Lough Gur Environmental Management Study February 2009

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6.10 Recommendations
The following recommendations are also detailed in management plan format in Section 11.
• Review the designation status of Lough Gur, with a view to elevating it to Special Area of
Conservation (SAC). Lough Gur is currently designated as a proposed Natural Heritage Area,
which is the equivalent of national importance. Red Bog and Lake Bog both support Transition
mire and quaking bog and Alkaline fen habitat, both Annex 1 habitats under the European
Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). This alone makes the site of international importance and a
candidate for SAC status.
• Initiate appropriate conservation management for areas supporting rare habitats and species.
Monitoring of rare and protected habitats and species will also be needed in future. Scrub
encroachment on transition mire and quaking bog should be monitored and management
undertaken where necessary to protect the habitat. This might involve manual and mechanical
removal or re-introducing controlled grazing, where appropriate.
• The appropriate management of Calcareous and neutral grassland and Oak-ash-hazel
woodland will require controlled management of these habitats. This will involve placing the
land into public ownership or seeking agreement with current land owners to establish
appropriate low-intensity grazing - potential mechanisms and management agreements under
the Wildlife Act or by entering REPS.
• Red Bog and Lake Bog contain sensitive Transition mire and quaking bog and Alkaline fen
habitat that should be protected. Direct access to these areas should also be avoided for
reasons of health and safety as the ground is very unstable under foot and quite treacherous
in places. However a walking route could be considered around the perimeter, at a safe
distance, to facilitate viewing of these habitats.
• The water quality in Lough Gur has been described as eutrophic, which contributes to algal
blooms in the lake. This has resulted, at least in part, from run-off from the surrounding
agricultural land. Catchment management and water quality monitoring will be required to
reduce the high nutrient levels and improve the overall water quality in the lake. This should
be of benefit also to birds, as the recent decline in winter populations may, in part, be due to
eutrophication
• Habitats along the lake shore largely comprise wet grassland, calcareous and neutral
grassland, scrub and woodland which are relatively robust and suitable for establishing
walking routes. Walking paths should be designed with good drainage to prevent
waterlogging and to encourage walkers to stay on the pathways. Greater habitat damage and
disturbance to wildlife is encountered where walkers deviate from pathways.
• Recommendations for additional walks within the area are shown in the following Figure.
They comprise: (i) a circuit of Lake Bog directed to the proposed bird hide; (ii) a continuation
of the existing path running from the north side of Knockadoon west along the shore to
Gearóid Island, then crossing over the top of Knockadoon and connecting with the circuit of
Lake Bog. It is important that this walk is not continued along the southern shore of
Knockadoon in order to avoid disturbing water birds. It is recommended that general walks
Lough Gur Environmental Management Study