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Home , Blera fallax, Hylocomium splendens, Phellodon melaleucus, Pinus sylvestris, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Vulpicida pinastri

NATIVE WOODLANDS (UK BAP PRIORITY HABITAT)

Summary

This is woodland with a canopy dominated by native Scots pine . Other trees and shrubs can occur, especially silver , downy birch , rowan , aspen , grey willow Salix cinerea, eared willow Salix aurita and juniper , and these tend to be more frequent in western pine . The ground vegetation is typically heathy, although some examples have a grassy or -dominated field layer. Bryophytes are generally abundant, but some examples around the Moray Firth are less mossy and have a ground layer made up of a carpet of Cladonia lichens.

This priority habitat occupies well-drained to quite wet acid soils and occurs in association with other habitats including birch woodland, wet woodland, heaths both wet and dry, bogs, bracken, grasslands, cliffs and screes. It is restricted to that part of the Scottish Highlands in which Pinus sylvestris occurs as a native .

Good management for conservation in this habitat generally aims towards maintaining a good diversity of species, sizes and age classes of trees and shrubs, encouraging diversity in the structure and species composition of the ground vegetation, maintaining rich bryophyte and lichen assemblages on rocks and trees especially in the west, maintaining good quantities of standing and fallen dead , and controlling the extent and spread of non-native trees and shrubs, especially Rhododendron ponticum.

What is it?

This woodland has a canopy dominated by native Scots pine Pinus sylvestris, with other tree and shrub species often occurring.

The ground vegetation reflects the acidic nature of the soils, and typically contains an abundance of ling Calluna vulgaris and/or bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus. Other dwarf shrubs can occur: bell heather Erica cinerea on drier ground, cross-leaved heath E. tetralix on damper ground, and cowberry V. vitis-idaea. Some examples have a more grassy field layer including much common bent Agrostis capillaris, sweet vernal grass Anthoxanthum odoratum and, where wetter, purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea. Bryophytes are generally abundant, forming extensive deep carpets and hummocks. The commonest species are typically the splendens, , loreus, R. triquetrus, Pseudoscleropodium purum, Hypnum jutlandicum, Plagiothecium undulatum and cristacastrensis. The damper examples, whether heathy or with abundant Molinia, can have much Sphagnum capillifolium, S. quinquefarium, S. fallax and Polytrichum commune among these moss carpets.

Some Native pine woodlands in the east, around the Moray Firth, have a ground layer which is not mossy but is made up of carpets of lichens of the genus Cladonia. These woods do not fit into the W18 community and are not described in the NVC.

Pine flakes off readily, and although this limits the longevity of epiphytes can have interesting epiphytic bryophyte and lichen floras. Associated tree and shrub species can also be rich in epiphytes, both in terms of their abundance and diversity.

How do I recognise it?

Differentiation from other Priority Habitats

This priority habitat is distinguished from all others by the abundance of native Scots pine Pinus sylvestris. The ground vegetation of this priority habitat can resemble that found also in the Upland oakwood and Upland birchwoods priority habitats and some examples of the Wet woodland priority habitat, but none of these three priority habitats has a canopy of native pine.

Definition in relation to other habitat classifications

Classification Habitat types belonging to this UK BAP priority habitat W18 (all examples) NVC (This NVC community is included in the Scottish Biodiversity List.) A1: examples of W18 and Pinus-Cladonia woodland with >30% canopy cover A2: scrub forms of W18 and Pinus-Cladonia woodland Phase 1 A3: examples of W18 and Pinus-Cladonia woodland with <30% canopy cover A4: recently felled W18 and Pinus-Cladonia woodland UK BAP broad All examples of this priority habitat belong to the broad habitat - habitat Coniferous woodland

Definition in relation to legislative classifications

Classification Habitat types belonging to this UK BAP priority habitat

Habitats H91C0 (all occurrences). Directive Annex I H91D0

SNH SSSI All examples of the Native pine woodlands priority habitat belong habitat features within the Native pinewood SSSI feature type.

Where is it?

Most of this priority habitat is on level to steeply sloping ground with dry to damp acidic soils. Many examples are patches of pinewood among open heath of the Upland heathland priority habitat and bog of the Blanket bog priority habitat. However the woodland can also occur among areas of cliff or scree of the Inland rock outcrop and scree priority habitat, bracken and acid grassland, or with other woodland types in the Upland oakwood, Upland birchwoods and Wet woodland priority habitats. It may also be found as patches amongst non-native . The altitudinal range is from sea level to over 600 m.

