Flanders Mosses

General site character

• Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (1%)
  
• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (70%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (3%)
  
• Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (3%)
  
• Coniferous woodland (3%)
  
• Mixed woodland (20%)
  

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• 7110 Active raised bogs  * Priority feature

  Flanders consists of a cluster of separate bogs in the central belt of Scotland that are the remnants of one of the largest active raised bog complexes in Britain. East Flanders Moss is the largest raised bog in the UK that is still in a predominantly near-natural state. Many of the typical bog-mosses, including Sphagnum papillosum and S. magellanicum, are found in abundance, together with local rarities such as S. fuscum, S. imbricatum and S. molle within a rich diversity of natural microtopographical features. The development of woodland on East Flanders is a recent phenomenon, but where the conditions are sufficiently wet, tree growth is very stunted and the branches are encrusted with rich assemblages of lichen. This may approach the natural conditions of tree growth on raised bog in this part of Scotland. Collymoon Moss previously formed part of a peatland continuum with East Flanders. The ground layer is rich in Sphagnum, but the striking feature of this part of the site is the high proportion of lichens such as reindeer-moss Cladonia spp. Killorn Moss and Shirgarton Moss form small satellites to East Flanders Moss, having once almost certainly been connected to it by fen peat, which has disappeared through agricultural use. These sites have a narrow fringe of woodland giving way to open mire communities, which, in both cases, support vigorous bog-moss vegetation and typical features of raised bog; they are therefore seen as an integral part of the site.

• 7120 Degraded raised bogs still capable of natural regeneration

  Flanders consists of a cluster of separate bogs in the central belt of Scotland that are the remnants of one of the largest 7110 Active raised bog complexes in Britain. A variety of mire conditions, including small areas of degraded raised bog, are present within the site boundary, which collectively form the functional peatland-hydrological unit. East Flanders Moss is the largest raised bog in the UK that is still in a predominantly near-natural state. Areas previously managed for commercial peat extraction and forestry are currently being restored, agricultural drains blocked and invasive scrub removed. Collymoon Moss previously formed part of a peatland continuum with East Flanders. Killorn Moss and Shirgarton Moss form small satellites to East Flanders Moss, having once almost certainly been connected to it by fen peat which has disappeared through agricultural use. These sites have a narrow fringe of woodland giving way to open mire communities, which, in both cases, support vigorous bog-moss Sphagnum spp. vegetation and typical features of raised bog; they are therefore seen as an integral part of the site.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

• Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

• Not Applicable