Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan Screening for Appropriate Assessment & Screening for Strategic Environmental Assessment

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Draft Clare Biodiversity Action

Plan 2014 – 2017

Screening for Appropriate Assessment

&

Screening for Strategic Environmental

Assessment

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Part A: Screening for Appropriate Assessment ... 4

1.0 Brief description of the Plan ... 5

2.0 Brief description of European Sites within the Plan area ... 6

3.0 Brief description of European Sites within 15km of the Plan boundary ... 12

4.0 Describe the individual elements of the Plan (either alone or in combination with

other plans) likely to give rise to impacts on European Sites. ... 13

5.0 Describe any likely direct, indirect or secondary impacts of the Plan (either

alone or in combination with other plans or projects) on European Sites by virtue

of: ... 14

Size and Scale ... 14

Land Take ... 14

Distance from the European Site ... 14

Resource Requirements ... 14

Emissions ... 14

Excavation Requirements ... 14

Transport Requirements ... 14

6.0 Describe any likely changes arising as a result of: ... 15

Reduction in Habitat Area ... 15

Disturbance to Key Species ... 15

Habitat and Species Fragmentation ... 15

Changes in Key Indicators of Conservation Value... 15

Climate Change ... 15

7.0 Describe any likely impacts on European Sites in terms of: ... 16

Interference with the key relationships that define the structure of the site ... 16

Interference with key relationships that define the function of the site ... 16

8.0 Findings of no significant effects report matrix... 16

9.0 Conclusion Statement ... 17

Part B: Screening for Strategic Environmental Assessment ... 19

1.0 Introduction ... 20

2.0 Description of the Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 ... 21

3.0 The European Communities (Environmental Assessment of Certain Plans and

Programmes) Regulations 2004 to 2011 ... 22

4.0 Screening for Strategic Environmental Assessment ... 22

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1.0 Brief description of the Plan

The Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 is the second such Plan for County Clare, and supersedes the first Clare Biodiversity Action Plan, which was published in 2006.

The Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 is informed by the strategic aims of the National Biodiversity Plan (Actions for Biodiversity 2011-2016: Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan), and complements the County Clare Heritage Plan 2011-2017. It is also informed by the Clare County Development Plan 2011-2017. The latter contains a specific objective (CDP17.1) to ‘implement the Clare Biodiversity Action Plan, or any subsequent plans, in partnership with all relevant stakeholders’.

The Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 will conserve the biodiversity of County Clare, through raising awareness of County Clare’s biodiversity, co-ordinating a targeted biodiversity education programme for all ages and abilities, recording the biodiversity of County Clare, the production of best practice guidance for biodiversity management and conservation, and supporting individuals and organisations working towards biodiversity conservation in County Clare.

The reason for producing the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 is to comply with the requirements of Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan, and to ensure the Plan is up to date in the context of current legislation, understanding and best practice.

Similar to the objectives of the National Biodiversity Plan, the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 is consistent with the ‘ecosystem approach’. The ecosystem approach ensures that all of the essential processes, functions and interactions between species, their habitats and their local, non-living environment have been taken into account when promoting best practice management and guidelines for biodiversity conservation.

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2.0 Brief description of European Sites within the

Plan area

The rich biodiversity which County Clare boasts is reflected in the high number of Nature Reserves, Wildfowl Sanctuaries, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, and Natural Heritage Areas that have been designated across the county. The designation and subsequent management of these areas are governed by the EU Habitats Directive, EU Birds Directive and Irish Wildlife Acts. While the Draft Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 does not have any control in this, it is considered that the future protection of Clare’s biodiversity is as equally reliant on awareness, education and the provision of best practice guidelines. The Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 covers the administrative boundary of County Clare, which comprises 37 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and 10 Special Protection Areas (SPAs). These are set out in Table 1(SAC’s and the Qualifying Interests they support) and Table 2 (SPA’s and the Special Conservation Interests they support) below. Conservation Objectives for all European Sites are available from the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (www.npws.ie). With the exception of the Lower River Shannon SAC, River Shannon and River Fergus Estuaries SPA, Galway Bay Complex SAC, and Inner Galway Bay SPA, which have detailed conservation objective (attributes, measures and targets), all other European Sites in Clare have generic conservation objectives.

