Rhododendron Control at Peatlands Park and Fairy Water Bogs

Ulster Wildlife and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council are seeking to appoint an experienced contractor to carry out invasive rhododendron control and removal from two raised bog Special Areas of Conservation (SAC’s) (Drumnafallow Bog, one of the Fairy Water Bogs, and Peatlands Park). Drumnafallow Bog was badly covered with rhododendron in 2017 in a number of areas. Control and removal was actioned through the CANN project in 2019, 20, and 21 with high success. However, there are still some areas of the site where rhododendron has continued to re-grow. These are mostly young shoots and small plants. If not controlled now they will however continue to grow and eventually recover to their full extent. Peatlands Park SAC is badly impacted by rhododendron in many areas. As with Drumnafallow there was significant control carried out in 2019, 20 and 21 on numerous areas. There is again regrowth which has come back which requires control but here there are also areas of more mature rhododendron which require initial control to try and expand the area that isn’t impacted by this invasive species. The ground conditions on both of these sites are both sensitive and high risk. Bogs by their nature are very wet and due to constraints around nesting birds’ works must be carried out between Sep and March which are the wettest months. These types of site require very specialist vehicles and equipment to operate on as well as experienced operators. Please see ITT documents for full details and instructions for submitting a tender.