Tilliefoure Wood

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 57.2630, -2.5541

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Aberdeenshire County

Condition (NatureScot)

Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
F1 Upland oak woodland Unfavourable Declining 2005-03-31

Description

Tilliefoure Wood Tilliefoure Wood is located on the slopes of Tillybrack (197m), above the banks of the River Don, 13 km downstream of Alford. It is predominately an oak wood, one of the more extensive examples in Aberdeenshire. The wood is ancient with a recorded history dating back to at least the 18th century. The oak woodland grades into birch woodland on the northern and eastern margins of the site and pine woodland on Tillybrack. The oaks, mainly pedunculate oak Quercus robur, are mature and well spaced. The shrub layer is not well developed but holly Ilex aquifolium is widely scattered and hazel Corylus avellana is locally frequent on the lower slopes. The field layer is generally dominated by creeping soft grass Holcus mollis with widespread wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella, greater stitchwort Stellaria holostea, pignut Conopodium majus, primrose Primula vulgaris, chickweed wintergreen Trientalis europaea and hard fern Blechnum spicant. Wood anemone Anemone nemorosa, common dog violet Viola riviniana, yellow pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum, bugle Ajuga reptans and sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum are locally frequent on the lower slopes. Bracken Pteridium aquilinum is locally dominant in patches on the middle slopes. On Tillybrack, Scot’s pine Pinus sylvestris is locally abundant and the field layer is dominated by blaeberry Vaccinium myrtillus and cowberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea with ling heather Calluna vulgaris in more open areas.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
hard fern Blechnum spicant LC fern blechnaceae
bracken Pteridium aquilinum LC fern dennstaedtiaceae
sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum LC grass poaceae
creeping soft grass Holcus mollis LC grass poaceae
bugle Ajuga reptans LC herb lamiaceae
wood anemone Anemone nemorosa LC herb ranunculaceae
pignut Conopodium majus LC herb apiaceae
yellow pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum LC herb primulaceae
wood sorrel Oxalis acetosella LC herb oxalidaceae
primrose Primula vulgaris LC herb primulaceae
common stitchwort Stellaria holostea LC herb carophyllaceae
chickweed wintergreen Trientalis europaea Not listed in GB list herb primulaceae
cowberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea LC herb ericaceae
common dog violet Viola riviniana LC herb violaceae
billberry Vaccinium myrtillus LC shrub ericaceae
bell heather or ling Calluna vulgaris NT shrub dwarf ericaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
holly Ilex aquifolium LC tree aquifoliaceae
Scot's pine Pinus sylvestris LC tree pinaceae
common oak Quercus robur LC tree fagaceae

Plant communities

A9 — Fast flowing river and stream, Marginal and inundation, Pond ditch and canal, Sluggish river and stream

Potamogeton natans community

Schoenoplectus 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

Isolepis 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

Berula 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

Fontinalis 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

W25 — Bracken scrub

Pteridium aquilinum-Rubus fruticosus underscrub

Hedera helix, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Sambucus nigra, Ulex europaeus, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Luzula multiflora, Mnium hornum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Angelica sylvestris, Conopodium majus, Heracleum sphondylium, Arum maculatum, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Silene dioica, Stellaria holostea, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Glechoma hederacea, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Chamerion angustifolium, Circaea lutetiana, Digitalis purpurea, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ficaria verna, Potentilla erecta, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo sens.lat., Galium saxatile, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Arrhenatherum elatius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas