Craighall Den
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Upland mixed ash woodland | Favourable | — | 2019-03-20 |
Habitats
Description
CRAIGHALL DEN Craighall Den, an upland mixed ash woodland lying in the valley of the Craighall Burn, 1km south of Ceres, represents one of the largest and best remaining examples of semi-natural woodland in north-east Fife. The wood was cut over during the last war and there has been some planting of exotic species. Nevertheless, its semi-natural character has largely survived. The canopy is currently dominated by ash Fraxinus excelsior, pedunculate oak Quercus robur and wych elm Ulmus glabra with locally abundant sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus, field maple A.campestre and beech Fagus sylvatica. An understorey of hazel Corylus avellana, elder Sambucus nigra and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna is present with occasional gooseberry Ribes uva-crispa and bird cherry Prunus padus on areas of more level ground. The ground flora north of the burn is variously dominated by dog’s mercury Mercurialis perennis, bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta, greater wood-rush Luzula sylvatica and tuberous comfrey Symphytum tuberosum, with frequent slender false-brome Brachypodium sylvaticum, wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, and scattered male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas and lady-fern Athyrium filix-femina. South of the burn the vegetation is lusher with abundant male-fern, lady-fern, broad buckler-fern Dryopteris dilatata, dog’s mercury and bluebell. wood avens Geum urbanum, herb Robert Geranium robertianum, ramsons Allium ursinum, hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica and sanicle Sanicula europaea also occur here with opposite-leaved golden saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium and meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria on damper ground by the water courses. Although not a notified feature of the site, the regionally rare goldilocks buttercup Ranunculus auricomus, and regionally scarce Saxifraga granulata occur at Craighall Den.
Species mentioned
Show the 28 species mentioned in the description, with red-list statusPlant communities
W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub
Show 81 indicator speciesHedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas
W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub
Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Show 49 indicator speciesHedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas
W23 — Brownfield, Hedgerow scrub
Ulex europaeus-Rubus fruticosus scrub
Show 40 indicator speciesHedera helix, Calluna vulgaris, Cytisus scoparius, Ulex europaeus, Kindbergia praelonga, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Achillea millefolium, Crepis capillaris, Hypochaeris radicata, Jacobaea vulgaris, Campanula rotundifolia, Jasione montana, Cerastium fontanum, Silene dioica, Teucrium scorodonia, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica officinalis, Rumex acetosa, Rumex acetosella, Potentilla erecta, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium saxatile, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Aira praecox, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis, Pteridium aquilinum