This priority habitat is restricted to that part of the Scottish Highlands in which Pinus sylvestris occurs as a native species. It is most extensive in Speyside, Deeside, Glen Affric and Glen Strathfarrar but also occurs north to Wester Ross and eastern Sutherland, and south to Argyll and Perthshire. It is estimated that about 4000 years ago this habitat covered about 1.5 million ha, but its total extent now is about 16000 ha (UK BAP 2008).

What is special about it?

Some species of special conservation status recorded in this priority habitat are listed below.

Wildlife EC Scottish and UK BAP Habitats Bio- Red Country- Common priority Directive diversity Data side Act Group name Latin name list Annex II List List (1981) bees, wasps and ruby-tailed y y ants wasp Chrysura hirsuta bees, wasps and narrow- y y ants headed ant Formica exsecta bees, wasps and shining guest Formicoxenus y y ants ant nitidulus bees, wasps and y y ants a mason bee Osmia uncinata birds tree pipit Anthus trivialis y y y European Caprimulgus y y y birds nightjar europaeus birds cuckoo Cuculus canorus y y y birds wryneck Jynx torquilla y y y y Scottish y y birds Loxia scotica spotted y y y birds flycatcher Muscicapa striata Tetrao tetrix subsp. y y y birds britannicus birds capercaillie Tetrao urogallus y y y birds song thrush Turdus philomelos y y y Wildlife EC Scottish and UK BAP Habitats Bio- Red Country- Common priority Directive diversity Data side Act Group name Latin name list Annex II List List (1981) Lophophanes y birds crested tit cristatus pine fallax y y Strathspey Clusiodes y y flies clusiid geomyzinus flowering y y juniper Juniperus communis flowering y y plants twinflower Linnaea borealis flowering one-flowered y y y plants wintergreen Moneses uniflora flowering yellow bird`s- y y y plants nest Monotropa hypopitys fungi a tooth Bankera fuligineoalba y y black y y fungi falsebolete Boletopsis perplexa fungi lilac domecap Calocybe onychina y y purple y fungi spindles Clavaria purpurea Hydnellum y y fungi a tooth fungus aurantiacum fungi a tooth fungus Hydnellum caeruleum y y Hydnellum y y fungi a tooth fungus concrescens Hydnellum y y fungi a tooth fungus ferrugineum fungi a tooth fungus Hydnellum peckii y y Hydnellum y y fungi a tooth fungus scrobiculatum fungi a tooth fungus melaleucus y y fungi black tooth y y fungi a tooth fungus Phellodon tomentosus y y conifer y fungi scalycap Pholiota astragalina medusa Psathyrella caput- y y fungi brittlestem medusae fungi a tooth fungus Sarcodon glaucopus y y fungi a tooth fungus Sarcodon scabrosus y y fungi scaly tooth Sarcodon squamosus y y conifer Stropharia y y fungi roundhead hornemannii fungi giant knight Tricholoma colossus y y fungi robust knight Tricholoma robustum y y Arthothelium y y y lichens a lichen dictyosporum forked hair- y y y y lichens lichen Bryoria furcellata lichens a lichen Buellia violaceofusca y y y lichens stump lichen Cladonia botrytes y y y lichens matt felt lichen Peltigera malacea y y y lichens a lichen pinastri y y y mammals wildcat Felis silvestris y y y y mammals pine marten Martes martes y y y y soprano y y y mammals pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus brown long- y y y y mammals eared bat Plecotus auritus mammals Sciurus vulgaris y y y green shield- y y y y y mosses moss Buxbaumia viridis rusty fork- y y y mosses moss Dicranum spurium aspen bristle- Orthotrichum y y y mosses moss gymnostomum cousin y y moths german Protolampra sobrina reptiles slow-worm Anguis fragilis y y y reptiles adder Vipera berus y y y Wildlife EC Scottish and UK BAP Habitats Bio- Red Country- Common priority Directive diversity Data side Act Group name Latin name list Annex II List List (1981) reptiles common lizard Zootoca vivipara y y y a money- Monocephalus y y spiders spider castaneipes Philodromus y y spiders a crab spider margaritatus a money- y y spiders spider Saaristoa firma

How do we manage it?

