Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 4: Biodiversity and Landscape

1. Page 21

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 123 River, Clodiagh River, Silver River, Yellow River, Ballyfinboy River, Monagh River, River Gageborough, Tullamore River. Fin Lough Raheen Lake Little Brosna Callows Man Made Lakes: Bord Na Móna Lakes: Lough Boora Boora Lakes Loch an Dochais Finnamore Lake Loch Clochan Tumduff Mór Tumduff Beag Derryounce Lakes Other: Charleville Lake Bord Na Móna Wetlands: Turraun Wetlands Leabeg Wetlands Drinagh Wetlands Derries Wetlands The Council recognises the importance of riparian buffer zones, which are strips of vegetated land bordering a river or stream, which can protect a watercourse from the impact of human activity or development in an area, filtering out pollutants and sediment from overland surface runoff, enhancing flood alleviation and providing a habitat for animals with close affinity to rivers (for example, otters, kingfishers, dippers and dragonflies), and can also provide space for amenity uses, particularly in urban areas. The Inland Fisheries Ireland updated guideline document ‘Planning for Watercourses in the Urban Environment, a Guide to the Protection of Watercourses through the use of Buffer Zones, Sustainable Drainage Systems, Instream Rehabilitation, Climate / Flood Risk and Recreational Planning’ should be followed in this regard.

2. Page 22

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 124 Figure 4.10 Loch Clochan 4.9 Trees, Forestry and Hedgerows Trees, forestry and hedgerows make a valuable contribution to the landscape and visual amenity of County Offaly and provide wider environmental benefits that include carbon storage. Trees, either individually, as specimen trees, or in groups also make an important contribution to the landscape of many of the country house demesnes throughout the county. They perform many functions such as shelter from wind, act as a natural barrier, absorb pollutants, produce oxygen, contribute to wellness and provide a biodiversity function in terms of provision of habitat and food sources. Hedgerows, in many instances double hedgerows, often form townland boundaries and as such are an important historic resource. These hedgerows also act as wildlife corridors. The Council aims to protect individual trees, groups of trees or woodland, which are of environmental and/or amenity value. This can be done so with a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) that can be made through the development plan process or a separate TPO process under Section 205 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). The existing Tree Preservation Orders are set out below in Table 4.13. Table 4.13 Tree Preservation Orders made by Offaly County Council Reference Number Location Date of TPO T.P.1 Clonmacnoise 6th August 1970 T.P.2 Faddenmore, Belmont 29th January 1976 T.P.2A Tullybeg, Rahan 6th November 1981

3. Page 23

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 125 T.P.3 Castleroan, Dunkerrin 10th June 1981 T.P.7A-7G Monasterosis (Edenderry 7 separate TPOs) 29th October 1982 T.P.9 Laywalk, Geashill 31st January 1984 T.P.15 Kilcloncorkery, Rathangan 6th August 1986 The Council considers that groups of trees listed in Table 4.14 are of significant value to the environment and will ensure such trees are protected where necessary. Table 4.14 Groups of Trees that Contribute to Amenity 1 Trees West of Tullamore (centering on Charleville Castle and the Golf Course) 2 Trees at Durrow Demesne 3 Trees at Tullybeg House, Rahan 4 Trees at Cloneygowan Village 5 Trees at Garryhinch Church 6 Trees at the Green Clara 7 Trees at Kinnitty Village 8 Trees at Mount Lucas 9 Trees at Drumcooley Hill 10 Trees at Ballykillen Hill 11 Trees at Bellair 12 Trees at Belmont 13 Trees at Blacklion 14 Trees at Ballylin Wood, Ferbane, in the Business Park 15 Oakley Park, Clareen (on either side of Birr Road bordering and opposite to Coillte Forest) 16 Trees adjacent to Seir Kieran Monastic site, Clareen

4. Page 24

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 126 17 Trees at Strawberry Hill (between Belmont and Cloghan) 18 Trees at Aughaboy, Ferbane Figure 4.11 Location of Tree Preservation Orders and Groups of Trees that Contribute to Amenity

