woodland 50 Highly modified/non-native woodland 53 Scrub/transitional woodland 55 Linear woodland/scrub 57 EXPOSED ROCK AND DISTURBED GROUND 59 Exposed rock 60 Underground rock and caves 62 Disturbed ground 63 CULTIVATED AND BUILT LAND 65 Cultivated land 66 Built land 67 COASTLAND 69 Sea cliffs and islets 70 Brackish waters 71 Salt marshes 72 Shingle and gravel banks 74 Sand dune systems 75 Coastal constructions 78 MARINE LITTORAL (INTERTIDAL) 79 Littoral rock 81 Littoral sediment 84 MARINE SUBLITTORAL (SUBTIDAL) 88 Sublittoral rock 89 Sublittoral sediment 92 MARINE WATER BODY96 GLOSSARY 98 REFERENCES 103 FURTHER READING 105 APPENDIX 1 107 APPENDIX 2 111 FOREWORD This guide provides a standard scheme for describing habitats in Ireland. To date the absence of this common standard has meant that agencies and individuals have been unable to provide data that was consistent or complementary. Such consistency in the work of habitat classification is recognised as following best practice. The standard can also make a particularly important contribution in informing the development of programmes arising from major policy initiatives such as the National Development Plan, the emerging National Heritage Plan and of course in the preparation of environmental impact statements for use in the planning process. In publishing the standard scheme Council acknowledges the co-operation of many agencies and individuals and in particular Dúchas, The Heritage Service. The application of the standard will secure benefits for our natural heritage and assist in maintaining the quality of life we all derive from the Irish landscape. BROLLAGH Soláthraíonn an treoir seo scéim caighdeáin chun cur síos ar ghnáthóga in Éirinn. Go nuige seo, agus an caighdeán coitianta seo in easnamh, ní raibh gníomhaireachtaí agus pearsana aonair in ann sonraí a sholáthar a bhí comhsheasmhach nó comhlántach. Aithnítear mar bharrchleachtas comhsheasmhacht dá leithéid in obair an aicmiúcháin gnáthóg. Féadfaidh an caighdeán cion tábhachtach a dhéanamh chomh maith chun eolas a sholáthar agus cláir á bhforbairt a eascraíonn ó mhórthionscnaimh pholasaí mar an bPlean Forbartha Náisiúnta agus an Plean Oidhreachta Náisiúnta atá ag teacht chun cinn, agus gan dabht chun ráitis tionchair timpeallachta a ullmhú le húsáid sa phróiseas pleanála. Agus an scéim caighdeáin á foilsiú aithníonn an Chomhairle comhoibriú an iliomad gníomhaireachtaí agus pearsan aonair agus go háirithe comhoibriú Dhúchais, an tSeirbhís Oidhreachta. Le feidhmiú an chaighdeáin daingneofar tairbhí dár n-oidhreacht náisiúnta agus cabhrófar chun an cháilíocht beatha a chothabháil a fhaighimid go léir ó thírdhreach na hÉireann. Tom O'Dywer Michael Starrett Chairperson Chief Executive 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Heritage Council is extremely grateful for the assistance of the many people who gave freely of their time to facilitate the production of this guide. Without their assistance, this publication would not have been possible. The impetus for the production of this guide came from Richard Nairn who wrote to the Heritage Council identifying the need for such a reference document. The Heritage Council agreed to produce this guide, and under the chairmanship of John O’Halloran a steering committee was established to advise on the production of the guide. This steering committee comprised individuals who have experience of working in the area of habitat description for a variety of purposes. The steering committee members were: Mark Costello, John Cross, Jimmy Dunne, Pat Gilheaney, Roger Goodwillie, Mike Gormally, Declan Little, Mortimer Loftus, Liam Lysaght, Brian Madden, Richard Nairn, Colmán Ó Críodáin, John Rochford, Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, Chris Smal and John Wilson. Julie Fossitt was commissioned to draft the text of the guide. In addition to the members of the steering committee, a number of other people contributed to different drafts of the guide. The Heritage Council is very appreciative of the contribution of staff members of Dúchas, The Heritage Service who channelled their detailed contributions through Colmán Ó Críodáin. These include Tom Curtis, Catriona Douglas, Neil Lockhart, Aileen O’Sullivan, Jim Ryan, Liz Sides and Mike Wyse Jackson. Others who contributed include: Clare Byrne, Louise Collier, Paul Corbett, Jennifer Dowse, Katherine Duff, Chris Emblow, Brenda Healy, Anne Hudson, Mona McCrea, Anne-Marie McKee, Austin O’Sullivan, Cilian Roden, Nick Scott, Shaun Wolfe-Murphy and the third year Environmental Science students (1998/99) at National University of Ireland, Galway. An editing committee consisting of Colmán Ó Críodáin, Julie Fossitt, Roger Goodwillie, Liam Lysaght, Richard Nairn, Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, and chaired by John O’Halloran, oversaw the detailed editing of the final draft for publication. Thanks are due to Gerard Doyle and Matthijs Schouten who kindly agreed to review the document prior to publication. While every effort was made to minimise errors or omissions in the text, the Heritage Council accepts responsibility for such ommissions or errors. 6 INTRODUCTION Summary This guide sets out a standard scheme for identifying, describing and classifying wildlife habitats in Ireland. It covers natural, semi-natural and artificial habitats of terrestrial and freshwater environments, of inshore marine waters, and of urban and rural areas. The classification is presented within a hierarchical framework and is designed for application at a variety of different levels in terms of scale, detail and user expertise. It is intended as a first-step approach for general habitat recording rather than as a basis for detailed study and evaluation. The availability and widespread use of a standard classification scheme is important in that it will help to standardise data collection on habitats which, in turn, will assist in the management and conservation of Ireland’s natural heritage. This guide is intended as a working document that will evolve and be revised over time. The role of the Heritage Council The Heritage Council is an independent body with a statutory responsibility to propose policy and provide advice on issues relating to the protection, preservation and enhancement of the national heritage. Since its establishment in 1995, the Heritage Council has played an important role in setting up and funding projects that deal specifically with the collection of data. This Guide to Habitats in Ireland was produced to fill an important gap that existed and to facilitate the standardised recording of habitat information in the future. Future revision of the classification Despite the considerable effort that has gone into the production of this classification, it is inevitable that it will eventually require revision, to take account of developments - both nationally and internationally - in the fields of habitat classification and ecology. As a result, the scheme will require a ‘custodian’ who can take on board users’ comments and other appropriate information that might emerge over time. Accordingly, Dúchas, The Heritage Service has agreed to take on this role. Background and rationale Habitats are the basic building blocks of the environment that are inhabited by animals and plants, and which are important as units for site description and conservation management. A habitat is described as the area in which an organism or group of 7 organisms lives, and is defined by the living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of the environment. The latter includes physical, chemical and geographical factors, in addition to human impact or management. Habitats are recorded, described and mapped for a variety of different reasons. It is important, therefore, that a standard approach is used when recording habitat information. This guide sets out a hierarchical classification scheme that is intended to facilitate habitat identification and differentiation at a general level. While it is acknowledged that no single classification scheme can meet all the needs of all the potential users, there can be little dispute about the need for a common and comprehensible language when referring to habitats. Widespread use of this scheme would help to standardise data collection on habitats, thereby enhancing compatibility and the potential