User:Mrchris/Special Areas of Conservation in County Kilkenny

Special Areas of Conservation in County Kilkenny, Ireland, include Hugginstown Fen south-west of Ballyhale, The Loughans near Urlingford, Cullahill Mountain on the Castlecomer Plateau near Johnstown, Spahill and Clomantagh Hill which form part of an escarpment which links the Slieveardagh Hills with the Castlecomer Plateau, Galmoy Fen north of Johnstown, the Lower River Suir south of Thurles, the freshwater stretches of the River Barrow and River Nore and Thomastown Quarry, near Thomastown.

These are part of the European Union's Natura 2000 network of sites with special flora or fauna. Special Areas of Conservation have been, and are being designated, under the European Union Habitats Directive to conserve habitats and species of European importance. In Ireland, SACs cover an area of approximately 13,500 sq. km. Roughly 53% is land, the remainder being marine or large lakes. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is responsible for the designation of conservation sites in Ireland.

Legal framework for protection

A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora. They are to protect the 220 habitats and approximately 1000 species listed in annex I and II of the directive which are considered to be of European interest following criteria given in the directive. They must be chosen from the Sites of Community Importance by the State Members and designated SAC by an act assuring the conservation measures of the natural habitat.

SACs complement Special Protection Areas and together form a network of protected sites across the European Union called Natura 2000. This, in turn, is part of the Emerald network of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) under the Berne Convention.

Special Areas of Conservation in County Kilkenny

The following is a list of Special Areas of Conservation in County Kilkenny.

• Hugginstown Fen, south-west of Ballyhale.
• The Loughans, near Urlingford.
• Cullahill Mountain, on the Castlecomer Plateau near Johnstown.
• Spahill and Clomantagh Hill, which form part of an escarpment which links the Slieveardagh Hills with the Castlecomer Plateau.
• Galmoy Fen, north of Johnstown, Lower River Suir.
• Lower River Suir, south of Thurles, the freshwater stretches of the Barrow/River Nore.
• River Barrow and River Nore.
• Thomastown Quarry, near Thomastown.

List of Special Areas of Conservation in County Kilkenny

See also: List of Special Areas of Conservation in County Kilkenny

The following is a list of Special Areas of Conservation in County Kilkenny.

Site code#	Site name	Description	Image	Region
IE0000404	Hugginstown Fen SAC	Hugginstown Fen SAC contains an important example of an alkaline fen, a habitat listed on Annex I of the E.U. Habitats Directive and remains one of the most interesting and diverse fen sites in Ireland.		near Hugginstown approximately 4 km south-west of Ballyhale	52°25′34″N 7°13′59″W
IE000407	The Loughans SAC	The Loughans is the only large turlough in the south-east of the country, and the highest anywhere in Ireland. It is therefore of high conservation value. It has limited physical variation but, for its size, a fairly diverse vegetation and habitats, including open water, ditches, extensive damp areas and a good transition to the high quality lime-rich grassland areas.		situated in flat land about 3 km east of Urlingford, below the Slieve Ardagh Hills	52°43′23″N 7°32′01″W
IE000831	Cullahill Mountain SAC	This site is of conservation importance due to the presence of a priority-listed Annex I habitat type (orchid-rich calcareous grassland), as well as the occurrence of a large population of the rare plant species, Green-winged Orchid.		lies on a western outlier of the Castlecomer plateau, 6 km north-east of Johnstown	54°15′53″N 8°20′04″W
IE000849	Spahill and Clomantagh Hill SAC	Spahill and Clomantagh Hill SAC site contains a variety of natural grassland communities that are rare in Ireland because of agricultural intensification. Taken with Cullahill Mountain to the north-east it forms a unit of high ecological interest. The presence of a population of Green-winged Orchid in grassland referable to a type listed, with priority status, on Annex I of the E.U. Habitats Directive is notable.		Spahill and the adjacent hills form part of an escarpment which links the Slieve Ardagh Hills with the Castlecomer Plateau	52°44′28″N 7°30′34″W
IE001858	Galmoy Fen SAC	Galmoy Fen is of considerable conservation significance as it comprises a good quality example of alkaline fen, a habitat that is listed on Annex I of the E.U. Habitats Directive.Galmoy Fen is of considerable conservation significance as it comprises a good quality example of alkaline fen, a habitat that is listed on Annex I of the E.U. Habitats Directive.		north of Johnstown, Lower River Suir	52°48′27″N 7°34′08″W
IE002137	Lower River Suir SAC	The Lower River Suir SAC contains excellent examples of a number of Annex I habitats, including the priority habitats alluvial forest and Yew woodland. The site also supports populations of several important animals species, some listed on Annex II of the Habitats Directive or listed in the Irish Red Data Book.		south of Thurles	52°28′55″N 7°30′40″W
IE002162	River Barrow and River Nore SAC - River Barrow and River Nore	Overall, the site is of considerable conservation significance for the occurrence of good examples of habitats and of populations of plant and animal species that are listed on Annexes I and II of the E.U. Habitats Directive. Furthermore it is of high conservation value for the populations of bird species that use it. The occurrence of several Red Data Book plant species including three rare plants in the salt meadows and the population of the hard water form of the Freshwater Pearl Mussel, which is limited to a 10 km stretch of the Nore, add further interest to this site.		The River Barrow and River Nore SAC site passes through eight counties – Offaly, Kildare, Laois, Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Wexford and Waterford.	52°40′46″N 6°58′11″W
IE002252	Thomastown Quarry SAC	Site comprises a disused limestone quarry in which an excellent diversity of calcareous habitat types has developed.		near Thomastown	54°15′53″N 8°20′04″W

See also

• List of Special Areas of Conservation in County Kilkenny
• List of Special Areas of Conservation in the Republic of Ireland
• List of Special Areas of Conservation in Northern Ireland
• List of Special Areas of Conservation in Wales
• List of Special Areas of Conservation in Scotland
• List of Special Areas of Conservation in England

Notes

a. ^{^} A Preliminary Report on Areas of Scientific Interest in County Kilkenny

b. ^{^}

References

Further reading

• Young, R. (1972), A Preliminary Report on Areas of Scientific Interest in County Kilkenny (PDF).

External links

• "Natura 2000 Datasets". European Environment Agency.
• "Natura 2000 Datasets Viewer". European Environment Agency.
• "Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)". NPWS.