Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables
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Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables Camilty Wind Farm - Partnerships for Renewables

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Camilty Wind Farm 11.3.16 Marshy grassland areas are also common within the rides containing drains and burns across the site. These areas are dominated by a soft rush sward often containing a high percentage cover of purple moor grass. A number of areas within Camilty Plantation have been recently felled with marshy grassland species regenerating between the brash lanes left from forestry activities (TN15). These areas are currently still classified as recently felled under the Phase 1 nomenclature. 11.3.17 The areas of semi-improved acid grassland in the southeast of the site (TN37) are dominated by species such as sheep’s fescue and sweet vernal grass, with abundant heath bedstraw (Galium saxatile) and mosses such as Rhytideadelphus loreus within the sward. Due to the grazing that appears to take place within these areas, the additional nutrients have allowed the introduction of species such as creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense) and Yorkshire fog which otherwise would be unable to exist. Heath rush (Juncus squarrosus) is also occasionally present throughout these acidic areas. 11.3.18 There are a number of poor semi-improved fields in the south of the survey area surrounding Crosswoodburn Farm. Heath and Mire 11.3.19 Throughout the survey area there are few areas of heath present, as the majority of the survey area has a peat depth greater than 50 cm. There are no areas of wet heath in the site boundary. An area of wet heath (TN35) is present in the south east of the survey area bordering the plantation forestry before areas of acid and marshy grassland become dominant. This wet heath area is dominated by heather (Calluna vulgaris) and bilberry (Vaccinium mrytillus), with abundant purple moor grass present throughout the ericoid (heath, or heath-like) sward. The peat depth within the area is less than 50cm. 11.3.20 Areas of blanket bog are present across the survey area where afforestation has not taken place. Two such examples are in the north west of the survey area (e.g. around TN28) and the south of the survey area (TN22) where Cobbinshaw Moss SSSI joins the survey area boundary. These areas have a peat depth greater than 50cm, containing a sward dominated by ericoid species such as heather, cross-leaved heath, and bilberry, with a ground layer containing Sphagna such as S. capillofolium, S. fallax, S. tenellum, S. cuspidatum, and S. subnitens. Only a small area (1.66 ha) of wet modified bog is present in the site boundary, along rides in the east of the site – these were included as a constraint during the site design process described in Chapter 3: Design Evolution. 11.3.21 Both the wet heath and blanket bog areas are recognised as Annex 1 Biotope types under the EC Habitats Directive and the Habitats Regulations 1994 (as amended), and as UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority habitats. They are also listed on the Scottish Biodiversity List as of conservation importance for Scotland. Watercourses and Waterbodies 11.3.22 The watercourses within the Phase 1 survey area include the Otter Burn, Powfastle Burn, Shear Burn, Crosswood Burn, Kelly Syke, Green Burn and Black Burn. These burns drain the survey area flowing from the southwest to the northeast, passing through the site and ultimately discharging into the Camilty Water in the northeast of the survey area. The majority of the burns are narrow, between 0.5 m and 1.5 m in width, often choked with soft rush, running between a mixture of mineral soil or peat banks generally between 0.5 m and 1 m in height. March 2013 11-17 ES Chapter 11 Terrestrial Ecology Copyright Partnerships for Renewables Development Co. Ltd 2013 ©

Camilty Wind Farm 11.3.23 Within the survey area there are numerous small forestry drains, many of which are choked with either soft rush, brash from felling activities, or Sphagnum mosses. These have not been mapped for the purpose of this survey. 11.3.24 All major waterbodies are present in the north of the survey area (TN4, TN10). These are drainage pools from previous forestry activities, with two main systems being linked by a single drain running through a gulley containing banks of semi-improved neutral grassland (TN9). The pools contain areas of open water fringed by emergent vegetation dominated by soft rush, with scattered willow scrub (Salix spp.) and silver birch saplings surrounding these areas. The pools in the wider context are surrounded by areas of marshy grassland dominated by soft rush and tufted hair grass. NVC Field Survey Results 11.3.25 In general, the habitats within the Camilty site are of low to moderate nature conservation importance being dominated by continuous, coniferous plantation woodland and felled coniferous woodland, with areas of marshy grassland and mire habitats within forest rides. However, sections of the survey area surrounding the site boundary are more ecologically diverse than those within the site, containing areas of Annex 1 Biotope and UK BAP priority habitat such as blanket bog and wet heath. These include parts of Cobbinshaw Moss SSSI to the south west of the site. 11.3.26 An NVC survey was carried out to classify habitats of potentially high conservation value (Annex 1 and UKBAP) into more detailed vegetation communities. 11.3.27 Table 11.9 lists the dominant NVC communities present within the survey area, with Figure 11.4 providing an overview of location and surface areas of the relevant polygons. The proportions of each habitat per survey polygon are listed in Appendix 11.2. Table 11.9 Dominant NVC Communities Within the Vegetation Survey Area NVC Code NVC Type Area (ha) Survey Polygons community was found in Annex 1 Biotope UK BAP Priority habitat Scottish Biodiversity List SEPA GWDTE’s MG1a MG9a Arrhenatherum elatius grassland, Festuca rubra subcommunity Holcus lanatus- Deschampsia cespitosa grassland, Poa trivialis subcommunity 20.01 17 - - - N 15.69 4 - - H1, H3, SO1 N H18a Vaccinium myrtillus- Deschampsia flexuosa heath, Hylocomium splendens- Rhytidiadelphus loreus subcommunity 15.67 7 European dry heaths Upland heaths H1, H3, SO1 N March 2013 11-18 ES Chapter 11 Terrestrial Ecology Copyright Partnerships for Renewables Development Co. Ltd 2013 ©

