Murlough Nature Reserve

Murlough Nature Reserve
Murlough Nature Reserve
	Murlough Nature Reserve, February 2010
	Location of Murlough Nature Reserve in Northern Ireland
Location	County Down, Northern Ireland
Nearest city	Belfast
Area	697 acres (2.82 km2)
Established	1967
Governing body	National Trust

Murlough Nature Reserve lies on the coast of County Down in Northern Ireland, situated close to Newcastle. It offers spectacular views of Slieve Donard, the highest peak in the Mourne Mountains and Dundrum Bay. Its 6,000-year old sand dune system has been managed by the National Trust since 1967, when it became Ireland's first nature reserve.^[1] Grid ref: J414351.^[2]

Features

At 697 acres,^[2] it is the best and most extensive example of dune heath within Ireland, with a network of paths and boardwalks through the dunes.^[1] Breeding birds include Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Cuckoo, Stonechat, Linnet and Reed Bunting. Shorehauling Grey Seal and Common Seals are also common in the area. Between 50 and 130 common and grey seals regularly use the area for moulting, resting and feeding.^[3] Rare plants local to the site are pyramidal orchid and carline thistle.

Lepidoptera

Several rare and beautiful moths and butterflies can be found within the reserve. Of the of 23 butterfly species recorded at Murlough, the Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia, is of European importance - other notable species include Dark-green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja, Grayling Hipparchia semele and Cryptic Wood White Leptidea juvernica. One species, the Wall Butterfly Lasiommata megera has not been recorded for several years and is considered extinct at this site. Over 640 species of moth have been recorded within the boundary of Murlough Nature Reserve, more than at any other site in Northern Ireland - notable examples include Small Elephant Hawkmoth Deilelphila porcellus, [Dart] Agrotis ripae and the micro moth [Pyrausta cingulata]

Situated in the south-east of County Down Murlough is well-placed to receive migrant species and notable examples have included:

Small Goldenrod Plume Hellensia osteodactylus (1st record for Ireland)
The Cosmopolitan Leucania loreyi (1st record for Northern Ireland)
Stephens' Gem Megalographa biloba (1st record for Ireland)

It also has access to one of the finest beaches in County Down.^[1]

Murlough makes up one fifth of all dune heathland in the British Isles, but remains under threat from the encroachment of scrub vegetation such as bracken and gorse and non-native species such as Sea Buckthorn. In 1999 the National Trust established the South Down Heathland project, a five-year programme to protect the habitat. It has been designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.^[2]

History

The area has evidence of human habitation from Neolithic times, through the Bronze Age to the present day.^[1] In the 12th century a rabbit warren was established on the site by the Normans for their meat and pelts. This had a major influence on the development of the heath and grassland found today. A particularly stormy period in the 13th and 14th centuries resulted in a huge movement of sand which led to the unusually high dunes also found today.^[2]