Dinnet Oakwood

Dinnet Oakwood

Dinnet Oakwood is a Designated Special Area of Conservation and National Nature Reserve located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located approximately 9 miles from Aboyne and six miles from Ballater. The area is owned by Scottish Natural Heritage.^[1]

Land area

It is made up of 19.73 hectares, of which 100% is broad-leaf deciduous woodland.^[2] Dinnet Oakwood is believed to be the remains of an ancient forest which covered lowland Scotland.^[3][4]

Flora and fauna

The flora and fauna of Dinnet Oakwood is very diverse, and includes many fish, amphibians, trees, ferns, fungi, insects, mosses, reptiles, spiders, and mammals.

Dinnet Oakwood is one of two places, along with Moronne Birkwoods,^[5] which constitutes the Eastern Highlands Atlantic Bryophyte Zone.

The fauna of Dinnet is especially important because it was protected because there are few oak woodlands located in eastern Scotland, far less so than in western Scotland, and because Dinnet Oakwood contains many groves of sessile oak. The fungi are also of note because among those located in Dinnet, there are several very rare varieties that are dependent on oak and charcoal, making it a site of national import.^[2]

Birding is common in the area, especially in the springtime.^[3][6]

References

1. ^ Forest Education Initiative: Dinnet Oakwood^{[dead link]}
2. ^ ^{a b} "Dinnet Oakwood - Special Area of Conservation". JNCC. http://www.jncc.gov.uk/ProtectedSites/SACselection/SAC.asp?EUCode=UK0030134. Retrieved 2009-09-12. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Nature and Wildlife". Loch Kinord Hotel. Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. http://web.archive.org/web/20080303045036/http://www.lochkinord.com/attractions/nature.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-12. 
4. ^ "Factsheet". European Nature Information Service. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ Brian Huntley and H. J. B. Birks (July 1979). "The Past and Present Vegetation of the Morrone Birkwoods National Nature Reserve, Scotland: I. A Primary Phytosociological Survey". Journal of Ecology (British Ecological Society) 67 (2): 417–446. JSTOR 2259106. 
6. ^ "Eye to the hills". Deesidedlybirds. 19 June 2005. ^{[dead link]}

Coordinates: 57°5′0″N 2°56′8″W / 57.083333°N 2.93556°W / 57.083333; -2.93556