Tweedwood - Gateheugh

Also within

Roxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale County Eildon and Leaderfoot Scenic Area

Condition (NatureScot)

Habitats

Ancient woodland, Fast flowing river and stream

Birds & fish recorded

Fish

Description

Tweedwood - Gateheugh Tweedwood – Gateheugh Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is one of the few remaining ancient woodlands of any appreciable size in the Scottish Borders. It is a composite site in 3 parts situated along the River Tweed, 4km to the east of Melrose, and is surrounded by sections of long-established woodland and policy planting on ancient woodland sites. Continuity of woodland cover is supported by cartographic evidence dating back to the mid-17th century and documentary, botanical and entomological records. The site is notified for its woodland habitat and invertebrate (beetles) interest. The site has a well-developed woodland structure and a wide range of typical plant communities. The ground flora has a better representation of plants strongly associated with ancient woodland than most other Borders sites and there is a high diversity of species, some of which are rare or uncommon in the Borders and Scotland, including lesser meadow-rue Thalictrum minus, spindle tree Euonymus europaeus and rock whitebeam Sorbus rupicola. The woodlands have a high entomological interest due to their aspect, variety of soil and plant associations, high proportion of over-mature/dead timber, and range of habitats. Beetles are of particular importance with 2 national rarities and 24 species of restricted Scottish distribution, of which 7 depend on the constant availability of dead/dying timber, including Microscydmus nanus and Ptinus subpilosus. The presence of flightless beetle species further indicates the site’s antiquity; several are at their only known Borders station, while others are extremely restricted in Scotland. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) Brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Vascular plant assemblage Beetle assemblage Fly assemblage Also, part of Tweedwood - Gateheugh SSSI is designated as part of the River Tweed special area of conservation (SAC) for the European habitat and species listed below: Rivers with floating vegetation often dominated by water-crowfoot River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) Brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) Otter (Lutra lutra) Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

Species mentioned

Plant communities