The generic Conservation Objective for Special Areas on Conservation is as follows:

To maintain or restore the favourable conservation condition of the Annex I habitat(s) and/or the Annex II species for which the SAC has been selected

The generic Conservation Objective for Special Protection Areas is as follows:

To maintain or restore the favourable conservation condition of the bird species listed as Special Conservation Interests for the SPA

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Table 1: SAC’s and the Qualifying Interests they support

SITE QUALIFYING INTERESTS * Indicates Priority Habitat

Lower River Shannon SAC Site Code 002165

• Estuaries

• Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide

• Coastal lagoons*

• Vegetated sea cliffs of the Atlantic and Baltic coasts

• Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand

• Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae)

• Mediterranean salt meadows (Juncetalia maritimi)

• Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)

• Water courses of plain to montane levels with the Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation

• Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the time

• Large shallow inlets and bays

• Reefs

• Perennial vegetation of stony banks

• Spartina swards (Spartinion maritimae)

• Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clavey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae)

• European River Lamprey

• Brook Lamprey

• Sea Lamprey

• Atlantic Salmon

• Bottlenose Dolphin

• Otter

• Freshwater Pearl Mussel Poulnagordon Cave SAC

Site Code 000064

• Lesser Horseshoe bat

• Caves not open to the public Lough Gash Turlough SAC

Site Code 000051

• Turlough Carrowmore Point to Spanish Point

& Islands SAC Site Code 001021

• Reefs

• Petrifying springs with tufa formation (Cratoneurion)* Kilkee Reefs SAC

Site Code 002264

• Reefs

• Submerged or partly submerged sea caves Tullaher Lough & Bog SAC

Site Code 002343

• Active raised bogs*

• Degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration

• Transition mires and quaking bogs

• Depressions on peat substrates of the Rhynchosporion Carrowmore Dunes SAC

Site Code 002250

• Fixed coastal dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes)*

• Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes)

• Embryonic shifting dunes

• Reefs

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Knockanira House SAC Site Code 002318

• Lesser Horseshoe bat Ballyallia Lake SAC

Site Code 000014

• Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition-type vegetation.

New Hall & Edenvale Complex SAC

Site Code 002091

• Caves not open to the public Toonagh Estate SAC

Site Code 002247

• Lesser Horseshoe bat Dromore Woods & Loughs SAC

Site Code 000032

• Limestone pavements*

• Natural Euthropic Lake

• Hydrophillous tall herb fringe,

• Otter Pouladatig Cave SAC

Site Code 000037

• Caves not open to the public Old Domestic Building, Keevagh

SAC

Site Code 002010

• Lesser Horseshoe bat Ballycullinan Lake SAC

Site Code 000016

• Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Caricion davallianae*

Ballyogan Lough SAC Site Code 000019

Black Head-Poulsallagh SAC Site Code 000020

• Alpine and Boreal heaths

• Juniperus communis formations on heaths or calcareous grasslands

• Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco Brometalia)*

• Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis)

• Petrifying springs with tufa formation (Cratoneurion)*

• Reefs

• Submerged or partly submerged sea caves

• Petalophyllum ralfsii Inagh River Estuary SAC

Site Code 000036

• Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes)

• Salicornia and other annuals colonizing mud and sand

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Moneen Mountain SAC Site Code 000054

• Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco Brometalia*

• Calaminarian grasslands of the Violetalia calaminariae

• Turlough*

• Marsh Fritillary Moyree River System SAC

Site Code 000057

• Alkaline Fen

• Caves not open to the public

• Otter Galway Bay Complex SAC

Site Code 000268

• Mudflats and sandflats not covered by seawater at low tide

• Reefs

• Salicornia and other annuals colonising mud and sand

• Otter

• Harbour seal

• Turloughs*

• Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Caricion davallianae*

• Alkaline fens Loughatorick South Bog SAC

Site Code 000308

• Active Blanket Bog* Ballyteige SAC

Site Code 000994

• Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clavey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae)

Ballyvaughan Turlough SAC Site Code 000996

• Turlough* Termon Lough SAC

Site Code 001321

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East Burren Complex SAC Site Code 001926

• Turloughs*

• Lowland hay meadows (Alopecurus pratensis, Sanguisorba officinalis)

