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Protected Areas

Glenarm Woods ASSI

Last updated: 22 April 2010

picture of Glenarm Woods ASSI

Site No ASSI 023
Area 138.95 (ha)
Declared Date 18/03/1999
Confirmed Date 15/10/1999
County Antrim
Council(s Larne BC
Keywords Base-Rich Grassland
Higher plant assemblage
Invertebrate assemblage
Purple Moor-grass and Rush Pasture
Rivers
Scrub
Semi-natural woodland
Upland mixed Ashwood
Upland Oakwoods

picture of wood cranes bill flowersThe site is fragmented and consists of four distinct blocks, two of which occur within the broad Glenarm River valley, with the other blocks occur along the two main tributaries of the Glenarm River - the Linford Water to the south-east and the Owencloghy Water to the south-west - close to their confluence with the Glenarm River. The bulk of the site is made up of semi-natural woodland, which joined together make up the largest stand of semi-natural woodland left within the Antrim region.
The woodland types present range from base-rich and flushed to strongly acidic, which accounts for the high number of associated woodland plant communities which in-turn incorporate one of the richest woodland plant assemblages in the Province including a the large number or rare and notable woodland species including bird cherry, woods cranes bil and birds-nest orchid.
At the upper end of the Glenarm Valley the woodland gives way to open western rush pasture. The breeding bird population often includes wood warblers well as a mixture of other passerines and raptors.

Rare plants within the wood include bird cherry, wood crane's-bill, intermediate wintergreen, bird's-nest orchid and several grass, rush and horsetail species.
The site is also important for breeding birds including wood warbler. A number of notable invertebrates species have also been recorded.

Site Related Documents

Site map (.PDF 1.09Mb)Opens in New window, Citation document (.PDF 157Kb)Opens in New window and Views about Management document (.PDF 141Kb)Opens in New window.