Breen: Ancient Oakwood, ASSI & National Nature Reserve
Red Squirrels of Breen
Oakwood:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northantrimbirds/sets/72157632108133470/
Birds of Breen Oakwood: http://www.flickr.com/photos/northantrimbirds/sets/72157632037510968/
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Video Clips and Photos taken in Breen Oakwood
ASSI &
NNR
B15 Glenshesk Road, Moyle,
Co. Antrim,
Northern Ireland
14
Links:
Country Northern Ireland
Unitary Authority Antrim
Centroid* D123336
Latitude 55 08 16 N
Longitude 06 14 17 W
SAC EU code UK0030097
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 36
.01
Link 1: My
Photo collection of Red Squirrels in Breen Oakwood:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/northantrimbirds/sets/72157632108133470/with/8221595890/
"Breen
Wood is a semi-natural, acid woodland dominated by mature oak and downy birch." Link 2:Breen Wood ASSI:
http://www.doeni.gov.uk/niea/protected_areas_home/new_assi_landing_page/county_antrim-2/breen_wood_assi
.htm
"The reason that Breen Wood survived is not known. However local people
point to the name of the wood. It means "Fairy
Palace" in
Gaelic and may have been applied to a earth fort or rath which was once located there. Since it was very unlucky to interfere with land associated with the fairies, this may have been why Breen Wood was spared, while the woodland around it was destroyed."
Link 3:
GIA ~
Nature Reserve:
http://www.geographyinaction.co.uk/
Landscapes/Landscapes_Breen
.html
"
The wood is a rare example of mature oakwood on Dalradian soils and is representative of the type of woodland thought to have covered NE Antrim in former times.
Predominant tree species are sessile oak, birch and rowan. There is a dense ground cover of woodrush Luzula and bracken. The humidity of the site is reflected in the rich variety of fern, moss and lichen epiphytes"
Link 4:
Forest Service ~ Nature Reserve:
http://www.dardni.gov.uk/forestservice/index/environment/nature-reserves/nature-reserves-on-forest-land/nature-reserves-co-antrim/breen-oakwood-nnr.htm
"
Glacial meltwater channels have created the series of hills and gullies on which this oakwood nature reserve lies.
Ancient gnarled and stunted oak trees form most of the canopy, along with downy birch, hazel, and holly, but in damper areas there is alder, including one with a girth of over six metres."
Link 5:
Woodland Trust Map:
http://www.backonthemap.org.uk/woodland/woodMainDetails?wood=f011eeab-4a0a-4f7f-80da-c50f8ecda55a
"Breen Wood is one of the best examples of old sessile oak woods in Northern Ireland. It is traversed by glacial outflow channels that have formed a series of dry, low ridges interspersed by damp, narrow valleys. Over these freely-draining and leached slopes, the wood is strongly calcifugous in nature, with a high canopy of downy birch
Betula pubescens and oak
Quercus spp. The shrub layer is composed of rowan
Sorbus aucuparia with some holly
Ilex aquifolium. The field layer is dominated by bilberry
Vaccinium myrtillus, with occasional bramble
Rubus fruticosus agg., honeysuckle
Lonicera periclymenum and ferns, typically bracken
Pteridium aquilinum. The herb layer is overwhelmingly dominated by extensive carpets of great wood-rush
Luzula sylvatica. The only other species that occur to any significant extent are hard fern
Blechnum spicant and wood-sorrel
Oxalis acetosella. Breen Wood is the only known location in Northern Ireland for the moss Hylocomium umbratum."
Link 6:
Joint Nature Conservation Committee:
http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/protectedsites/sacselection/sac
.asp?EUcode=UK0030097
Five kilometres to the east of
Armoy, &
10 kilometres to the
South of the popular seaside town of Ballycastle on the B15 Glenshesk Road.
Link 7: NI
Direct:
http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/breen-forest
Link 8:
BBC Northern Ireland Schools:
http://www
.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/landscapes/lev2_ecosystems_breen_script
.shtml
Link 9: Red Squirrels of Breen Oakwood:
http://youtu.be/DJQc-g1c8G4
Link 10:
Wildlife of Breen Oakwood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bujcwy5Kbzw
Link 11: Breen Ancient Oakwood ASSI & Nature Reserve:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K2OVz1Emj4
Link 12:
Boxing Day Squirrels in Breen Oakwood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gPuxbVF4WU
Link 13: Breen Oakwood in
Winter:
https://vimeo.com/56462495
Link 14: Red Squirrels in the
Snow:
http://youtu.be/3JyhB12x18s