• Alkaline fens

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

• Otter

• Marsh Fritillary

• Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation of Chara spp Old Farm Buildings,

Ballymacrogan SAC Site Code 002245

• Lesser Horseshoe bat Old Domestic Building,

Ballycullinan SAC Site Code 002246

• Lesser Horseshoe bat Old domestic Buildings, Rylane

SAC

Site Code 002314

• Lesser Horseshoe bat Danes Holes, Poulnalecka

SAC

Site Code 000030

• Old sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum in British Isles Glenomra Wood SAC

Site Code 001013

• Old sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum in British Isles Glendree Bog SAC

Site Code 001912

• Active Blanket Bog* Pollagoona Bog SAC

Site Code 002126

• Active Blanket Bog* Newgrove House SAC

Site Code 002157

• Lesser Horseshoe bat Sleive Bernagh Bog SAC

Site Code 002312

• Active Blanket Bog*

• European dry heath

• Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix Ratty River Cave SAC

Site Code 002316

• Caves not open to the public Kilkishen House SAC

Site Code 002319

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Table 2: SPA’s and the Special Conservation Interests they support

SITE

SPECIAL CONSERVATION

INTERESTS

River Shannon &River Fergus Estuaries SPA Site Code 004077

• Cormorant

• Whooper Swan -

• Light_‐bellied Brent Goose

- • Shelduck • Wigeon • Teal • Pintail • Shoveler • Scaup • Ringed Plover • Golden Plover • Grey Plover • Lapwing • Knot - • Dunlin

• Black_‐tailed Godwit

• Bar_‐tailed Godwit

• Curlew

• Redshank

• Greenshank

• Black_‐headed Gull

• Wetlands Mid-Clare Coast SPA

Site Code 004182 • Cormorant • Ringed Plover • Sanderling • Purple Sandpiper • Dunlin • Turnstone • Barnacle Goose

• Wetlands & Waterbirds Loop Head SPA

Site Code 004119 • Kittiwake • Guillemot Illaunonearaun SPA Site Code 004114 • Barnacle Geese Ballyallia Lough SPA

Site Code 004041 • Wigeon • Gadwall • Teal • Mallard • Shoveler • Coot • Black-tailed Godwit

• Wetlands & Waterbirds

SITE

SPECIAL CONSERVATION

INTERESTS

Cliffs of Moher SPA Site Code 004005 • Razorbill • Fulmar • Kittiwake • Puffin • Guillimot • Chough Inner Galway Bay

SPA

Site Code 004031

• Great Northern Diver

• Cormorant

• Grey Heron

• Light-bellied Brent Goose

• Wigeon • Teal • Shoveler • Red-breasted Merganser • Ringed Plover • Golden Plover • Lapwing • Dunlin • Bar-tailed Godwit • Curlew • Redshank • Turnstone • Black-headed Gull • Common Gull • Sandwich Tern • Common Tern

• Wetlands & Waterbirds Lough Derg (Shannon)

SPA Site Code 004058 • Common Tern • Cormorant • Tufted Duck • Goldeneye

• Wetlands and Waterbirds Slieve Aughty

Mountain SPA Site Code 004168

• Hen Harrrier

• Merlin Corofin Wetlands SPA

Site Code 004220 • Little Grebe • Whooper Swan • Wigeon • Teal • Black-tailed Godwit

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3.0 Brief description of European Sites within 15km

of the Plan boundary

When assessing the impact of a Plan on European Sites outside the Plan area, a distance of 15km is recommended as the likely zone of impact as per the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government’s publication, ‘Appropriate Assessment of Plans and Projects in Ireland: Guidance for Local Authorities’ (revision 10/02/10). There are 38 SAC’s and 9 SPA’s within 15km of the Plan area as shown in Table 3 and Table 4 below. Qualifying Interests, Special Conservation Interests and Conservation Objectives for all these sites are available from the website of the National Parks and Wildlife Service (www.npws.ie).

