The Glen Stream

The Glen Stream

Yesterday, I visited the Glen Stream in Rostrevor 

The Glen Stream in Rostrevor runs down from Sliabh Máirtín through the Rostrevor plantation. I wanted to have a look at the botany along the glen.

The glen and forest road have some impressive old oaks, but due to deep conifer plantations there is next to no oak saplings. There is a decent amount of hazel and ash along the stream, plus wych elms make an occasional occurrence.

The nature of the glen in terms of topography, geography, climate and aspect means that most trees and rocks are covered in a thick layer of mosses. However, adjacent to the glen there has been recent clear-felling of a plantation, resulting in changes in humidity and light regimes, making the glen drier and brighter. This has an immediate impact on certain bryophytes which demand constantly high humidity and do not tolerate disturbance. Aesthetically, it looks depressing and I don’t think anyone thinks it is nice to look at.

Invasive species are around the glen too which should be removed but there is complacency from the forestry service. It would be great to see the recent clear-felled area to not be replanted and allow native trees to recolonise, creating a beautiful native woodland.

The rocks and earth banks along the stream have typical oceanic species which I expected to find: Scapania gracilis, Plagiochila spinulosa agg. and Saccogyna viticulosa. There is also a record for the hyperoceanic and rare Jubula hutchinsiae which I did not find, but I wasn’t wearing my wellies to have a proper look for it! Additionally, typical epiphytes like Frullania tamarisci, Polypodium vulgare, Neckera pumila and oceanic lichens like Pyrenula macrospora, were also to be found.

Bluebells, lesser Celandine and Cuckoo-pint are all popping up too. There is so much potential here to create a resilient ecosystem which can buffer the impacts from commercial forestry operations, but there needs to be a concerted effort to remove invasive plants and relinquish the oaks from their strangulation.

Image: A clump of epiphytic Frullania tamarisci fallen from an oak