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National Parks and Wildlife Service - National Survey of Native Woodlands 2003-2008

The National Survey of Native Woodlands in Ireland included the survey of 1,217 woodland sites across all 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland during 2003-2007. Site selection was carried out using the Forest Inventory Planning System 1998 (FIPS) and local knowledge. Surveys comprised the recording of site species lists and information at the site level on topography, management, grazing, natural regeneration, geographical situation, adjacent habitat types, invasive species, dead wood and boundaries. Relevés were recorded in each of the main stand types identified at each site. For each relevé, data were recorded on vascular plant and bryophyte cover abundance, soil type and soil chemistry, notable lichens, stand structure, and natural regeneration. Data were also incorporated from a number of external sources.

This shapefile contains the digitised boundaries of all sites surveyed as part of NSNW 2003-2007, as well as additional sites surveyed by van der Sleesen and Poole (2002) during the pilot study, and by Browne et al. (2000), Fernandez et al. (2005), van der Sleesen (unpublished data), Kelly and Fuller (unpublished data) and Smith (unpublished data) in additional studies, which were incorporated into the results of NSNW 2003-2007. Boundaries of all 1,320 sites reported on in Perrin et al. (2008) are included in this shapefile.

t was beyond the scope and resources of this project to conduct a comprehensive survey of ancient woodland in Ireland. Hence, the overall objective was instead to identify resources and develop a protocol for the identification of ancient woodland and to initialise a national inventory. This will provide a formal framework for future studies in ancient woodland. The aims of this project were therefore to:

1. Investigate the historical records available in the Republic of Ireland which can provide an assessment of woodland longevity.

2. Collate available information from previous research into ancient woodlands in Ireland.

3. Research through desk-based work and fieldwork a selection of woodland sites from across the country.

4. Produce a National Ancient and Long-established Woodland Inventory in the form of a GIS data layer showing the extent and distribution of researched sites.

5. Produce a preliminary list of ancient and long-established woodland vascular plant indicators for the Republic of Ireland and identify other pertinent features associated with these woodlands.

National Parks and Wildlife Service

2015-06-23 13:00:25

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

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