<strong>Camilty</strong> <strong>Wind</strong> <strong>Farm</strong><br />

11.3.23 Within the survey area there are numerous small <strong>for</strong>estry drains, many of which are choked<br />

with either soft rush, brash from felling activities, or Sphagnum mosses. These have not<br />

been mapped <strong>for</strong> the purpose of this survey.<br />

11.3.24 All major waterbodies are present in the north of the survey area (TN4, TN10). These are<br />

drainage pools from previous <strong>for</strong>estry activities, with two main systems being linked by a<br />

single drain running through a gulley containing banks of semi-improved neutral grassland<br />

(TN9). The pools contain areas of open water fringed by emergent vegetation dominated by<br />

soft rush, with scattered willow scrub (Salix spp.) and silver birch saplings surrounding these<br />

areas. The pools in the wider context are surrounded by areas of marshy grassland<br />

dominated by soft rush and tufted hair grass.<br />

NVC Field Survey Results<br />

11.3.25 In general, the habitats within the <strong>Camilty</strong> site are of low to moderate nature conservation<br />

importance being dominated by continuous, coniferous plantation woodland and felled<br />

coniferous woodland, with areas of marshy grassland and mire habitats within <strong>for</strong>est rides.<br />

However, sections of the survey area surrounding the site boundary are more ecologically<br />

diverse than those within the site, containing areas of Annex 1 Biotope and UK BAP priority<br />

habitat such as blanket bog and wet heath. These include parts of Cobbinshaw Moss SSSI<br />

to the south west of the site.<br />

11.3.26 An NVC survey was carried out to classify habitats of potentially high conservation value<br />

(Annex 1 and UKBAP) into more detailed vegetation communities.<br />

11.3.27 Table 11.9 lists the dominant NVC communities present within the survey area, with Figure<br />

11.4 providing an overview of location and surface areas of the relevant polygons. The<br />

proportions of each habitat per survey polygon are listed in Appendix 11.2.<br />

Table 11.9 Dominant NVC Communities Within the Vegetation Survey Area<br />

NVC<br />

Code<br />

NVC Type<br />

Area<br />

(ha)<br />

Survey<br />

Polygons<br />

community<br />

was found<br />

in<br />

Annex 1<br />

Biotope<br />

UK<br />

BAP<br />

Priority<br />

habitat<br />

Scottish<br />

Biodiversity<br />

List<br />

SEPA<br />

GWDTE’s<br />

MG1a<br />

MG9a<br />

Arrhenatherum<br />

elatius grassland,<br />

Festuca rubra subcommunity<br />

Holcus lanatus-<br />

Deschampsia<br />

cespitosa<br />

grassland, Poa<br />

trivialis subcommunity<br />

20.01 17 - - - N<br />

15.69 4 - - H1, H3, SO1 N<br />

H18a<br />

Vaccinium<br />

myrtillus-<br />

Deschampsia<br />

flexuosa heath,<br />

Hylocomium<br />

splendens-<br />

Rhytidiadelphus<br />

loreus subcommunity<br />

15.67 7 European<br />

dry<br />

heaths<br />

Upland<br />

heaths<br />

H1, H3, SO1 N<br />

March 2013 11-18 ES Chapter 11<br />

Terrestrial Ecology<br />

Copyright <strong>Partnerships</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Renewables</strong> Development Co. Ltd 2013 ©

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