General
National Id
Ireland_02
Site name
River Erkina floodplain
Summary
This site was one of nine included in the LIFE05 project to restore priority woodland habitats in Ireland. The Durrow site is located on the floodplain of the river Erkina, and had been affected by planting of non-native conifers and associated drainage. A network of shallow drainage ditches covered the entire site, and was found to be adversely affecting the native alluvial woodland by reducing retention time of floodwaters on the floodplain. To counter this, a total of 350 dams were installed on ditches across the site.
Location description
The site is located on the floodplain of the River Erkina, which is a tributary of the River Nore, in southeast Ireland.
NUTS Code
Southern and Eastern
RBD code
IESE
Transboundary
0
NWRM(s) implemented in the case study
Longitude
-7.412983
Latitude
52.8518
Site information
Climate zone
cool temperate moist
Mean annual rainfall
900 - 1200 mm
Mean rainfall
1000
Mean rainfall unit
mm/year
Average temperature
10
Type
Case Study Info
Light or indepth?
Light
Average slope range
0-1%
Vegetation class
Alluvial woodland
Monitoring maintenance
Monitoring impacts effects
1
Monitoring location
Edge of Field/Plot
Monitoring parameters
Water level monitoring in dipwells. Vegetation monitoring by quadrat surveys. No monitoring in adjacent river.
Performance
Performance impact estimation method
Edge of Field/Plot
Performance impact estimation information
Dipwells were installed at the start of the project, which were used to inform the requirements for measures, as a result of which coffer dams were installed on ditches. Dipwell monitoring was continued after installation.
Design & implementations
Application scale
Field Scale
Installation date
2009
Performance timescale
1 - 4 years
Area (ha)
95
Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)
95
Design capacity description
The measures are designed to hold back water and increase water levels in the alluvial woodland, increasing retention time on the floodplain. There is no specific design capacity.
Basis of design
The measures are not designed for a specific storm event. They are designed to restore the alluvial woodland habitat by holding water on the floodplain for longer
Constraints
Providing the desire/intention is to restore habitat upstream and there are no areas local to the drainage that should not be put at risk of higher water levels, there are no constraints to this type of measure
Favourable preconditions
These measures could be applied anywhere that woodland or other habitat has been drained, although the details of the approach will vary depending on the soil type (in this case, alluvial deposits)
Management change from
Drained forestry
Management change to
Undrained, restored alluvial woodland
Design contractual arrangement
| Arrangement type | Responsibility | Role | Comments | Name |
|---|
Design consultation activity
| Activity stage | Key issues | Name | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Implementation phase
|
Interpretation boards
|
Two interpretation boards at Durrow
|
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Screening phase
|
Project website
|
Set up at project commencement and updated through the project and with final deliverables
|
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|
Implementation phase
|
Production of project brochures
|
Introductory brochure produced early in the project, with a final results brochure on completion. Hard copies printed for dissemination locally and internationally
|
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|
Implementation phase
|
Annual 'woodland walk'
|
Held annual during the project duration at three demonstration sites (although Durrow was not one of them)
|
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Screening phase
|
Public consultation meetings
|
In total eight events in year 1, 20 in year 2, 14 in year 3 and seven in year 4
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Implementation phase
|
End of project conference
|
Design land use change
| Land use change type | |
|---|---|
|
Broad-leaved forest
|
Design authority
| Authority type | Role | Responsibility | Name | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lessons, risks, implications...
Key lessons
Main lessons taken from this site (and the project as a whole included):
- The value of pre-implementation monitoring, to inform the most appropriate actions to take
- The value of public engagement, to ensure they understand and approve of the measures
- The value of pre-implementation monitoring, to inform the most appropriate actions to take
- The value of public engagement, to ensure they understand and approve of the measures
Success factor(s)
| Success factor type | Success factor role | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Financing possibilities
|
main factor
|
Half of the funds for the project were obtained from the EU-LIFE programme, with Coillte committing the remainder |
|
|
Communication activities
|
secondary factor
|
Extensive communication activities were carried out throughout the project, to ensure public understanding and agreement |
|
|
Attitude of relevant stakeholders
|
main factor
|
Financing
| Financing type | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
|
EU-funds: LIFE+
|
Half funded by EU-LIFE05
|
|
|
Private funds
|
Remainder funded by Coillte
|
Driver
| Driver type | Driver role | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Organisation committed to it
|
main driver
|
The project took place as a result of Coillte's commitment to restoring priority habitats
|
Financing share
| Financing share type | Share | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|
Policy, general governance and design targets
Policy description
The main driver for the work was deterioration of priority habitat, due to planting of non-native conifers and drainage. The drainage meant that floodwaters were not being retained on the floodplain.
Part of wider plan
1
Policy target
| Target purpose | |
|---|---|
|
Improved Biodiversity
|
Policy pressure
| Pressure directive | Relevant pressure |
|---|
Policy area
| Policy area type | Policy area focus | Name | Comments |
|---|
Policy impact
| Impact directive | Relevant impact |
|---|
Policy wider plan
| Wider plan type | Wider plan focus | Name | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
LIFE project LIFE05 NAT/IRL/000182
|
The title of the LIFE project was "Restoring priority woodland habitats in Ireland". It covered 9 sites, with the NWRM installations at one site (Durrow)
|
Policy requirement directive
| Requirement directive | Specification |
|---|
Socio-economic
Costs investment information
The total project cost was 2.3 million euros, which was spread across 9 sites. No information has been obtained about the distribution between sites or the costs specifically attributable to the relevant hydrological measures
Costs operation maintenance
Ongoing monitoring and maintenance was planned in an "After LIFE Conservation Plan"
Compensations annual information
No compensation was required, as Coillte were the owners of the site
Ecosystem improved biodiversity
1
Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity
Along with other measures in the project (removing non-native species), damming the ditches will allow the alluvial woodland habitat to be restored
Ecosystem impact climate regulation
No specific impact
