Ladder Hills

General site character

• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (30%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (68%)
  
• Dry grassland, Steppes (2%)
  

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

• 4060 Alpine and Boreal heaths

  Ladder Hills represents Alpine and Boreal heath on the eastern fringes of the Scottish Highlands. Three of the major eastern alpine heath types are well-represented on the summits and high slopes. H13 Calluna vulgaris – Cladonia arbuscula and H19 Vaccinium myrtillus – Cladonia arbuscula heaths occur on exposed ground with an abundance of lichens typical of the east that rivals similar habitat on the Cairngorms. The reindeer lichens Cladonia rangiferina, C. portentosa, C. arbuscula and C. uncialis are all abundant, and Alectoria sarmentosa, a rare lichen, is also present. H22 Vaccinium myrtillus – Rubus chamaemorus heath, with chickweed wintergreen Trientalis europaea, dwarf cornel Cornus suecica, bog bilberry Vaccinium uliginosum and cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus, occurs in hollows as a characteristic snow-bed community.

• 7130 Blanket bogs (* if active bog)  * Priority feature

  Lying to the north-east of the Cairngorms, Ladder Hills is perhaps the most continental site in terms of the nature of its blanket bog. This extensive area of high-altitude bog is dominated by the M19 Calluna vulgaris – Eriophorum vaginatum blanket mire community with abundant Cladonia lichens. The upland nature of the site is also apparent from the abundance of cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus. Small cranberry Vaccinium microcarpum is also present.

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

• 4030 European dry heaths

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