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Special Areas of Conservation

Lecale Fens

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Northern Ireland
Unitary Authority Northern Ireland
Centroid* J451387
Latitude 54.2767
Longitude -5.7708
SAC EU Code UK0030180
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 40.87
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Lecale Fens SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (6%)
  • Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (71%)
  • Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (3%)
  • Dry grassland, Steppes (4%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (15.8%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (0.3%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 7230 Alkaline fens

    The Lecale area in the south-east of Northern Ireland contains a number of inter-drumlin hollows with alkaline fen vegetation that is characteristic of the more undisturbed wetlands in the area. The vegetation is variable, but generally very species-rich, and includes examples of M9 Carex rostrata – Calliergon cuspidatum/giganteum mire in addition to M13 Schoenus nigricans – Juncus subnodulosus mire, which is very rare in Northern Ireland. Some stands consist of tussocks of black bog-rush Schoenus nigricans with scattered blunt-flowered rush Juncus subnodulosus and common reed Phragmites australis. Smaller herbs, and mosses including Campylium stellatum, Calliergon cuspidatum, C. giganteum and Cratoneuron filicinum, grow between the tussocks. A number of additional species occur which give the vegetation a distinctive character. Notably, these include lesser water-parsnip Berula erecta, slender sedge Carex lasiocarpa, lesser tussock-sedge C. diandra, greater tussock-sedge C. paniculata, great fen-sedge Cladium mariscus, many-stalked spike-rush Eleocharis multicaulis, knotted pearlwort Sagina nodosa and least bur-reed Sparganium natans. Other prominent bryophytes include Calliergon cordifolium, Plagiomnium elatum, Riccardia multifida and Scorpidium scorpioides.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

  • Not Applicable

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.