Table 3: SAC’s within 15km of Plan Area

Code SAC Name 000174 Curraghchase Woods 000212 Inishmaan Island 000216 River Shannon Callows 000231 Barroughter Bog 000238 Caherglassaun Turlough 000242 Castletaylor Complex 000248 Cloonmoylan Bog 000252 Coole-Garryland Complex 000261

Derrycrag Wood Nature Reserve

000286 Kiltartan Cave (Coole) 000297 Lough Corrib 000299 Lough Cutra 000318 Peterswell Turlough 000319 Pollnaknockaun Wood Nature Reserve 000432 Barrigone 000439 Tory Hill

000606 Lough Fingall Complex 000930 Clare Glen 000939 Silvermine Mountains 001197 Keeper Hill 001275 Inisheer Island 001285 Kiltiernan Turlough 001313 Rosturra Wood 001913 Sonnagh Bog

002074 Connemara Bog Complex 002117 Lough Coy

002126 Pollagoona Bog 002180 Gortacarnaun Wood 002181 Drummin Wood

002241 Lough Derg, North-East

Code SAC Name Shore

002244 Ardrahan Grassland 002258

Silvermines Mountains West

002263 Kerry Head Shoal 002279 Askeaton Fen Complex 002293

Carrowbaun, Newhall and Ballylee Turloughs

002294 Cahermore Turlough 002295 Ballinduff Turlough 002317

Cregg House Stables, Crusheen

Table 4: SPA’s within 15km of Plan Area

Code SPA Name 004042 Lough Corrib SPA 004056 Lough Cutra SPA 004096 Middle Shannon Callows SPA 004107 Coole-Garryland SPA 004142 Cregganna Marsh SPA 004161 Stacks to Mullaghareirk Mountains, West Limerick Hills and Mount Eagle SPA

004165 Slievefelim to Silvermines Mountains SPA 004181 Connemara Bog Complex SPA

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4.0 Describe the individual elements of the Plan

(either alone or in combination with other plans)

likely to give rise to impacts on European Sites.

The aim of the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 is to ‘conserve the biodiversity of County Clare’. The objectives of the Draft Plan relate to

• the implementation of Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan 2011-2016

• informing projects under the County Clare Heritage Plan 2011-2017

• contributing to the preparation of all planning policy within the county, including the Clare County Development Plan 2011-2017

• producing best practice guidance on biodiversity conservation and management

• raising awareness of biodiversity in Clare, the services provided by biodiversity, and the threats to biodiversity

• delivering an education programme to a wide variety of sectors

• supporting individuals and groups recording the biodiversity of Clare, and working towards its conservation

In addition, the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 contains an objective to ‘ensure any projects carried out under the Plan comply with the requirements of the Habitats Directive and all other legislation as appropriate’.

All these objectives are aimed at conserving biodiversity, and as such, there are no elements of the Draft Plan (either alone or in combination with other plans) likely to give rise to impacts on European Sites.

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5.0 Describe any likely direct, indirect or secondary

impacts of the Plan (either alone or in combination

with other plans or projects) on European Sites by

virtue of:

Size and Scale

The Draft Plan covers the functional area of County Clare, however, it is not a land use plan, nor does it make land use policy.

Land Take

The Draft Plan is not a land use plan, nor does it make land use policy. It does not require or recommend encroachment onto any European Site and so will not result in land take.

Distance from the European S

ite

There are 37 Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and 10 Special Protection Areas (SPAs) within the Draft Plan area. It is likely that awareness raising and educational events will occur within these areas. In this regard, sensitive habitats will be avoided, best practice guidance will be adhered to so as to ensure no likely impacts occur, and NPWS will be consulted. It is further considered that these events will be of benefit to the long-term conservation of these areas.

Resource Requirements

There are no resources required as a result of this Draft Plan which would impact on any European Site.

Emissions

There will be no emissions as a result of this Draft Plan which would impact on any European Site.

Excavation Requirements

There are no excavations required as a result of this Draft Plan which would impact on any European Site.

Transport Requirements

There will be no transport requirements as a result of this Draft Plan which would impact on any European Site.

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6.0 Describe any likely changes arising as a result

of:

Reduction in Habitat Area

There will be no reduction in habitat area as a result of this Draft Plan.

It is noted that the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 identifies reduction in habitat area as a threat to the wider biodiversity of County Clare and contains objectives to address these threats. As such, any changes are likely to be positive

Disturbance to Key Species

There will be no disturbance to key species as a result of this Draft Plan. Where awareness-raising and educational events occur within European Sites, best practice guidance will be adhered to so as to ensure no disturbance to key species will occur, and NPWS will be consulted.

