Lough Macrory ASSI

Lough Macrory is a mid-altitude lake with steep slopes on three sides and within 1 km of the lake shore. It is a special place due to its aquatic flora and fauna, which is dependent on unpolluted water and low levels of plant nutrients. Peat substrate dominates the south and west shores of the lake in the form of a sheer peat face. Mixed substrates dominate the remaining shoreline with sand along the north shore and silts in the open water. This provides a range of habitats for a wide diversity of plants and animals. This type of lake is becoming increasingly rare in Northern Ireland due to pollution.

The north end of the lough has a tall Reed Canary-grass stand with a Shoreweed lawn extending down towards the water’s edge. Quillwort and Greater Water-moss are found in the deeper water with Perfoliate Pondweed occurring locally in the western half of the lough. Dense beds of Water Lobelia are found on the east shore, Curled and Lesser Pondweed are also found in this area of the lake with Shining Pondweed and Translucent Stonewort in the deeper water. Intermediate Water Starwort, Alternate Water-milfoil, Yellow Water-lily and Water-crowfoot are also found in the lough.

Fringing emergent vegetation such as Common Spike-rush, Bottle Sedge, Water Horsetail, Wild Angelica, Bogbean, Marsh Bedstraw and rush species are mostly confined to the north and east shoreline. Semi-natural, mixed and conifer woodland surrounds much of the lough with Goat Willow and Common Alder fringing the shore around most of the perimeter.

All of the plant communities that make Lough Macrory a special place depend on the ASSI being kept in good condition. We therefore need to protect it from certain activities, which have been identified as potentially damaging to the site.