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Special Areas of Conservation

Rea's Wood and Farr's Bay

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Northern Ireland
Unitary Authority Northern Ireland
Centroid* J141857
Latitude 54.7072
Longitude -6.2281
SAC EU Code UK0030244
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 41.83
* 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 Rea's Wood and Farr's Bay SAC

General site character

  • Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (5%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (95%)

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

  • 91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)  * Priority feature

    Rea’s Wood and Farr’s Bay is situated along the shores of Lough Neagh and is one of the best examples of alluvial forests in Northern Ireland. The site contains a complete successional sequence from open water through reedswamp to alder woodland. These habitats occur on permanently inundated and ponded areas that have developed as a result of successive lowerings of the Lough. The woodland canopy is dominated by alder Alnus glutinosa and willows Salix spp., with occasional ash Fraxinus excelsior. The ground flora is very variable and often consists of swamp species, including bottle-sedge Carex rostrata, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, hemlock water-dropwort Oenanthe crocata, large bittercress Cardamine amara, yellow flag Iris pseudacorus and reed canary-grass Phalaris arundinacea. The swamp woodland grades to drier woodland inland.

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.