The Steering Group are entirely voluntary and organise events for the community in their free time Bay Road Park Local Nature Reserve is a 20 ha former landfill site, located on the banks of the River Foyle, which provides impressive scenery
of the Foyle Bridge, Foyle catchment and the City. It can be accessed from the Foyle Bridge or behind Da Vinci’s Hotel, off the Culmore Road. This riverside
green space is managed by
Derry City Council for biodiversity and
recreation, with a pedestrian and cycle
network. It was launched as Derry City Council’s first Local Nature Reserve in June 2009, for its biodiversity, access, community involvement and educational value. Members of the local community have
formed The Bay Road Park Steering
Group, a constituted group in 2009, to
work in partnership with Derry City Council on the management and future of the local nature reserve. Bay Road Park supports a wide range of habitats to include woodland, grassland, salt
marsh and mudflats. These habitats support a wide range of species, with significant
population of wading and wintering birds, including six of Northern Ireland’s priority
species: redshank, herring gull, song thrush, mistle thrush, starling and bullfinch. Also,
international over-wintering birds feast on the eel grass and insects on the mudflats. The woodlands and wildflower
meadows provide a habitat for a range
of priority species, including eight
species of butterflies, for example,
orange tip, tortoiseshell, peacock and
painted ladies. Also, the willow trees
provide a habitat for the lunar hornet
moth, which mimics the behaviour of
a wasp. The range of moths provide a
valuable source of food for the bats
that use the site for feeding. Soprano pipistrelle, Common pipistrelle and Leisler's bat have all been recorded on site. During your visit you may catch sight of a
variety of wildlife in their natural habitats. Look out for :
• Otters;
• Bats;
• Birds (use the interpretation to help
with identification);
• Butterflies; and
• Orchid
Bay Road Park is open to the public
24 hrs a day, all year round. Car parking
facilities are available at Bay Road or at
Da Vinci’s Hotel.
