Biodiversity
Amazing Biodiversity in Larne!
Biodiversity is the amazing variety of life on earth, animals, plants, fungus and even people!
It is fundamental to our daily lives providing us with all our food, much of our raw materials and many of our medicines.
To protect the wildlife in the Larne area, Larne Borough Council has created a Local Biodiversity Action Plan. This plan highlights which habitats, plants and animals are most important in the Larne area (according to the people of Larne and the government). It also sets out our plans for protecting this wildlife and the places where it lives. This document can be accessed by clicking on the link below. Alternatively, you can collect a copy from Larne Borough Council’s reception area.
How much do you know about the great biodiversity in the Larne area?
Did you know that Glenarm is a real hotspot for important plants and is now the only area in Northern Ireland in which wood cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum) grows?
Larne's Biodiversity Officer will be working with the Ulster Widlife Trust in 2009 to translocate (or move)new plants to sites in Feystown where it used to grow. This is part of the Key Species Project which can be viewed on www.ulsterwildlifetrust.org
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Wood Crane's-bill |
If you see the plant anywhere other than Feystown in the Larne area, please email Cara McCusker mccuskerc@larne.gov.uk or
Maeve.Rafferty@ulsterwildlifetrust.org
There are 13 Priority Habitats and 18 Priority Species (plants & animals) already included in the Larne Biodiversity Action Plan.
One of the priority bird species is the Hen harrier, a large raptor or bird of prey. One of it's only strongholds in Northern Ireland is in the Antrim Hills.
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Hen harrier |
The marine environment features very strongly in the Larne area with species such as the common seal, which is both a UK and EU protected species hauling out regularly at a favourite site in Larne Lough.
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Common seal © Laurie Campbell |
One of the grey seals favourite places around Larne is to haul out on the rocks on The Maidens. Over 50 were counted here during one of the Northern Ireland Seal Counts during the summer.
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Grey seal mother and pup |
The sea on the Antrim coast is full of fascinating species. keep your eyes open for whales and dolphins who pass up and down all the time. Have a look at the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group website where all the sightings are recorded. You will be amazed!!
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Common dolphin © Colin Speedie |
Documents
Become a Biodiversity Recorder- 26/11/2008
1.17Mb- Biodiversity Emergency Numbers- 01/12/2008
34Kb - Giant hogweed fact sheet- 22/05/2009
1.52Mb - Japanese knotweed factsheet- 22/05/2009
1.26Mb 
Larne Biodiversity Action Plan- 26/11/2008
706Kb- Species Recording Card for Red and Grey Squirrels- 21/11/2008
154Kb
