LBAP Habitat Action Plans

Several habitat types are identified in the Local Biodiversity Action Plan as being of importance to the biodiversity of Renfrewshire.

• Broadleaved and Mixed Woodland
• Dwarf Shrub Heath
• Mires and Fens
• Rivers and Streams
• Scrub
• Standing Open Water
• Urban

Broadleaved and Mixed Woodland

Britain is one of the least wooded countries in Europe and preserving what is left of our woodland resource is seen as a priority in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Our largest areas of woodland locally are the dense commercial conifer plantations of low biodiversity that cover much of upland Inverclyde and the East Renfrewshire moors.  

The most valuable woods in Renfrewshire from a biodiversity point of view may be those which have the best compromise between age (ideally over 150 years old), size (over 10 ha), proportion of native trees (high) and recent human influence (little disturbance and management).  These include:

• Finlaystone and Drums estates, both near Langbank
• Duchal Estate, Kilmacolm
• Barochan Moss, Houston
• Erskine Big Wood
• Lawmarnock, near Kilbarchan
• Loch Libo, Uplawmoor
• Waulkmill Glen, near Barrhead

Special plants and animals

In the longer established woods that have escaped grazing by livestock, a natural ground flora may have developed. This often includes primroses and colourful expanses of bluebell (Hyacinthoides spp.) in April, being replaced later in the Spring and Summer by a variety of ferns and other shade-loving plants such as Wood Anenome (Anemone nemorosa), Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) and Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perenne).

Many interesting animals also occur in Renfrewshire's broadleaved woods especially where these are undisturbed or when visitor impact is managed. Renfrewshire's broadleaved woods provide homes to Badgers (Meles meles), Foxes (Vulpes vulpes), Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus), bats, woodland rodents and shrews, while specialist woodland birds like Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopus major) and Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) all breed.

View the Broadleaved and Mixed Woodland action plan (PDF).

Dwarf Shrub Heath

Dwarf Shrub Heaths are characterised by vegetation dominated by members of the heath family (Ericaceae), the most familiar of which is the Heather which characterises much of upland Scotland.

We in Renfrewshire have an important obligation to preserve and restore our local examples of this globally rare and threatened habitat.

Special plants and animals

Our local wet heaths are dominated by Heather (Calluna vulgaris) with varying amounts of the other dwarf shrubs. Cross-leaved Heath (Erica tetralix), Bell Heather (Erica cinerea), Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum) and Blaeberry (Vaccinium myrtilis).

Associated plants vary with the drainage characteristics and degree of grazing at individual sites but usually include Purple Moor Grass (Molina cinerea), Deer Grass (Trichophorum cespitosum), various bog mosses (Sphagnum) and moorland lichens (particularly Cladonia spp.).

The wet heaths of Renfrewshire support a distinctive moorland fauna including: 

• Mountain Hare (Lepus timidus)
• Breeding birds such as Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) Short-eared Owl (Asio flammea), Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) and Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus), and breeding waders such as Golden Plover (Pluvailis apricaria), Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) and Curlew (Numenius arquata)
• Insects such as Green Hairstreak Butterfly (Callophrys rubi) and Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia), plus unique assemblages of spiders and beetles.

View the Dwarf Shrub Heath action plan (PDF).

Mires and Fens

Mire and fen habitat forms on ground which is waterlogged for most of the year and where incomplete decomposition of the vegetation results in peat formation.

Mire vegetation varies widely however, depending on the range of nutrients available. A lush, diverse range of plants may be present if streams and springs bring in a good supply of nutrients from the surrounding area. Good examples of this type of "rich-fen" mire can be seen at Aird Meadow (Lochwinnoch), Loch Libo (nr. Uplawmoor) and Glen Moss (Kilmacolm).

Special plants and animals

While relatively small, the best examples of rich-fen in Renfrewshire, support a wide range of plants with characteristic species including Reed Canary-grass (Phalaris arundinacea), various sedges (Carex spp.) Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), Angelica (Angelica sylvestris), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) and Marsh Cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris).

Such vegetation is an important breeding habitat for some breeding birds, with typical birdsong like the grating chattering of the Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), the insect-like "reeling" of Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia) and the simple three-notes of the Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus) still being commonly heard. Our rich-fens support insects like damselflies, dragonflies and butterflies, such as the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene). 

