Gas Networks Ireland Biodiversity Trail at Gasworks Road
The Biodiversity Trail at Gasworks Road was established to increase awareness of Biodiversity and to highlight the importance of Gasworks Road and similar Gas Networks Ireland sites as habitats for a wide variety of species. The following habitats and features can be found at Gasworks Road.
Scan the QR code on the information posts at each stop on the trail.
If you spot any interesting species, please take a picture and send it to sustainability@gasnetworks.ie.
Short Flowering Meadow
Short-flowering meadows can be found in all Gas Networks Ireland offices and our grassed Above Ground Installations.
What are Short-Flowering Meadows?
- Semi-natural grasslands that are nutrient-poor and flower rich.
- Require some human management, for example reducing mowing (every six weeks) and removing grass cuttings (to prevent decomposing in the meadow which will fertilise the soil)
Our wildflower meadows are 80% meadow and 20% short-cut verges to maintain an aesthetic appearance.
Long Flowering Meadow
There is a long-flowering meadow behind the overflow carpark in Gasworks Road. Hopefully we will see an abundance of wildflowers here in Spring and Summer; if you spot any interesting flowers, please take a picture and send it to sustainability@gasnetworks.ie.
What are long-flowering meadows?
- Unlike a short-flowering meadow, a long -flowering meadow is cut annually in September and left to grow for the remainder of the year.
- Grass cuttings are left to sit for just a few days to allow the wildflower seeds to drop into the soil, before the cuttings are lifted and removed, as in a short-flowering meadow.
Semi-natural grasslands are threatened in Ireland, with pressures including urbanisation, intensive agriculture, herbicide use, and modern gardening. A study conducted by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has shown that in the past 15 years, Ireland has lost approximately 30% of the best quality semi-natural grasslands over a 6-year period (Martin, et al., 2018).
As supporting partners of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, we implement their recommendations at our sites. We do not use wildflower seed mixes in our wildflower meadows, as these mixes can contain non-native or even invasive species which can threaten native Irish species.
Why are Wildflower Meadows important?
- Habitat and source of food for pollinators.
- Increased biodiversity.
- They contribute to carbon storage.
- Meadow soils can support a diverse range of organisms.
- Deep roots of certain wildflower species can stabilise soils, decreasing the risk of landslides, and provide good conditions for the uptake and storage of flood water.
- Studies have shown that the act of viewing a flower brings direct beneficial psychological effects, including lowering blood pressure and a reduction in stress levels.
Can I create a wildflower meadow at home?
Wildflower meadows can be created at any scale, from a tiny corner of your garden to a large field. The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan has published resources on creating wildflower meadows including a ‘How-to-Guide for Creating and Restoring Meadows in Local Communities and Gardens’.
The AIPP advises against using wildflower seed mix to establish a wildflower meadow as they may include harmful invasive species. With correct management wildflowers should generated by themselves from local seeds. You may also harvest seeds from local meadows (just be sure you have permission if it’s private property). Click here for the AIPP guide to harvesting wildflower seeds.
Further information:
Orchard
There is a fruit tree orchard at the front of the Gasworks Road office consisting of 24 Bramley apple trees, five pear trees and five plum trees. Orchards are usually five or more fruit trees that are widely spaced and often have a meadow grassland on the orchard floor.
The main purpose for planting an orchard is usually for fruit production but fruit trees can also be very beneficial for species of birds, bats, mosses, lichen and pollinators. Fallen fruit can be a food source for fauna in autumn and winter. Apple trees flower in Spring but are divided into three groups depending on whether they flower in early, mid or late Spring. Apples grow into autumn and are usually harvested up to the end of October.
Orchards and Biodiversity
We rely on pollinators for pollination of our fruit trees, with most fruit resulting from pollination by a bee or another pollinator. In turn, fruit trees provide nectar and pollen, which is important for the survival of pollinators. Common pollinators that you might spot in the orchard include:
- Early Mining Bee
- Red Mason Bee
- Drone Fly
- Common Carder Bumblebee
- Early Bumblebee
- Tiger Hoverfly.
There are also beneficial predators commonly found in orchards including Hoverflies, Lacewings, Spiders, Bats, Ladybirds and more.