It is noted that the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 identifies disturbance to species as a threat to the wider biodiversity of County Clare and contains objectives to address these threats. As such, any changes are likely to be positive

Habitat and Species Fragmentation

There will be no habitat or species fragmentation as a result of this Draft Plan.

It is noted that the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 identifies habitat fragmentation and loss of wildlife corridors as a threat to the wider biodiversity of County Clare and contains objectives to address these threats. As such, any changes are likely to be positive

Changes in Key Indicators of Conservation Value

There will be no changes in key indicators of conservation value as a result of this Draft Plan. It is noted that the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 identifies changes in key indicators as a threat to the wider biodiversity of County Clare and contains objectives to address these threats, particularly in relation to hydrology of wetlands, and water quality for aquatic habitats and species. As such, any changes are likely to be positive

Climate Change

The Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 contains information and objectives on the role of climate change, the importance of protecting wetlands in order to minimise the impacts of flooding, the impacts of coastal squeeze on biodiversity and the importance of coastal zone management to minimize these impacts.

The Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 sets out to minimize the impacts of climate change on local biodiversity, and raise awareness of how biodiversity can help us adapt to climate change. As such, any changes are likely to be positive.

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7.0 Describe any likely impacts on European Sites in

terms of:

Interference with the key relationships that define the structure of

the site

No additional impacts or interference to the structure of the site were noted

Interference with key relationships that define the function of the

site

No additional impacts or interference to the function of the site were noted

8.0 Findings of no significant effects report matrix

8.1 - Name of project or plan

Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 8.2 - Name and location of European Sites 37 SAC’s within Plan area – See Table 1 above 10 SPA’s within Plan area – See Table 2 above

38 SAC’s within 15km of Plan area – See Table 3 above 9 SPA’s within 15km of Plan area – See Table 4 above 8.3 - Description of the project or plan

The Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 will conserve the biodiversity of County Clare, through raising awareness of County Clare’s biodiversity, co-ordinating a targeted biodiversity education programme for all ages and abilities, recording the biodiversity of County Clare, the production of best practice guidance for biodiversity management and conservation, and supporting individuals and organisations working towards biodiversity conservation in County Clare.

8.4 - Is the project or plan directly connected with or necessary to the management of a European Site (provide details)?

No

8.5 - Are there other projects or plans that together with the project or plan being assessed could affect a European Site (provide details)?

The objectives of the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2011-2017 relate to

• informing all planning policy within the county, including the Clare County Development Plan 2011-2017

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In addition, the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 contains an objective to ‘ensure any projects carried out under the Plan comply with the requirements of the Habitats Directive and all other legislation as appropriate’.

The assessment of significance of effects

8.6 - Describe how the project or plan (alone or in combination) is likely to affect a European Site

The objectives of the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2011-2017 are aimed at conserving biodiversity, and as such, there are no elements of the Plan (either alone or in combination with other plans and projects) likely to give rise to impacts on European Sites. 8.7 - Explain why these effects are not considered significant.

9.0 Conclusion Statement

The Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 is not likely to impact on any European Site, either on its own, or in combination with any other Plan or Project.

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Part B: Screening for Strategic Environmental

Assessment

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1.0 Introduction

The objective of the SEA Directive 2001/42/EC is:

‘to provide for a high level of protection of the environment and to contribute to the integration of environmental considerations into the preparation and adoption of plans and programmes with a view to promoting sustainable development, by ensuring that, in accordance with the Directive, an environmental assessment is carried out of certain plans and programmes which are likely to have significant effects on the environment’.

For the purposes of the Directive, "plans and programmes" shall mean plans and programmes, including those co-financed by the European Community, as well as any modifications to them:

• which are subject to preparation and/or adoption by an authority at national, regional or local level or which are prepared by an authority for adoption, through a legislative procedure by Parliament or Government, and

• which are required by legislative, regulatory or administrative provisions It is noted that the Draft Clare Biodiversity Action Plan 2014-2017 is:

1. being prepared by Clare County Council, and 2. required under Irelands National Biodiversity Plan

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2.0 Description of the Clare Biodiversity Action Plan

2014-2017