In general, nutrient-poor mires like blanket bogs and raised bogs support quite different plants and animals to rich-fens although many mires lie somewhere between these two extremes.  

Renfrewshire contains some good examples of nutrient-poor mires which support a number of locally rare species such as Coral-root Orchid (Corallorrhiza trifida), Early Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata), Bog Sedge (Carex limosa), Lesser Tussock-sedge (Carex diandra), Bladderworts (Utricularia spp.) and Twisted Bog-moss (Sphagnum contortum).

View the Mires action plan (PDF).

Unimproved Grasslands

Unimproved grasslands and those which have only been slightly managed support the best variety of plants and animals. Most of the best unimproved grassland in Renfrewshire is associated with upland pastures with the most extensive areas to be found around and within the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, the Eaglesham Moors and along the Gleniffer Braes and Lochliboside Hills.

The vast majority of this grassland is acidic in nature and characterised by the grasses Sheep's Fescue (Festuca ovina), Matgrass (Nardus stricta) and Wavy-hair Grass (Deschampsia flexuosa).

Special plants and animals

While it is the entire diversity of flora and wildlife that is important, some species and groups of species are particularly characteristic and vulnerable elements of biodiverse grasslands:

• Waxcap toadstools (Hygrocybe spp.)
• Herbs including Spignel (Meum athamanticum), Pignut (Conopodium majus), Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia), Mountain Pansy (Viola lutea), Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fushii) and Greater Butterfly Orchid (Platanthera chlorantha)
• Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus)
• Declining breeding birds such as Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix), Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), Curlew (Numenius arquata), Skylark (Alauda arvensis) and Linnet (Carduelis cannabina)
• Insects such as grasshoppers, the Six-spot Burnet Moth (Zygaena filipendulae) and butterflies, including the Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) and Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

View the Unimproved Grasslands action plan (PDF).

Rivers and Streams

Standing Open Water

There are numerous lochs, reservoirs and ponds scattered throughout Renfrewshire. Many of these water bodies are artificial reservoirs on higher ground but these often have relatively low levels of dissolved nutrients, steep artificial shorelines and do not support a particularly wide range of plants and animals.

There are larger natural lochs in lowland areas which often suffer from the opposite problem, namely artificially high nutrient levels caused by sewage and run-off of fertiliser from surrounding farmland. These nutrient enriched lochs may also have low biodiversity due to the algal "blooms" that develop in these conditions deoxygenating the water and blocking the passage of light to the larger aquatic plants. Such nutrient enrichment, or eutrophication, is a particular problem at the Castle Semple Loch/Aird Meadow/Barr Loch complex at Lochwinnoch. Renfrewshire has rather few mesotrophic lochs (those with medium nutrient levels - the type that supports the greatest biodiversity) of which Loch Libo near Uplawmoor is probably the best example.  

Special plants and animals

All unpolluted water bodies support aquatic plants such as pondweeds (Potamageton spp.) and a range of aquatic insects such as water beetles, mayfly and dragonfly nymphs.

The low water levels allowed to develop at Balgray Reservoir (near Barrhead) in recent summers have lead to the establishment of Trifid Bur Marigold (Bidens triparlita) on its muddy margins, a plant rarely found north of the English midlands.

• Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) thrive throughout Renfrewshire, although natural stock are often supplemented with farm reared fish by angling clubs.  Other fish include Perch (Perca fluviatilis) and Pike (Esox lucius) which occur widely, and Roach (Rutilus rutilus) which can be found in a few lochs, such as the "Three Lochs" complex at Lochwinnoch
• Our lochs and reservoirs are also important spawning sites for amphibians including the Common Frog (Rana temporaria), Common Toad (Bufo bufo), Palmate Newt (Lissotriton helveticus) and Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris)
• A range of waterbirds are dependent on this habitat for breeding, including Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus), Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), Coot (Fulica atra), Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus), and Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Standing open water is also an essential to the maintenance of any associated fen or marsh habitat. 

View the Rivers and Streams action plan (PDF).

Urban

The urban environment includes many ‘patches’ of managed green space that support a range of wildlife, for example business parks, cemeteries, churchyards, golf courses, hedges, public parks, road and railway verges and residential gardens. In addition to these ‘managed’ areas there are ancient or seminatural habitats such as woodland, wetlands and rivers which continue to exist in urban areas. Demolition sites, disused railway lands or unexploited industrial land may also support biodiversity.

View the Urban action plan (PDF).