2017 Ecological Study of Visitor Movement Areas EVIRONMENTAL SURVEYING AND MONITORING OF THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY OPERATIONAL PROGRAMME for: Fáilte Ireland 88-95 Amiens Street Dublin 1 by: CAAS Ltd. 1st Floor, 24-26 Ormond Quay, Dublin 7 February 2018 2017 Ecological Study of Visitor Movement Areas for the Environmental Surveying and Monitoring of the Wild Atlantic Way Operational Programme Table of Content Section 1 Introduction and Background .......................................................................................... 1 Study Aims .......................................................................................................................... 1 Section 2 Methods ........................................................................................................................ 4 Bird Surveys ........................................................................................................................ 4 Flora Assessments ............................................................................................................... 4 Section 3 Results .......................................................................................................................... 7 Galley Head, County Cork ..................................................................................................... 8 Lough Hyne, County Cork .................................................................................................... 13 Dursey Sound (previously named Garnish Point), County Cork ............................................... 18 Teach Dhoire Fhíonáin, County Kerry ................................................................................... 22 Ballyheigue Beach, County Kerry .......................................................................................... 27 Carrigafoyle Castle, County Kerry ......................................................................................... 31 Cappagh Pier, County Clare ................................................................................................. 35 Ballyvaughan Pier, County Clare ........................................................................................... 39 Barna, Trá na gCeann (Silver Strand), County Galway ........................................................... 44 Omey Island, County Galway ............................................................................................. 48 Oileán Chloigeann (Claggan Island), County Mayo ............................................................... 52 Strandhill, County Sligo ..................................................................................................... 56 Murvagh Beach, County Donegal ........................................................................................ 62 Cé Mhachaire Uí Rabhartaigh (Embarkation Point for 20, 21), County Donegal ...................... 66 Inch Island, County Donegal .............................................................................................. 70 Section 4 Discussion and Recommendations .................................................................................. 74 Section 5 References .................................................................................................................... 86 Section 6 Appendix I –Ecological Quadrat Monitoring Data - refer to external document .................. 88 Section 7 Appendix II – Ornithological Assessment refer to external document ................................ 89 CAAS for Fáilte Ireland i 2017 Ecological Study of Visitor Movement Areas for the Environmental Surveying and Monitoring of the Wild Atlantic Way Operational Programme Table of Tables Table 1.1 Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Points surveyed as part of the study ...................................... 2 Table 2.1 Condition assessment of terrestrial habitats ..................................................................... 5 Table 3.1 Designated sites in proximity to Galley Head and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ...... 9 Table 3.2 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Galley Head............................................... 10 Table 3.3 Designated sites in proximity to Lough Hyne and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ..... 14 Table 3.4 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Lough Hyne .............................................. 14 Table 3.5 Designated sites in proximity to Dursey Sound and relevant sensitive ecological receptors . 19 Table 3.6 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Dursey Sound ............................................ 19 Table 3.7 Designated sites in proximity to Teach Dhoire Fhíonáin (Derrynane House) and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ......................................................................................................... 23 Table 3.8 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Teach Dhoire Fhíonáin (Derrynane House) .. 24 Table 3.9 Designated sites in proximity to Ballyheigue Beach and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ................................................................................................................................................... 27 Table 3.10 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Ballyheigue Beach .................................... 29 Table 3.11 Designated sites in proximity to Carrigafoyle Castle and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ................................................................................................................................................... 31 Table 3.12 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Carrigafoyle Castle ................................... 33 Table 3.13 Designated sites in proximity to Cappagh Pier and relevant sensitive ecological receptor . 35 Table 3.14 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Cappagh Pier ........................................... 36 Table 3.15 Designated sites in proximity to Ballyvaughan Pier and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ................................................................................................................................................... 40 Table 3.16 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Ballyvaughan Pier .................................... 42 Table 3.17 Designated sites in proximity to Trá na gCeann (Silver Strand) and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ....................................................................................................................... 44 Table 3.18 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Trá na gCeann (Silver Strand) .................. 46 Table 3.19 Designated sites in proximity to Omey Island and relevant sensitive ecological receptor .. 48 Table 3.20 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Omey Island ............................................ 49 Table 3.21 Designated sites in proximity to Oileán Chloigeann (Claggan Island) and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ....................................................................................................................... 52 Table 3.22 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Oileán Chloigeann (Claggan Island) .......... 54 Table 3.23 Designated sites in proximity to Strandhill and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ....... 57 Table 3.24 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Strandhill................................................. 58 Table 3.25 Designated sites in proximity to Murvagh Beach and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ................................................................................................................................................... 62 Table 3.26 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Murvagh Beach ........................................ 63 Table 3.27 Designated sites in proximity to Cé Mhachaire Uí Rabhartaigh and relevant sensitive ecological receptor ....................................................................................................................... 66 Table 3.28 Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Cé Mhachaire Uí Rabhartaigh .................... 67 Table 3.29 Designated sites in proximity to Inch Island and relevant sensitive ecological receptor .... 70 Table 3.30: Summary details of each quadrat recorded at Inch Island ............................................. 71 Table 4.1: Summary results of ecological monitoring at WAW signature discovery points undertaken in 2017 ........................................................................................................................................... 77 CAAS for Fáilte Ireland ii 2017 Ecological Study of Visitor Movement Areas for the Environmental Surveying and Monitoring of the Wild Atlantic Way Operational Programme Table of Figures Figure 1.1 Discovery Points along the Wild Atlantic Way surveyed during 2017 ................................. 3 Figure 3.1 Galley Head discovery point. The location of quadrats and designated sites are indicated. 11 Figure 3.2 Lough Hyne discovery point. The location of quadrats and designated sites are indicated. 15 Figure 3.3 Dursey Sound discovery point. The location of quadrats and designated sites are indicated. ................................................................................................................................................... 20 Figure 3.4 Teach Dhoire Fhíonáin (Derrynane House) discovery point. The location of quadrats and designated sites are indicated. .....................................................................................................