Bid to Help Protect the Wildlough

And features will also be created along the bridges spanning the rivers in the wetlands, to help to conserve the rich bat populations found there.

All eight of Northern Ireland’s bat species occur in the Lough Neagh area.

These are just two of the measures listed in a proposed Biodiversity Action Plan aimed at protecting the rich wildlife that makes its home in and around the largest lake in Britain and Ireland.

The draft Biodiversity Action Plan for the Lough Neagh Wetlands stresses the need to protect threatened animals such as the barn owl, tree sparrow, Irish damselfly, common tern, breeding waders, Irish hare, whooper swans and a rare ground beetle which is found nowhere else in Ireland.

The plan proposes protecting the sandy shore where the beetles live.

The plan also advises that action be taken for wildlife hotspots such as rivers and streams, hedgerows, lowland raised bogs, wet woodland, fen, reedbed, wet grasslands, lowland meadow and open standing water.

The biggest threat to biodiversity is habitat destruction, followed by non-native invasive species.

Farmers have been urged to reduce the amount of poison they use at spots where barn owls feed on mice as well as providing more nesting and hunting areas.

Up to 1,500 hectares of wet grassland habitat are to be restored round Lough Beg near Bellaghy and other sites to encourage breeding waders such as lapwing, redshank and curlew.

The plan was put together following consultation with a variety of people and groups in the area.

The organisers are now asking the public in the Lough Neagh area to comment.

One of the most important sections of the plan advises people how to get involved in protecting their local natural habitats, including advice on approaching planning issues that may affect wildlife sites.

It includes information on having Sites of Local Nature Conservation Importance (SLNCIs) identified and designated within Area Plans, which are produced by Planning Service.

Comments should be emailed to the Lough Neagh Wetlands Biodiversity Officer at

seamus@lnlb.org or sent to the Lough Neagh Wetlands Biodiversity Officer, Sperrin House, 43 Queen’s Avenue, Magherafelt BT45 6BX.

Copies are available at Magherafelt Library and at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Oxford Island.

(c) 2007 Belfast Telegraph. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.