"Explore your Diversity" information board

Image: © Kenneth Allen Taken: 17 Sep 2011

The following text is included, "As you walk through this rural retreat, enjoy the chorus of birds, buzzing of bees and the scent of wildflowers. This walkway guides you through old and new woodland patches, wildflower meadows and small stream, a tributary of the Owenreagh River. These important habitats support many different species like spiders, bumblebees, beetles and butterflies, birds large and small and other wildlife such as field mice and bats. Native woodlands have typically a mix of native trees such as ash, oak. birch, hazel and holly. Normally, an understorey of various smaller shrubs and plants such as bramble, dog rose, bluebell, red campion and dog-violet would grow, adding to the wildlife value of the woodland. Woodlands arc an important refuge for many species and vitally, they also gave people opportunities to get closer to nature. However in Northern Ireland, native woodlands only cover 1% of the land, making it by far the least wooded country in Europe. Take time to wander through the new and old woodland and see what you can discover. Hay and wildflower meadows are a rare habitat in our local countryside as through the years farming practices have changed. It is thought that 97% of hay meadows have disappeared in Northern Ireland over the past 50 years. To increase the number of wildflowers growing here and help local wildlife, this park has been prepared with wildflowers and wild grass seed and will be managed as a meadow. As there are many different grasses and flowers in meadows, you will find a greater diversity of insects, like bees and butterflies. See what you can spot!" Featured on the board are holly, blue tits, common dog-violet, meadow buttercup, ox-eye daisy, self heal, orange tip butterfly and the cuckoo flower. Pictured here Image]

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