Site Code
Country: United Kingdom
Central coordinates: 56.64258573o [56o 38' 33" North], -3.36169101o [3o 21' 42" West]
Administrative region: Scotland Tayside & Clackmannanshire (East Perthshire)
Area: 21 ha
Altitude: 120 - 190
Site Description
Milton Wood is 5 km north of Blairgowrie, on the east bank of the River Ericht. The woodland sits immediately above the River Ericht and below the farmland of Milton of Drimmie. The main valley side is stepped into short, steep risers and broad, gently-sloping treads. The lowest tread - the main river terrace - forms the lowest boundary of the wood, and the next tread, the upper boundary. The core of the site occupies the riser in between.
The site was selected as an SSSI for its wet woodland, lichens and vascular. It is the largest remaining example of ancient mixed alder wood in Tayside and one of only four such sites in Perth and Kinross.
(SNH, 2010a)
Botanical Significance
Noted for lichens interest.
Catapyrenium psoromoides
Woodland: It is the largest remaining example of ancient mixed alder wood in Tayside and one of only four such sites in Perth and Kinross (SNH 2010a).
Vascular Plants: Whorled Solomon's-seal Polygonatum verticillatum – nationally rare, which is only found in a handful of gorge woodlands in the UK - all in Perth and Kinross. Other species of interest due to their restricted distribution in the area include: lesser pond-sedge, brown sedge, wood sedge, remote sedge, wood melick grass, woodruff, common toothwort, sanicle. (SNH 2010a,b)
Lichens: The British Lichen Society lists Milton Wood as Grade 2, of National Importance (Fletcher et al., 1982). Currently ranked as the richest wood for lichens in Eastern Scotland. Over 200 spp. have been recorded including 16 Red Data Book (RDB) species. Milton Wood is the only extant British site for Catapyrenium psoromoides (Tree Catapyrenium): RDB Critically Endangered (Church et al 1996), Nationally Rare, Schedule 8 Wildlife and Countryside Act, Biodiversity Action Plan species. (Coppins & Coppins, 2004b). Also of significance is the incidence of a well-developed Lobarion community… within eastern Scotland very few sites still retain sizeable populations of this spp.
Bryophytes: The bryophyte flora (mosses and liverworts) is also diverse with a number of unusual species (such as the nationally scarce beck pocket-moss Fissidens rufulus and British featherwort Plagiochila britannica). (SNH, 2010b) F rufulus is nice and is rare in Scotland but P. britannica is under-recorded and doesn't really warrant much attention (G. Rothero pers. comm.
Management guidance notes
Milton Wood is 5 km north of Blairgowrie, on the east bank of the River Ericht. The woodland sits immediately above the River Ericht and below the farmland of Milton of Drimmie. The main valley side is stepped into short, steep risers and broad, gently-sloping treads. The lowest tread - the main river terrace - forms the lowest boundary of the wood, and the next tread, the upper boundary. The core of the site occupies the riser in between.
The site was selected as an SSSI for its wet woodland, lichens and vascular. It is the largest remaining example of ancient mixed alder wood in Tayside and one of only four such sites in Perth and Kinross.
(Taken from SNH (2010a, b))
Notes
Managed for nature conservation since c. 1980. Stock grazing under SRDP since 2009 (northern part of site only). (SNH, 2010b)