5. Page 25

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 127 Figure 4.12 Charleville Woods, Tullamore Irelands National Forest Inventory 2017 states that Offaly is covered with 293,300 hectares of forestry. Coillte, Ireland’s commercial forestry company, is responsible for the planting, growing, protecting, managing and harvesting of extensive areas of forestry in Offaly. Coillte, in addition to their significant role in biodiversity and forestry management, provide: • valuable long standing walking trails and picnic sites in the county (listed in Table 4.15 below); and • approximately 100 km (when completed) of mountain bike trails in both Offaly and Laois, which is not only a destination for international mountain biking tourists but also for local cycling enthusiasts. Table 4.15 Coillte Recreational Woodlands in County Offaly Slieve Bloom Mountains (including Mountain Bike Trails) Garryhinch Woodlands, Portarlington Glasderry Wood, Brosna, Roscrea Glenafelly Forest Recreation Area, Slieve Bloom Mountains Glenregan Forest Recreation Area, Slieve Bloom Mountains Durrow Abbey, Durrow Golden Grove, Roscrea Knockbarron Wood, Kinnitty

6. Page 26

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 128 There is an extensive network of hedgerows throughout County Offaly. There will be a firm presumption against the removal of hedgerows to facilitate development unless an equivalent compensatory length of native hedgerow is proposed. In general, trees and hedgerows should be included in design plans for development proposals. A full list of native trees and shrubs is shown in Table 4.16 below. Table 4.16 List of Native Trees and Shrubs Common Name Latin Name Height (Max) Suitable For Open Spaces Suitable for Streets and confined spaces Suitable for tubs, containers, raised beds etc. Guide to planting Alder Alnus glutinosa 22m Yes No Yes A D P S Alder buckthorn Frangula alnus 6m Yes No Yes D Restricted distribution. Not commonly available. Arbutus (strawberry tree) Arbutus unedo 8m Yes No Yes Not frost hardy Ash Fraxinus excelsior 28m Yes No No A D I P S Aspen Populus tremula 24m Yes No No DPSV Not close to buildings or any services Bramble Rubus fructicosus 2m No No No C/H note: tends to be grow quickly and extensively in wooded areas, wasteland and hedges. Broom Cytisus scoparius 2m Yes No Yes * Burnet rose Rosa pimpinellifolia 2m Yes No Yes, but vigorous C/H Restricted distribution. Not commonly available. Common (or European) gorse Ulex europeaus 2.5m Yes No In a rural setting H V Crab apple Malus sylvestris 6m Yes No No A H I P Dog rose Rosa canina 2m Yes No Yes. Vigorous C/H

7. Page 27

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 129 Downy birch Betula pubescens 18m Yes Yes Yes A D I P Elder Sambucus nigra 6m In hedge No No V Guelder rose Viburnum opulus 4.5m Yes No No D H Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna 9m Yes Yes Yes A H I P S Hazel Corylus avellana 6m Yes No No A H S Holly Ilex aquifolium 15m Yes Yes Yes A H P S Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum climber Yes On walls No C Ivy Hedera helix climber Yes Yes Yes C Juniper Juniperus communis 6m Yes No No S Pedunculate oak Quercus robur 30m Yes No No AI only suitable for large spaces Privet Ligustrum vulgare 3m Yes Yes Yes No Rowan or mountain ash Sorbus aucuparia 9m Yes Yes Yes A D H I P Scots pine Pinus sylvestris 24m Yes No No A I Sessile oak Quercus petraea 30m Yes No No AI only suitable for large spaces Silver birch Betula pendula 18m Yes Yes Yes A D I P Sloe, blackthorn Prunus spinosa 3m Yes No No A H P V Spindle Euonymous europaeus 7.5m Yes No No H Western (or mountain) gorse Ulex gallii 1.5m Yes No Yes * Restricted distribution. Not commonly available. Whitebeam spp. Sorbus aria 12m Yes Yes Yes I P S Wild cherry Prunus avium 15m Yes Yes Yes A H I Willow spp. Salix spp. 6m Some No No V Not suitable near buildings or services Wych elm Ulmus glabra 30m Yes No P S Yew Taxus baccata 14m Yes No Yes A I P S

