Upland oakwoods
Upland oakwoods are extensive in the west of Scotland, occurring from
Galloway northwards to Sutherland. They are also widely distributed around
the rest of the upland parts of the country, particularly in relatively
sheltered areas with more fertile soils. Apart from oak, birch may be
an important component of these woods.
- The most common species of oak in these woods is
sessile oak.
- In the west of Scotland, where rainfall is generally
high, these oakwoods often support dense populations of mosses, liverworts,
lichens and ferns, and are internationally important for the conservation
of certain species. In these areas the soils are often quite poor, and
the ground-layer is commonly made up of acid-loving plants such as blaeberry
and heather.
- Further east, where the rainfall is lower and the
soils are often less acidic, the ground layer commonly includes bracken
and grass. Bluebells, wood anemones, violets, primroses and other woodland
flowers may be seasonally abundant on drier ground. Birch tends to be
most common on the margins of these woods, gradually colonising the
surrounding land.
- These upland oakwoods were once intensively coppiced
for the charcoal and tanbark industries.
What to find in an upland oakwood
Oak
Birch
Blaeberries
Heather
Bracken
Red deer
Rhododendron
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