Good management for conservation should aim towards the following:

 Encourage regeneration to ensure a continued canopy and diversity of size classes, age classes and (where other tree and shrub species occur with pine) species of trees and shrubs

If felling or thinning takes place this should ideally not reduce the variation in species, sizes and age classes of trees and shrubs. In many woods natural regeneration can be encouraged, generally by at least a temporary reduction or removal of grazing, as a means of increasing the numbers of young trees, thereby helping to maintain the woodland in the long term. It should be noted that sometimes commercially managed native pinewoods can be in better condition than those not seen to have commercial value, and indeed there are several SSSI/SAC examples of this. Rowan, and birch regeneration often develops quickly and abundantly. and hazel can occur in western pinewoods but they are not common. The benefits of management for natural regeneration should of course be balanced against any possible detrimental effects. An increased height and density of ground vegetation can lead to reductions in populations of and small plants. A very dense tree/shrub canopy can outshade light-demanding species such as many lichens. It can be good to keep some glades open, to provide general habitat diversity and because glades can be important for groups such as insects, birds and, on trees at edges of glades, lichens. Enclosing woodlands to encourage regeneration can lead to dense thicket regeneration. However it may be the only option available to allow regeneration to take place effectively and retain woodland at a site. In this habitat it would be preferable to keep herbivore populations low enough to allow tree regeneration, but still have some browsing. However this solution may not often be possible.

 Encouraging diversity in the structure and species composition of the ground vegetation

If grazing is only light to moderate this can allow some tree and shrub regeneration to take place and also allow the heathy ground vegetation to be maintained as such instead of becoming more grassy as a result of overgrazing.

 Maintaining rich assemblages of bryophytes and lichens, especially in the west

To a large extent this means maintaining shaded conditions so that shade- and humidity-demanding bryophytes and lichens, including many uncommon species, do not suffer from too much exposure to sunlight and wind. However, this also means guarding against overshading because many of these species are intolerant of heavy shade. Where felling or thinning is planned in western woods it is best to assess the richness of the trees and shrubs concerned, and that of nearby rocks, heather stems and ground, and to carry out the planned management only where these bryophyte and lichen floras are not especially rich or do not include species of special interest.

 Maintaining good quantities of standing and fallen dead wood

Dead wood is best left in the woodland because it is an important habitat for birds, insects and, on fallen rotting logs and stumps, bryophytes and lichens, including rarities from all of these groups. Fallen dead wood also helps to provide variety in habitat structure on the ground, and the additional shade and shelter close to fallen timber helps to maintain the humid conditions needed by some woodland species.

 Controlling the extent and spread of non-native trees and shrubs

Non-native tree and shrub species, especially and rhododendron, can occur in this habitat as a result of deliberate under- or inter-planting, or by seeding in from nearby sources. They have the potential to cause unnaturally heavy shade and thereby impoverish the native pinewood ecosystem, so control of these species is desirable in order to prevent ecological losses. Rhododendron ponticum can be a particularly serious threat to internationally important bryophyte, lichen and fern floras, especially in the west, though it is less common in native pinewoods than in western oak and birch woodland. However, it can invade native pinewoods, and where it does it should be removed from such places.

References, links and further reading Averis, A., Averis, B., Birks, J., Horsfield, D., Thompson, D., & Yeo, M. 2004. An Illustrated Guide to British Upland Vegetation. Peterborough, JNCC http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2463

Ellis, N.E. and Munro, K. 2004. A preliminary review of the distribution and extent of BAP priority habitats across . Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report No.044 (ROAME No. F00NA02). https://www.nature.scot/information-library-data-and-research/information-library

Forestry Commission. 2003. The management of semi-natural woodlands. Practice Guide series of seven booklets (one for each woodland UK BAP priority habitat). Edinburgh, Commission.

Mason, W.L. 2004. Managing the pinewoods of Scotland. Forestry Commission management handbook. http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/INFD-659CE9

Rodwell, J.S., ed. 1991a British communities Volume 1: Woodlands and scrub. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

Rodwell, J.S., Dring, J.C., Averis, A.B.G., Proctor, M.C.F., Malloch, A.J.C., Schaminee, J.H.J. & Dargie, T.C.D. 1998. Review of coverage of the National Vegetation Classification. Joint Nature Conservation Committee contract report F76-01-170. Coordinated by the Unit of Vegetation Science, Lancaster University.

UK BAP 2008. http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/UKBAP_BAPHabitats-38- NativePineWoodlands.pdf

Usher, M.B., Bain, C. and Kerr, A. eds. 2000. Action for Scotland's Biodiversity. Scottish Biodiversity Group. Edinburgh, The Scottish Executive and The Stationery Office.

Common Standards Monitoring guidance http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-2199

National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Gateway https://data.nbn.org.uk/

Scottish Natural Heritage website: http://www.nature.scot

UKBAP information on JNCC website: http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=5155