CITATION TAYNISH WOODS SITE OF SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC INTEREST Argyll & Bute Site code: 1522

NATIONAL GRID REFERENCE: NR 735850

OS 1:50,000 SHEET NO: Landranger Series 55 1:25,000 SHEET NO: Explorer Series 358

AREA: 392.41 hectares

NOTIFIED NATURAL FEATURES

Biological: Coastlands: Saltmarsh Tidal rapids Rocky shore Fens: Fen meadow Freshwater habitats: Oligo-mesotrophic loch Woodlands: Upland oak woodland Non-vascular plants: Bryophyte assemblage Lichen assemblage Invertebrates: Beetle assemblage Fly assemblage Moth assemblage Butterflies: Marsh fritillary, Euphydryas aurinia Dragonflies: Dragonfly assemblage

DESCRIPTION

Taynish Woods SSSI is situated by Loch Sween on the west coast of Scotland, just south of the village of Tayvallich. The area includes Taynish peninsula and Taynish Island to the south-west, but excludes three residential properties.

An extremely diverse, multiple-interest site, the SSSI is one of the largest and most intact western deciduous oak woodlands remaining in Britain. The varied underlying geomorphology has developed a wide range of other woodland types. There are plant and insect assemblages of interest, and fresh- and salt-water features.

There are three nationally-important coastal habitats. There are tidal rapids, which flow between the Linne Mhuirich lagoons and the main Loch Sween waters. These shallow rapids have communities of unusual species and an outstanding intertidal sponge population, including Hymeniacidon perleve and the crumb-of-bread sponge Halichondria bowerbanki.

The notified rocky shores are often steep and the tidal range is further reduced due to a nearby amphidromic point (around which tides oscillate). These unusually- compressed, intertidal, biological zonations add to the site’s interest and the range of species found. On the sheltered rocky shores, the Montagu's stellate barnacle Chthamalus montagui is un-characteristically common and common barnacle Balanus balanoides is surprisingly scarce.

There is also notified saltmarsh at the southern end of the Taynish peninsula. This contains communities dominated by saltmarsh rush Juncus gerardi and saltmarsh flat-sedge Blysmus rufus.

At the southern end of the peninsula, on the old raised beach, there are nationally- important, fen meadows (wet meadows) which are herb-rich and characterised by sharp-flowered rush Juncus acutiflorus and marsh-bedstraw Galium palustre, with whorled caraway Carum verticillatum locally abundant. The devil’s-bit scabious Succisa pratensis found here is the food plant for the marsh fritillary butterfly and the meadow thistle Cirsium dissectum grows here in one of its two Scottish localities.

Lochan Taynish is an internationally-important oligo-mesotrophic loch, being one of a small number of lochs with a low to moderately-rich plant nutrient environment. It has a rich flora and fauna, with a total of 32 species of submerged and emergent aquatic plants, including shining pondweed Potamogeton lucens.

Taynish Woods are internationally important for the oak woodlands found there. An extremely diverse, multiple-interest site, the SSSI is one of the largest and most intact western deciduous oak woodlands remaining in Britain. The varied underlying geomorphology has developed a wide range of other woodland types. The biggest community has oaks and birch on shaded boulder slopes which supports a rich bryophyte flora (mosses and liverworts) and fern flora.

The less-rocky slopes support more open woodland and also have a rich woodland flora, including a non-notified, but nationally-scarce species, the narrow-leaved helleborine Cephalanthera longifolia. The dry base-rich slopes support a mixed deciduous woodland community with ash, wych elm and dog’s mercury (Fraxinus excelsior-Ulmus glabra-Mercurialis perennis). In the wetter, wooded hollows a comparatively unusual alder carr community occurs Alnus glutinosa – Fraxinus excelsior – Lysimachia nemorum. Many of the open, wet hollows within the woodland support rich fen communities with species including broad-leaved cottongrass Eriophorum latifolium, tawny sedge Carex hostiana and royal fern Osmunda regalis, adding to the diversity.

Taynish Woods SSSI is a nationally-important site for mosses and liverworts (bryophytes). Several different habitats on a mix of rock types occur. The species list currently stands at more than 250 species (about 25% of the British bryoflora). The main bryophyte feature of interest is the Atlantic assemblage, particularly the prickly featherwort - western earwort Plagiochila spinulosa – Scapania gracilis community and the rock fingerwort – Scott’s fork-moss Lepidozia cupressina– Dicranum scottianum community of the more acid rocks. Within this community the nationally-scarce deceptive featherwort Adelanthus decipiens and western featherwort Plagiochila heterophylla are of particular interest. Killarney featherwort Plagiochila bifaria and MacKay’s pouncewort Marchesinia mackaii on the more calcareous rocks are also important. The occurrence of compact feather-moss Conardia compacta on some soft metamorphosed limestone is noteworthy, as it is rare in Scotland and this remains its only record in Argyll.

The rich lichen flora is an internationally-important feature of these western Scotland woods. 475 species are recorded of which 148 are considered notable species. The habitat is predominantly of oceanic/sub-oceanic/temperate European type. The flora includes species which are usually found further south, such as Physcia clementii, and species which are on untypical substrates. British lichen groups are well represented – particularly the Lobarion communities; including such species as tree lungwort Lobaria pulmonaria. On smooth bark, especially hazel trees, there are abundant Graphidion lichens which are hyper-oceanic (very influenced by the surrounding seas).

The whole SSSI hosts a diverse range of invertebrates. The nationally-important moth assemblage includes over 450 species. Four of these are considered to be particularly rare in Scotland, such as Clepsis rurinana, a micro moth.

The Taynish woodlands and clearings, with their wealth of micro-habitats, including an abundance of dead wood, provide ideal conditions for a nationally-important beetle assemblage. This includes nationally-scarce species, such as the weevil Ceutorhynchus parvulus.

The nationally-important fly assemblage includes 61 species of true flies, several of which are listed as being of conservation status; for example, a snail-killing fly Tetanocera freyi.

The nationally-important moth assemblage includes over 450 species. Four of these are considered to be particularly rare in Scotland, such as Clepsis rurinana, a micro moth.

The herb-rich fen meadows are good habitat for the internationally-important marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia, in association with its larval food plant, devil’s- bit scabious Succisa pratensis. Taynish is a core area for the local meta-population. The purple moor grass Molinia caerulea meadows of the coastal grassland fens also benefit other butterflies species.

In recent years, 13 species of dragonfly and damselfly have been found at Taynish Woods, making it a nationally-important assemblage. The assemblage includes the southern hawker dragonfly Aeshna cyanea and it is one of the few Scottish sites with the hairy dragonfly Brachytron pratense.

NOTIFICATION HISTORY

First notified under the 1949 Act: 1975. Re-notified under the 1981 Act: 30 March 1990 with a 1.31 ha increase in area. Notification reviewed under the 2004 Act: 24 March 2011

REMARKS

Measured area of site corrected (from 390.1 ha)

Taynish Woods SSSI is part of the Taynish and Knapdale Woods Special Area of Conservation (SAC), which is designated for the European habitats and species listed below.

Habitats : Clear-water lakes or lochs with aquatic vegetation and poor to moderate nutrient levels : Western acidic oak woodland Species : Marsh fritillary butterfly, Euphydryas aurinia : Otter, Lutra lutra