9 Flora, Fauna and Fisheries
9.3 Designated conservation
areas
One proposed
candidate Special Area of Conservation (pcSAC) and 13 proposed
Natural Heritage Areas (pNHA) occur within the northern study
area. These sites are listed in Table 9.2, together with a
brief site description and a summary of the main conservation
interests, including rare and protected species.
River Barrow
and River Nore pcSAC cuts diagonally through the south-western
corner of the study area, and comprises a short stretch of
the River Nore together with the associated bankside habitats.
Two pNHAs overlap with River Barrow and River Nore pcSAC;
Dunmore Complex and Ardaloo Fen are essentially sub-sites
of the larger pcSAC. The pNHAs are typically small and have
a scattered distribution. Most are either wetland sites or
are associated with rivers, canals or open water bodies (lakes
or ponds). Exceptions include Ballycore Rath and Ballymoon
Esker which support areas of dry semi-natural grassland, and
Dunmore Cave which is used by bats.
Special Area
of Conservation (SAC) is a statutory designation which
has a legal basis under the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC)
as transposed into Irish law through the European Communities
(Natural Habitats) Regulations, 1997. The main implication
of this designation is that any project likely to have a significant
adverse impact on the integrity of the pcSAC may only be carried
out for "imperative reasons of overriding public interest,
including those of a social or economic nature".
Natural Heritage
Area (NHA) is a non-statutory designation at present but
is expected to become a statutory designation when the Wildlife
Act, 1976, is amended. Most local authority development plans
include an objective to protect NHAs within their jurisdiction
so this gives the designation some legal status under the
Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1992. An
application for planning permission for any development that
may have impacts on an NHA will be referred by the planning
authority to Dúchas, The Heritage Service for comment.
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