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CITATION BLACK WOOD OF RANNOCH SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST Perth and Kinross Site code: 218 NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE: NN 550550 OS 1:50,000 SHEET NO: Landranger Series 51 1:25,000 SHEET NO: Explorer series 385 AREA: 1887.53 ha NOTIFIED NATURAL FEATURES: Biological : Woodland: Native pinewood Woodland: Upland birch woodland Birds :Breeding bird assemblage Invertebrates: Dragonfly assemblage Invertebrates: Invertebrate assemblage Non-vascular plants: Lichen assemblage Non-vascular plants: Fungi assemblage DESCRIPTION The Black Wood of Rannoch is in highland Perthshire on the southern side of Loch Rannoch some 12km to the west of Kinloch Rannoch. It is a remnant of the once extensive native Caledonian pine and birch woods of Scotland. The long history of woodland cover and aged nature of the pine and birch woods have sustained conditions suitable for a range of plants, animals and birds rarely found in other woods. The Black Wood is important in particular for its lichens, fungi, birds and invertebrates. The canopy consists principally of native pine and birch with typical ground flora communities of acid heath plants. The Black Wood is the most extensive area of relict Caledonian pine forest in Perthshire and an example of the genetically distinct Central group of native pinewoods. It supports a varied range of highland woodland, upland and open water breeding bird species, including several uncommon species. The margins of open water and the shelter of the extensive woodlands provide a variety of conditions which are of value to dragonflies for feeding and breeding. These include an number of rarer species found only in northern Britain, for example the Northern Emerald Somatochlora arctica and the Azure Hawker Aeschna caerulea. Ancient pine and birch trees with dead wood of varying ages, some standing, some fallen, provide niches for a wide selection of other invertebrates: moths, beetles, spiders and flies. This site has the largest number of very rare insects of any Scottish site outwith Speyside and is the prime example of the outstanding insect fauna of the Tummel- Garry valley system. The Black Wood supports important communities of lichens and fungi species characteristic of old pinewoods, for example the nationally rare fungus Scarlet Splash Cytidia salicina. The nature of the site with distinct pine and birch dominated areas has produced a quality of lichen flora in the pinewoods close to that of the best in Scotland while the ancient birch stands to the west of the site are a major feature for lichens in the Black Wood. NOTIFICATION HISTORY Notified under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949: 1955, 1972 Notified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: 16 December 1985 Reviewed under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004: 19 October 2007 REMARKS Part of the Black Wood of Rannoch SSSI lies within the Black Wood of Rannoch Special Area of Conservation (SAC) which is designated for the habitat listed below: Habitats: Caledonian Forest Part of the SSSI is also part of Rannoch Lochs Special Protection Area (SPA) which is designated for the bird listed below: Birds: Black-throated diver The Black Wood of Rannoch lies adjacent to the River Tay SAC. Measured area of site corrected (from 1946.6 ha) .

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