Starting at the northern extremity of the county, Carlingford Mountain is a Special Area of Conservation. Carlingford Lough is both a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area and the designations extend across the border (a pilot project to develop an Integrated Coastal Zone Management strategy for the Lough as a whole is underway). There is a short, undesignated gap between Carlingford Lough and Dundalk Bay, which is also both a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area. Dundalk Bay is the single most important site in Ireland for migratory wading birds (oystercatcher, curlew etc).
Between Castlebellingham and Ardee there is another Special Protection Area but this seems to have been abandoned by the geese and swans which used to graze there in favour of coastal areas adjacent to Dundalk Bay in recent years. Clogherhead is also designated as a Special Area of Conservation and work is currently being undertaken to manage the coastal heathland there.
Finally, the Boyne Estuary Special Protection Area and the River Boyne and River Blackwater Special Area of Conservation are shared with county Meath. Drogheda, like Dundalk, is exceptionally fortunate in having such a high quality natural environment.
There are many other, smaller sites in the county which are proposed Natural Heritage Areas, including, most notably, Ardee Bog. Most of the other pNHAs are small woodlands or ponds.
