For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

B

1.2 Site code

IE0001209

1.3 Site name

Glenasmole Valley SAC

1.4 First Compilation date

2000-10

1.5 Update date

2021-10

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Address:
Email:	datadelivery@chg.gov.ie

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site proposed as SCI:	2002-01
Date site confirmed as SCI:	No information provided
Date site designated as SAC:	2021-07
National legal reference of SAC designation:	345/2021

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-6.363312
Latitude:	53.241488

2.2 Area [ha]

147.5874

2.3 Marine area [%]

0.0000

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
IE02	Southern and Eastern

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Atlantic

(0.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

Annex I Habitat types						Site assessment
Code	PF	NP	Cover [ha]	Cave [number]	Data quality	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Representativity	Relative Surface	Conservation	Global
6210	X		29.86	0.00	M	B	C	B	B
6410			7.46	0.00	M	B	C	B	C
7220			1.49	0.00	M	B	C	B	B

• PF: for the habitat types that can have a non-priority as well as a priority form (6210, 7130, 9430) enter "X" in the column PF to indicate the priority form.
• NP: in case that a habitat type no longer exists in the site enter: x (optional)
• Cover: decimal values can be entered
• Caves: for habitat types 8310, 8330 (caves) enter the number of caves if estimated surface is not available.
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation)

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
B	A229	Alcedo atthis			p	1	1	p		G	C	B	C	C

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
P		Carex aquaticus						P						X
P		Cephalanthera longifolia						P			X
B		Cinclus cinclus						P					X
P		Epipactis palustris						P			X
P		Galium uliginosum						P						X
P		Lamiastrum galeobdolan						P			X
P		Monotropa hypopitys						P			X
M		Myotis daubentoni						P					X
M		Myotis daubentoni						P			X
M		Nyctalus leisleri						P					X
M		Nyctalus leisleri						P			X
P		Orchis morio						P			X
M		Pipistrellus pipistrellus						P					X
M		Pipistrellus pipistrellus						P			X
M		Plecotus auritus						P					X
M		Plecotus auritus						P			X
P		Pseudorchis albida						P			X
A		Rana temporaria						P			X
A		Rana temporaria						P					X
P		Typha angustifolia						P						X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N06	22.00
N07	2.00
N08	1.00
N09	21.00
N10	10.00
N14	1.00
N16	10.00
N19	30.00
N20	1.00
N23	2.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

Glenasmole Valley lies at the northern foothills of the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains. It is a glaciated valley, with drift deposits, consisting of fluvioglacial sands and gravels of varying thickness and rich in Carboniferous limestone, occurring on the slopes. Spring lines occur along both sides of the northern part of the valley. The River Dodder flows through the valley and within the site the river has been impounded to form two reservoirs. Associated with the reservoirs are areas of swamp and marsh vegetation. The valley is heavily wooded, mostly with mixed woodland of both deciduous and coniferous species but also some native woodland. Dry calcareous pasture grassland, improved to varying degrees, is a main habitat of the valley sides and occurs in association with wet grassland and, in places of seepage, fen or marsh type vegetation.

4.2 Quality and importance

The site has important examples of petrifying springs. The physical and chemical properties of the springs have been studied. Good examples of orchid rich calcareous grassland, including Pseudorchis albida (legally protected) and Orchis morio (Red Data Book species)are found. The quality of grassland is variable owing to agricultural improvement. Molinia meadows are also represented. Several other Red Data Book plant species occur, along with a host of rare or scarce plant species for Co. Dublin. The botany of this site has been well studied since the 19th century. The site has Alcedo atthis, and is important for bats, with four Red Data Book species present (Pipistrellus pipistrellus, Nyctalus leisleri, Myotis daubentoni, Plecotus auritus).

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

Colgan, N. (1904). Flora of the County Dublin. Hodges, Figgis & Co., Dublin. Doogue, D., Nash, D., Parnell, J., Reynolds, J. & Wyse Jackson, P. (1998) Flora of County Dublin. The Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, Dublin. Fuller, B.S.D. (1985). A Botanical, Historical and Geomorphological Investigation of a Woodland in Lower Glenasmole, Co. Dublin, to Assess its Value for Conservation. Unpublished B.A. (Mod.) Thesis, Botany Dept., Trinity College Dublin. .Goodwillie, R. & Fahy, E. (1973). A Provisional List of Areas of Scientific Interest in County Dublin. Unpublished report for Dublin County Council. Goodwillie, R. & Ni Lamhna, E. (1988). An Updated List of Areas of Scientific Interest in County Dublin. Unpublished report for Dublin County Council.Madden, B., Conaghan, J., Keely, B. & Smal, C. (1997). An Ecological Study of the Glenasmole Valley in relation to Proposed Development Work at the LowerReservoir. Unpublished report prepared for Dublin Corporation. Piper, R. (1970). Glenasmole Orchids. Unpublished manuscript held by Department of the Environment, Dublin. Praeger, R.L. (1934). The Botanist in Ireland. Hodges, Figgis & Co, Dublin. Statham, I. (1977). A note on tufa-depositing springs in Glenasmole, Co. Dublin. Irish Geography 10: 14-18.

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

No information provided

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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INSPIRE ID:	IE.NPWS.PS.NATURA2000.SAC.IE0001209
Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)
Yes X No

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SITE DISPLAY