Biodiversity
The Mourne AONB is designated for the qualities of its landscape.
Bio Diversity
The Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is recognized for its stunning landscape. This diverse terrain includes a variety of natural and semi-natural habitats, creating a beautiful mix of heather, moor, bog, and pasture. The region also features freshwater bodies and woodlands, with coastal areas displaying sandy and rocky shores, mudflats, and salt marshes.
Upland habitats, such as upland and montane heath, and blanket bog are extremely important. In the lowland countryside, agriculture dominates. It relies on vital semi-natural habitats like hedgerows, lowland heath, dry acid grassland, and meadows. Woodlands make up about one-fifth of the Mourne AONB. Over half of these woodlands are coniferous, while some areas feature broadleaved trees. The region has more than 340 km of rivers and streams. These water sources feed major reservoirs and support otters. They also provide spawning grounds for salmon and trout. Wetlands, including marshes and fens, offer ideal habitats for dragonflies and damselflies.
The beautiful Mourne coast is warmed by the southern Irish Sea and serves as an important nursery for young fish. Its salt marshes and mudflats provide habitat for many wintering waders. Offshore, the cold northern waters mix with warmer southern waters, supporting a variety of marine life, from tiny phytoplankton to larger grazing animals. This area is home to mammals like common and grey seals, as well as dolphins and harbour porpoises. Sea birds, including common and sandwich terns, can also be seen feeding in these waters.