2006 Fungi of Fingal Woodlands - Fingal Biodiversity

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Ecological Study of the Countryside Habitats in County Fingal Woodland fungi Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 The Countryside Survey in Fingal In 2004, Fingal County Council initiated the Ecological Study of the Countryside Habitats in Fingal. This study covers habitats such as rivers & wetlands, woodlands, hedgerows, demesnes and farmland and generally focuses on birds, mammals, flora but also includes fungi and invertebrates. The results from the Countryside Study will be used for the preparation of the Biodiversity Action Plans for the countryside habitats and species. Phase III covers the flora and fauna of the 16 woodland sites in Fingal. Most of these woodlands are part of, or were once part of demesnes, and were planted within the last 150 years. The woodland fauna survey covers birds and mammals, while the flora survey deals with higher plants, trees and fungi. Together these data will provide the County Council with good baseline assessments of the flora and fauna of the Fingal woodlands. This will help to set out future woodland development and management strategies. Fungi play a vital role in woodlands. Many are saprotrophs, living on dead organic matter such as leaf litter and have an important role in re-cycling. Others form symbiotic associations with trees and other plants (mycorrhizal fungi) which extend the plant root system assisting in the uptake of water and nutrients. Over 90% of plants have a fungus associated with their roots and many would not survive without their fungal partner. It has also been estimated that over 1000 species of insects and other creatures in the UK alone are dependent on fungi for food and shelter. Given the important role fungi play in the woodland ecosystem, it is important to find out which species occur within the woodlands in Fingal. 1.2 Objectives of the Fungi survey The objectives of the Fungi survey are to: 1. Establish which fungal species can be found in the four woodland sites 2. Establish the conservation status of the fungi present 3. Establish importance of woodland sites in Fingal for fungi compared to woodland sites elsewhere in Ireland 4. Make recommendations to enhance the Fingal woodlands for fungi and present potential actions for the Local Biodiversity Action Plan 6
Ecological Study of the Countryside Habitats in County Fingal Woodland fungi 1.3 The Survey Sites Four sites were selected as likely to be relatively rich in fungi based on their histories and woodland compositions. These were Ardgillan Demesne, Howth Demesne, Newbridge House Demesne and St. Catherine’s Park. Here is a brief introduction to each of the sites. 1.3.1 Ardgillan Demesne View of Ardgillan Castle with shadow of the Mourne Moutains in the distance Ardgillan Demesne was carved from the ancient townlands of Kilmainham, Ardgillan and Baltray. The name Ardgillan derives from ‘Ard Choill’ High Wood. The wood itself was initially cut after the Down Survey was completed in the latter half of the seventeenth century. The land had been controlled by the O’Casey clan and later by the Earl of Tyrconnell. However, much change was to take place in the seventeenth century in Irish land ownership and land use patterns. Thomas Taylor came to Ireland in 1653 as part of the ‘Down Survey’ team selected to aid Dr. William Petty. Taylor ended up buying 20,000 acres in Ireland after the Cromwellian confiscation and reassignment of Irish land took place. Ardgillan Castle was built by Thomas Taylor’s grandson, Reverend Robert Taylor, in 1738. The property stayed in the Taylor family until 1962. After a brief time under the ownership of Heinrich Potts of Westphalia, Ardgillan was purchased for the Irish State in 1982 by Dublin County Council (now Fingal County Council). The land ownership history for Ardgillan demesne has been stable for the last three centuries and this has been helpful in the maintenance of an area’s biodiversity. Ardgillan Demesne slopes down to the Irish Sea with a coastal train line in between. The site contains a long avenue of established Beech, Ash and Sweet Chestnut. There are several large lawns, with few parkland trees. Woodland is mainly of Beech, Sycamore and Ash with Elder. Ivy cover is extensive in woodlands, both on the ground and on trees. Ardgillan is now an 82 ha area of woodland, parkland and gardens, including a walled garden of 2 acres, a rose garden and a Potentilla garden. The avenue is not within the current boundary of the grounds. It is suggested that the avenue be included in the managed area as it is relatively rich in fungi. 7
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2006 Fungi of Fingal Woodlands - Fingal Biodiversity

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