If you are interested in learning more, or even creating your own orchard, check out the All Ireland Pollinator Plan How-To guide for orchards:
AIPP-Farmland-Orchards-2023-WEB.pdf (pollinators.ie)
Lichen
Lichen is a type of organism that is a combination of a fungus and algae or a cyanobacteria living in a symbiotic relationship, which benefits for both organisms. The symbiotic relationship in lichen works as the algae can create food for the entire lichen through photosynthesis, while the fungus creates a home for the lichen by attaching to a rock, tree, soil or other surface. In the past, lichens were used for medicinal purposes, and later their colourful properties were used for making dyes (Knowles, 1928).
Lichens are not very susceptible to harsh weather conditions; however, some lichens can be very sensitive to pollution and are sometimes used as bio-indicators for air quality.
According to the National Biodiversity Data Centre, there are 1,134 species of lichen in Ireland. Lichen in Ireland can be many different colours, and they can appear as crusts, leafy or shrubby. Lichens can be found in many different and diverse locations. Because of the symbiotic relationship in lichen, they can survive where other plant species may struggle. Areas where lichen can be found include:
- Bare rock
- Rocky shore
- Bark of trees
- Stone walls or graveyards
- Peat bogs
- Sand dunes
- Margins of lakes and rivers
Hedgerow
Hedgerows are closely planted trees and/or shrubs that form a border between fields, roads, properties and other habitats, which are managed in some form by human intervention (Baudry, et al., 2000). Hedgerows were first developed during the New Stone Age when humans started cutting down trees for farming (around 4,000 years ago in Ireland) (Montgomery, et al., 2020). While they have a benefit to farmers and landowners by forming a border, they also have environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration and providing a habitat. They provide pollen for pollinators, a nesting area for birds and shelter for our wildlife. They also have cultural value.
Biodiversity Benefits
- Provide food and shelter for many species, from insects to mammals.
- Provide an important nesting habitat (used by 55 of Ireland’s 110 nesting species according to the Countryside Bird Survey in Ireland)
- Serve as a corridor for movement.
- Provide shelter
There are also planted exotic species that can become associated with hedgerows in Ireland, such as Fuschia and Buddleia.
Ivy
Ivy is often overlooked as an important species for biodiversity and is even considered a nuisance by many. As an evergreen species, Ivy provides a habitat, food, and other resources for many species of insects and other plant species. Ivy flowers bloom in later summer/early autumn and provide a food source for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Ivy produces berries which ripen in late winter and early spring which provide food for birds during the colder months when other food sources may be scarce. The dense foliage also provides shelter for young birds from harsh weather conditions and predators. Bats are also known to use ivy for roosting.
Ivy can also have benefits in the physical environment. Ivy can be a good option for providing green infrastructure as it is fast growing and can climb/cover walls. Adding ivy to infrastructure can reduce heat pollution, reduce energy bills, improve air quality and enhance aesthetic appeal. Ivy can also be useful for carbon sequestration, helping to mitigate climate change.
Bramble
Bramble, more commonly known as blackberry, is native species commonly found in Ireland, particularly in hedgerow. While there are many different species of bramble, the collective term for the blackberry bushes we know and see is Rubus fructicosus. Bramble plays an important role in the Irish landscape, both for ecological reasons and culturally.
Bramble has a distinctive appearance, with thorny vines and dense green leaves, and blackberries appearing in summer and ripening in autumn. Bramble flowers from March to September, producing small white or pale pink flowers. Blackberry bushes provide a food source to a diverse range of organisms. Nectar from the flowers support a range of pollinators including bees, butterflies and hoverflies, which in turn pollinate the bramble. The leaves are a popular food source with caterpillars, and mammals such as deer. Blackberries are eaten by mammals such as badgers and foxes, as well as many types of birds which disperse the seeds. Of course, humans enjoy blackberries too, we just have to be careful of the thorns when picking them! They are a great source of Vitamin C. Harvesting blackberries has long been a tradition in Ireland, and they are popular for making jams, cakes and even sometimes wine.
Birch Tree
Birch trees play an important role in the Irish landscape. Birch trees are native to Ireland, first appearing after the last Ice Age (Coillte, 2020). There are two types of native Birch species in Ireland; the Silver Birch (Betula pendula) and the Downy Birch (Betula pubescens).
Birch trees support a range of species, providing a nesting habitat for birds, shelter and a foraging area for insects and birds. Their leaves are a food source for insects and the seeds are eaten by birds. The presence of birch can also improve soil quality in an area. Birch trees take carbon in from the atmosphere, reducing the impact of global warming.
