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

IE0002342

1.3 Site name

Mount Hevey Bog SAC

1.4 First Compilation date

2003-03

1.5 Update date

2018-09

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:	2003-03
Date site confirmed as SCI:	No information provided
Date site designated as SAC:	2017-12
National legal reference of SAC designation:	621/2017

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-7.067488
Latitude:	53.477717

2.2 Area [ha]

473.9148

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
IE01	Border, Midland and Western
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
7110			60	0.00	G	B	B	C	A
7120			12.27	0.00	G	B	C	C	B
7150			3.13784	0.00	M	B	C	C	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.

• 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		Sphagnum fuscum												X
P		Sphagnum imbricatum												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
N20	10.00
N16	1.00
N07	69.00
N10	4.00
N14	1.00
N08	15.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

Mount Hevey is a large midland raised bog, which is situated 3 km north-east of Kinnegad village and lies on the border of counties Meath and Westmeath. The bog overlies Carboniferous limestone bedrock and occurs in four sections. Two of these are small and lie to the north of a railway line while two larger lobes lie to the south of the railway line. These two larger lobes are of higher ecological value due to the presence of active bog. Cutover bog surrounds the uncut high bog. Part of the high bog and also part of the cutover has been afforested with conifers. Other parts of the cutover has been invaded by Betula pubescens scrub and small amounts of broad-leaved woodland. Some of the cutover has been converted to semi-improved grassland.

4.2 Quality and importance

Mount Hevey Bog is one of the most easterly, relatively intact raised bogs in Ireland and represents one of the largest bog areas in the eastern half of the country. Although more than half of the site area consists of cutover bog, there is a large area of active raised bog. The active areas support well-developed pool areas and have a high Sphagnum cover which include the rare species Sphagnum fuscum and S. imbricatum. A soak area, which has developed from an infilled lake and now supports some Betula pubescens trees, adds diversity to the bog surface. A substantial area of uncut high bog that is classified as degraded raised big is present. The degraded bog supports a wide range of plant communities, depending on factors such as height of water table and past burning events. The bog, and especially the active parts, contains substantial areas of Rhynchosporion vegetation which have a typical species composition and generally exist in a well-preserved condition. The cutover areas which surround the high bog contain large areas of scrub woodland dominated by Betula pubescens.

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)

Cross, J.R. (1990). The Raised Bogs of Ireland: their Ecology, Status and Conservation. Report to the Minister of State at the Department of Finance. Stationery Office, Dublin. Derwin, J. and MacGowan, F. (2000). Raised Bog Conservation Project. Unpublished report, Dchas The Heritage Service, Dublin. Goodwillie, R. (1972). A Preliminary Report on Areas of Scientific Interest in County Westmeath. Unpublished report, An Foras Forbartha, Dublin. National Parks and Wildlife Service (1992-1994). National Areas of Scientific Interest Survey. Unpublished report, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin. Young, R. (1972). A Preliminary Report on Areas of Scientific Interest in County Meath. Unpublished report, An Foras Forbartha, Dublin.

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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Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)

Yes X No

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SITE DISPLAY