Military protects rare species in Northern Ireland

The military presence at a Northern Ireland training area is providing a haven for some of the most threatened species of animals and plants in the British Isles.

Ballykinler Training Centre (BTC) shelters a range of species – birds, bats, seals, moths, butterflies, plants, mosses and beetles. The site provides a refuge for important examples of populations that depend on sensitive conservation management.

Located on a headland in Dundrum Bay on Northern Ireland’s easterly coastline, BTC is situated on some 1,350 acres of stable dune systems and pasture, much of which has been now been designated as an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI).  

BTC is maintained by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) property and service provider.

Major Anthony Canniford, Commander DIO Ops Training Northern Ireland said:

“DIO’s priority is to support our Armed Forces as they prepare for operations. The MOD has a legal obligation to deliver a sustainably managed training estate and that means that there’s more conservation management going on at Ballykinler than you might first think.

“Although we continue to develop our training facilities and areas in support of the military we remain conscious of our responsibility to preserve our environment and heritage. Our aim is to satisfy not only the requirements of the Army, but also the environment; and I believe that together with our partners we do this remarkably well at Ballykinler.”

There is an active Conservation Group at Ballykinler which meets twice a year. It is represented by the MOD, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, UlsterWildlife, National Trust and Butterfly Conservation as well as individual conservationists.

A substantial amount of time and effort goes into making Ballykinler an example of best practice in terms of conservation on an active working site.

• A grazing regime using traditional breeds of cattle is seeing a reduction in rank grassland that in turn allows conditions suitable for a range of breeding bird species such as Meadow Pipit and by definition for cuckoos.

• Scrub and bracken control is being carried out that will re-create a mosaic of habitats appropriate for a range of invertebrates that will provide food for key breeding species such as skylark, stonechat, linnet and reed bunting.

• Direct action is being taken to halt the decline in barn owl numbers, a species threatened with extinction inNorthern   Ireland, with the provision of a dozen additional nesting sites within the estate.

ENDS

Further information:

Press enquiries to Tony Moran, Senior Communications Officer 0121 311 3879 or email tony.moran572@mod.uk

DIO website:www.gov.uk/dio

Twitter: @mod_dio

Read DIO’s blog: https://insidedio.blog.gov.uk/

Note for Editors

1. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) plays a vital role in supporting our Armed Forces by building, maintaining and servicing what the men and women who serve our country need to live, work, train and deploy on operations. We are working hard to become even better by becoming a world-class infrastructure delivery organisation over the next few years.

2. Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD). It is responsible for managing and maintaining land and properties to meet the current and future needs of the MOD and personnel at home and abroad, and to support current operations. Our work includes providing, supporting and improving: operational units; single living and service family accommodation; training areas and historic military sites.

3. DIO actively manages these to ensure the needs of Defence are met, value for money is achieved; our heritage is protected and we achieve our environmental goals.

4. Picture caption – please credit ‘Crown copyright/MOD 2013’:

Coastal views of Ballykinler Training Centre, Dundrum Bay, Northern Ireland.

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