There is a rich history associated with birch trees in Ireland, associated with birth and youth and rebirth in Irish mythology.
Swift Boxes
- Ireland’s only swift is the Common Swift (Apus apus), one of 100 different species around the world.
- Arrives in Ireland in May from sub-Saharan Africa and will depart by late August.
- Migrates thousands of kilometres each year.
- Spends most of their lives in flight, feeding, mating and even sleeping on the wing.
- Swifts are cavity-nesting birds, often nesting in crevices or gaps in buildings, cliffs, or trees. They are highly adapted to urban environments.
- Swifts return to the same nest year after year, in groups or colonies.
Swift populations have been declining across Europe in recent decades, possibly due to habitat loss and changes in nesting sites. Modern houses also lack suitable cavities for nesting. Climate change and the decrease in invertebrate numbers are also of concern. BirdWatch Ireland found in 2008 that there was a decline of swifts in Ireland by almost 40%. They are now on the amber list of birds of conservation concern.
Gas Networks Ireland have partnered with Swift Conservation Ireland to place Swift boxes around the Gaswork Road offices and we have sponsored Swift boxes in multiple schools. The boxes were installed in Gasworks Road in 2023 with an attraction caller, which mimics the sounds Swifts make on boxes to check if they are suitable nesting spots. Swifts will identify a good nesting spot a year before they start breeding but won’t nest there until the following year. Hopefully we will see Swifts nesting in our boxes in 2024, watch this space for videos and pictures of any visiting Swifts!
What can we do to help?
There are many ways we can all help the swifts including:
- If you are knocking a house, erect swift nesting boxes nearby. Integrate nest sites such as swift bricks into new developments.
- If you are building a new house, integrate swift nest cavities into the fabric of the building or fix nest boxes to the outside of the wall. You can also use swift bricks where possible.
- Follow the advice of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan to provide habitats for invertebrates which are a food source for swifts.
- We can all help to slow down climate change by making green decisions.
- Only carry out maintenance works outside of Bird Nesting Season.
- If you find a swift nest, leave it undisturbed. Ensure they have a clear flight path to and from the nest. Trees, hanging ivy, scaffolding, etc. can block access.
- Ensure cats cannot reach the nest.
If you find a swift nest, please let the National Biodiversity Data Centre or your local BirdWatch Ireland branch know, and don’t forget to send any pictures to sustainability@gasnetworks.ie.
More Information
Lavender Beds
Although not a native species, Lavender is a known favourite for bees and other pollinators. The lavender beds planted at the top of the steps to the stores area at Gasworks Road provide an ideal location for annual Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT Count), an internationally recognised methodology for surveying pollinators.
Vertebrates at Gasworks Road
- A number of bird species may be seen regularly at Gasworks Road, such as Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Goldfinch, Chaffinch to name but a few. Many others can be identified by their song, especially using an app such as Merlin.
- Regarding mammals, foxes have been seen near the Long Flowering meadow. There is also a confirmed sighting of a mink (non-native). In addition, the invasive Greater White Toothed shrew has also been recorded (a dead specimen)
- A thorough survey of the long flowering meadow is likely to reveal more of the smaller species.
- Other vertebrates such as amphibians, reptiles and fish are unlikely at Gasworks Road but are likely residents in areas such as Brownsbarn.
Aerial View
An aerial view of the Gasworks Road biodiversity trail showing all points of interest, may be seen below.
References:
- Baudry, J., Bunce, R. & Burel, F., 2000. Hedgerow diversity: An international perspective on their origin, function and management. Journal of Environmental Management, p. 59.
- Fitzpatrick, U. et al., 2007. Rarity and decline in bumblebees - A test of causes and correlates in the Irish fauna. Biological conservation, 136(2), pp. 185-194.
- Knowles, M. C., 1928. The Lichens of Ireland. Royal Irish Academy, Volume 38, pp. 179 - 434.
- Mac Coitir, N., 2015. Ireland's Trees: Myths, Legends and Folklore. Cork: The Collins Press.
- Martin, J., O'Neill, F. & Daly, O., 2018. The monitoring and assessment of three EU Habitats Directive Annex I grassland habitats. Irish Wildlife Manuals, 102(National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ireland).
- Montgomery, I., Caruso, T. & Reid, N., 2020. Hedgerows as Ecosystems: Service Delivery, Management, and Restoration. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, Volume 51, pp. 81-102.