Coed Graig Uchaf

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 52.8174, -4.0142

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Peatland

Peat habitats store centuries of carbon and depend on a stable, waterlogged water table. Warmer, drier summers dry out peat, making it far more vulnerable to wildfire and to carbon release — a pressure that can undo years of restoration work regardless of how well the site is otherwise managed.

Geology & landscape

Landscape processes: Peatland / Mire

Birds & fish recorded

Birds

SpeciesSeason
redstart Breeding
wood warbler Breeding

Description

Description A biological site, this woodland is selected as an example of a woodland with a rich oceanic bryophyte flora. The ground is a boulder field covered in luxuriant growths of bryophytes. Stunted sessile oaks Quercus petraea dominate together in some areas with thickets of hazel Corylus avellana much ash Fraxinus excelsior and mature rowan Sorbus aucuparia. The bryophytes in more acid areas are characterised by the presence of such species as Hylocomium splendens, Pleurozium schreberii and Sphagnum quinquefarium, a species of humid woodlands. More basic habitats present may have a distinctive flora of species such as Ctenidium molluscum and Eurhynchium striatum. Many uncommon and rare species occur such as Lepidozia cupressina, the nationally rare hepatic Radula voluta, Bazzania tricrenata and Grimmia hartmanii. Of the higher plants wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa, bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus and brown bent Agrostis canina are widespread whilst dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis, wood sanicle Sanicula europaea and primrose Primula vulgaris occur in the more base rich areas. In open damp areas heath spotted orchid Dactylorhiza maculata and lousewort Pedicularis sylvatica occur. The variety of habitats is increased by the presence of small streams running through the woodland and open areas of sparse scrub consisting of hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and blackthorn Prunus spinosa. Typical breeding birds include wood warbler and redstart. Remarks: Within the Snowdonia National Park and adjacent to Rhinog SSSI.

Species mentioned

English name
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Latin name
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IUCN / Red List Type Family
redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus LC (Breeding) bird-robin muscicapidae
wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix VU (Breeding) bird-warbler phylloscopidae
velvet bent Agrostis canina LC grass poaceae
wavy hair grass Deschampsia flexuosa Not listed in GB list grass poaceae
heath spotted orchid Dactylorhiza maculata LC herb orchidaceae
dog's mercury Mercurialis perennis LC herb euphorbiaceae
lousewort Pedicularis sylvatica NT herb orobanchaceae
primrose Primula vulgaris LC herb primulaceae
sanicle Sanicula europaea LC herb apiaceae
lesser whipwort Bazzania tricrenata LC liverwort jungermanniales
rock fingerwort Lepidozia cupressina LC liverwort jungermanniales
comb moss Ctenidium molluscum LC moss hypnales
common striated feather-moss Eurhynchium striatum LC moss hypnales
glittering wood moss Hylocomium splendens LC moss hypnales
five ranked bog moss Sphagnum quinquefarium LC moss sphagnales
hawthorn Crataegus monogyna LC shrub rosaceae
blackthorn Prunus spinosa LC shrub rosaceae
billberry Vaccinium myrtillus LC shrub ericaceae
hazel Corylus avellana LC tree corylaceae
ash Fraxinus excelsior LC tree oleaceae
sessile or durmast oak Quercus petraea LC tree fagaceae
rowan Sorbus aucuparia LC tree rosaceae

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Hedera 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

Hedera 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