Glenan Wood is 146 hectares of community owned ancient woodland on the South westernmost tip of the Cowal Peninsula, close to the Portavadie – Tarbert ferry terminal. Sections of the woodland are marked on maps dating 1750 and 1860.
Glenan has a range of habitats to explore, ranging from closed canopy ancient semi-natural Woodland of birches, oaks, hazel and upland ash, to thick closed canopy birch woods and scattered semi natural woods with dense bracken. Glenan also boasts a few ‘tops’ of heathy uplands, including one of international importance.
A temperate rainforest community…
In parts of the wood, our patchy understory contains rocky outcrops, boulder strewn watercourses, dead wood and old trees with veteran features that supports unique species assemblages of lichens and bryophytes of high conservation value. This is due to the continuity of well lit, humid conditions under some of the canopy and our oceanic climatic conditions close to the Atlantic Ocean.
Our lichen communities are strongly associated with temperate rainforest and the UK is internationally important for them.
The unique habitat is rich in fauna. Adders, otters, bats, deer, pine martens and water voles all make their homes here along with cuckoos, wood warblers and owls.
You can participate in compiling a growing list of current observations, or view other members finds using the app Inaturalist. Our project may be found here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/friends-of-glenan-wood