8. Page 28

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 130 Key: H – Suitable for hedging I – suitable as an individual tree P – Tolerates smoke or pollution S – Tolerates shade V – Invasive1 * – Tolerates dry conditions A – Grows in a wide variety of soils C – Climber D – Tolerates or prefers damp conditions 4.10 Green Infrastructure Strategy The term Green Infrastructure (GI) can be broadly defined2 as integrated and interconnected networks of green space and water capable of delivering ecosystem services and quality of life benefits to people. It includes features such as parks, gardens, green roofs, green walls, rivers, lakes, canals, peatland, wetland landscapes, uplands, greenways, blueways, woodlands and farmlands in our countryside and settlements. The multiple benefits of GI are recognised in a number of national policy documents. The National Biodiversity Plan sees GI as crucial to achieving biodiversity targets and developing ecological corridors that allow the movement of species through their entire natural habitat. The Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways focuses on the economic and social benefits of creating and connecting greenways, particularly in rural areas, while the Flood Risk Management Guidelines highlight its key role in managing flood risk and adapting to climate change. GI serves a wide variety of functions including but not limited to; provision of habitat, increased biodiversity, ecological corridors, climate change adaptation and mitigation, water treatment, water retention, flood mitigation, improving attractiveness of place, local amenity provision, air quality improvement, noise abatement measure, health and well-being, sustainable recreational tourism and eco-tourism, cultural and heritage preservation. County Offaly’s GI includes NHAs, SACs, SPAs designated areas, Areas of High Amenity in the county, woodlands and boglands connected by walking routes, eskers, riparian ways, Bord an Móna rail links and the Grand Canal. Figure 4.13 identifies Offaly’s GI at a strategic level. It does not illustrate the entire local level GI such as open space provision, greens and parks, hedgerows, boundaries, coppices, green walls, green roofs, country lanes and areas of low intensity agriculture and scrubland, which are also an essential component of the county’s GI. In addition to the policies and objectives in this chapter, the importance of green infrastructure is interwoven throughout the chapters of this Plan reflecting its importance. 1 This is different to ‘invasive species’ as referred to in section 4.12 of this chapter. 2 …European Landscape Convention, 2000, defines Green Infrastructure as ‘the use of ecosystems, green spaces, playing fields, woodlands road verges, allotments and private gardens. Green Infrastructure can contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, natural disaster risk management, protection against flooding and erosion as well as biodiversity conservation.’

9. Page 29

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   Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 131 Figure 4.13 County Offaly’s Strategic Green Infrastructure Figure 4.14 Birr Castle and Gardens

10. Page 30

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    Offaly County Development Plan 2021-2027 Chapter 4 Biodiversity and Landscape Page 132 4.11 All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 The All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020 sets out natural management measures to protect native species including a reduction in the use of pesticides, management of hedgerow cutting and the retention of unmanaged roads and park areas to support the following five overall objectives; 1. Making Ireland pollinator friendly; 2. Raising awareness of pollinators and how to protect them; 3. Managed pollinators – supporting beekeepers and growers; 4. Expanding our knowledge on pollinators and pollination service; and 5. Collecting evidence to track change and measure success. Pollinator friendly plants are plants which provide pollen and nectar from early spring right through to autumn. Examples of pollinator friendly plants are listed in Figure 4.10 below. Figure 4.15 Pollinator Friendly Plants from All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020

Source Offaly County Council: Offaly County Development Plan 2021–2027 (as varied) — Chapter 4: Biodiversity and Landscape (2021–2027) · Licence the publisher's termsText read from the publisher’s PDF; tables, maps and drawings do not survive as text, and page numbers are the PDF’s (its first page is 1). Check the original before relying on a passage.