Garron Plateau
Garron Plateau is situated in County Antrim in the north-east
of Northern Ireland. It is the largest area of intact blanket
bog in Northern Ireland. The peatland complex is a series of
raised and flushed peat bog units and a number of oligotrophic
water bodies, all within the enveloping blanket bog peat mantle.
The peatland supports an array of associated plant and animal
communities, including a number of rare and notable species,
and a diverse upland breeding bird population.
Bog vegetation is characterised by Sphagnum mosses,
notably Sphagnum imbricatum and Sphagnum fuscum.
Vegetation on deeper waterlogged peat is characterised by the
prominence of Cross-leaved heath, Bog Asphodel and Cottongrass.
On the more freely draining slopes Heather, Crowberry, and Hare's
tail Cottongrass are dominant.
Rare vascular plants included in the Irish Red Data Book species:
- Narrow-leaved Marsh-orchid
- Bog Orchid
- Marsh Saxifrage
- Few-flowered Sedge
- Tall Bog-sedge
- Opposite-leaved Pondweed
Irish Red Data Book bird species associated with the blanket
bog include:
- breeding Red grouse
- Golden plover
- Dunlin
- Merlin
- Hen harrier
