Report Cover Vol I - Clare County Library

The County Clare Wetlands Survey Patrick Crushell & Peter Foss 2008
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8.3 Clare Wetland Survey Recommendations
From the results of the County Clare Wetlands Study the following recommendations in relation to future
surveys, additional data acquisition and project development are suggested:
1. Both datasets should be maintained and updated regularly. Additional sources of information on
wetlands in County Clare should be incorporated into them as these become available. Appendix 1 details
reports which may contain additional wetland information which were not examined as part of this
project. In addition NPWS are likely to produce additional detailed habitat maps of sites (i.e. NHAs, SACs
and SPAs) which should be incorporated into the CWS dataset.
2. The CWS GIS and site database provides a useful reference source on the identification of sites for
future wetland survey in County Clare and should be developed further. A significant number of sites
have been identified for which site boundaries, and detailed survey information and associated
habitat maps is lacking. These sites should be examined as part of any future County Clare wetland
field survey. Clusters of these sites occur especially in the south western part of the county, (between
Inagh, Cooraclare and Kilmurry) and the eastern part of the county (between Tulla, Broadford and
Scarriff).
3. A number of wetland habitat types have been identified in County Clare, for which habitat data,
information on habitat extent, site boundaries and conservation status is lacking in many cases. These
should be a priority for surveyed as part of the ongoing development of a wetland inventory for the
county. These habitats include: turloughs, rich fen and flush, tall herb swamp, spring sites and
wet grassland (see Table 8.1).
4. Within the CWS GIS a number of wetland sites have been newly identified for which habitat data is
currently rather rudimentary. These should be surveyed to improve our knowledge of this resource, in
terms of the habitat types and extent present and assess their potential as conservation worthy areas.
5. Future phases of the CWS should aim to provide the following information on the wetland sites being
surveyed:
• A detailed site description highlighting the wetland habitat types (classified according to Fossitt)
present on each site;
• Detailed mapping of the extent of each of the wetland type(s) within each site;
• Mapping of general site boundaries of the overall site to ensure conservation of a hydrologically
intact unit;
• Recording of threats to the conservation and future protection of the site; to include restoration
suggestions and management priorities and needs;
• Evaluation of each site on a national scale and ranking of each site in terms of its suitability and
priority for designation within the NHA and/or SAC process.
6. The following habitats should be targeted and prioritised in any future surveys: fens, turloughs,
lakes and springs. In addition, previously unsurveyed sites recorded during the course of the CWS
should be prioritised for survey (see Table 8.1).
7. The protection of Clare’s diverse wetland resource depends on strict enforcement of national
conservation legislation by the NPWS, and planning laws to ensure unauthorised damaging activities
(such as those identified during the CWS) are prevented.
8. Restoration of threatened and degraded wetland habitats should be encouraged such as the heavily
degraded and unique raised bogs of south Clare, and the highly modified blanket bogs of the upland
areas where forestry has caused significant losses. Funding opportunities for such initiatives should be
investigated and pursued.
9. A public awareness campaign should be undertaken to inform the people of Clare of the value of
the county’s wetland resource and the ecosystem services they provide.
10. A standard methodology / approach should be developed by the Heritage Council for Phase I desk
based wetland surveys that may be undertaken in the future throughout Ireland. The methodology used
during the CWS could be refined further and improved upon to provide a useful template.
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