Craigroy Burn
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Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Upland birch woodland | Favourable | — | 2005-03-31 |
Habitats
Geology & landscape
Geological Feature: Gorge / Ravine · Rock Type: Sandstone
Landscape processes: Fluvial
Description
CRAIGROY BURN Craigroy Burn SSSI is situated approximately 1.6km to the west of Edderton on the southern shore of the Dornoch Firth in Easter Ross. The Craigroy Burn system is one of a series of gorges that have been cut steeply into the Old Red Sandstone rocks in the river valleys of the Moray Firth lowlands. The site is thickly wooded with a range of trees more usually associated with richer soils including species such as hazel, alder, willow and wych elm. The area above the sides of the gorge where the soils are more acid support birch, rowan and juniper. The woodland ground flora is rich and diverse and supports a large number of species adapted to both the woodland floor and the rocky gorge walls, including hairy-brome Bromopsis ramosa, mountain melick Melica nutans, and in the gorge ramsons Allium ursinum, holly fern Polystichum lonchitis, intermediate wintergreen Pyrola media and common wintergreen Pyrola minor.
Species mentioned
Show the 6 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| holly fern | Polystichum lonchitis | VU | fern | dryopteridaceae |
| hairy brome | Bromopsis ramosa | LC | grass | poaceae |
| mountain melick | Melica nutans | VU | grass | poaceae |
| ramson | Allium ursinum | LC | herb | liliaceae |
| intermediate wintergreens | Pyrola media | LC | herb | ericaceae |
| wintergreens | Pyrola minor | LC | herb | ericaceae |
Plant communities
A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream
Potamogeton natans community
Show 20 indicator speciesSchoenoplectus lacustris, Juncus bulbosus, Sparganium angustifolium, Sparganium erectum, Sparganium minimum, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Lemna trisulca, Nymphaea alba, Callitriche platycarpa, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus trichophyllus, Glyceria fluitans, Chara subspinosa
A14 — Fast flowing river and stream
Myriophyllum alterniflorum community
Show 15 indicator speciesIsolepis fluitans, Juncus bulbosus, Fontinalis antipyretica, Lobelia dortmanna, Equisetum fluviatile, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Littorella uniflora, Potamogeton filiformis, Potamogeton gramineus, Potamogeton natans, Ranunculus peltatus, Chara spp., Nitella hyalina
A17 — Chalk river and stream, Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans community
Show 11 indicator speciesBerula erecta, Nasturtium officinale, Elodea canadensis, Lemna minor, Callitriche stagnalis, Veronica beccabunga, Polygonum amphibium, Polygonum hydropiper, Potamogeton crispus, Potamogeton pectinatus, Ranunculus penicillatus ssp. pseudofluitans
A18 — Fast flowing river and stream
Ranunculus fluitans community
Show 12 indicator speciesFontinalis antipyretica, Fontinalis squamosa var. curnowii, Myriophyllum alterniflorum, Myriophyllum spicatum, Elodea canadensis, Mentha aquatica, Lemna gibba, Lemna minor, Potamogeton perfoliatus, Ranunculus fluitans, Glyceria fluitans, Phalaris arundinacea