Wet woodland is a varied range of woodland and scrub that occurs on poorly drained or at least seasonally waterlogged soils.
The wet woodland (.PDF 148Kb)
resource is diverse in composition and structure.
A lot of these woodlands are very young, but as they mature their species diversity increases with trees such as willow, alder, downy birch and occasionally ash and oak.
Typical plants include yellow flag iris, marsh marigold, ferns and sedges along with some rare species such as elongated sedge and large bitter-cress.
Wet woodland can provide breeding sites for mammals such as the otter and the common pipistrelle bat alongside some species of breeding birds.
Priority species found in wet woodlands typically include the spotted flycatcher, song thrush and the white-line snout moth.
Alongside all water features from small streams to the shores of Lough Neagh and on all soil types whether nutrient rich or poor. It often occurs as a mosaic within other woodland types.
Places to visitGood examples can be seen in Bonds Glen Co. Londonderry, and Portmore Lough Fringe