In 2018 Allen and Mellon completed a Biodiversity Audit and Action plan for Castlewellan Forest Park on behalf of Newry and Mourne District Council. The Audit found that the forest park supports an exciting range of priority habitats and protected species:
Designated sites: 1
NI Priority Habitats: 6
European Protected Species: 6
NI Protected Species: 27
NI Priority Species: 39
Some of the forest park’s most iconic assets include Castlewellan Lake ASSI, its remnant parkland and the healthy population of red squirrels. Pine martens also occur and the report author was lucky enough to bump into one as he carried out the audit.
The park also harbours some lesser known gems including the Opossum shrimp Mysis salemaii which occurs on the main lake and Lilljeborg’s pea-mussel Pisidium lilljeborgii which was found some years back in one of the smaller ponds by one of our associates Dr. Roy Anderson.
The audit provides recommendations for the protection and enhancement of important habitats such as the parkland, and identified what further research and monitoring is required. It will inform management of the forest park by both DAERA Forest Service and the Council for years to come.
