Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre
Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre demonstrates how urban greenspaces can be created from wasteland, and how green amenity areas can be managed to meet both human and wildlife needs. Despite the small size of the reserve, the habitats are extremely varied, from ponds, wetlands and woodlands, to wildflower meadows. The more formal wildlife gardens demonstrate what you can do in your garden to encourage more wildlife. Throughout the reserve there are a large number of native wildflowers and plants, along with a good range of nesting bird species.
Knapdale Habitats Partnership Area
Venturing into the native woodlands of the west coast is to enter Scotland’s own rainforest. Swathed in both native Atlantic oak woodland and coniferous plantations much of this large, stunning reserve is draped with mosses, ferns and lichens which prosper in the mild, wet climate of the Argyll coast. Steep, rocky ridges, or, cloaked in woodland and separated by narrow, often flooded create a landscape unique in Scotland where fingers of land jut out into the sea at Loch Sween. The inland freshwater lochs support an excellent array of dragonflies and rare pondweeds.
Carron Glen
Carron Glen is a beautiful stretch of woodland with a beautiful steep-sided gorge that supports a large tract of ancient deciduous woodland. It is a SSSI supporting oak, birch, alder, goat willow and ash, as well as a variety of woodland flora. Locally rare plants are wood crane's-bill, ramsons, wood meadow grass, large bittercress and wood melick. Globeflower is abundant on the islands in the river.Several woodland birds are found here including green woodpecker, a recent coloniser in Scotland. Dipper and Kingfisher can be found along the river.
Falls of Clyde
The reserve stretches along both sides of the Clyde gorge, from the historic village of New Lanark southwards to Bonnington Weir. As well as the spectacular waterfalls from which it takes its name, fringing the gorge on both sides is a mosaic of woodland, both ancient natural and modern mixed plantation. Pleasant riverside walks lead through the reserve and provide fantastic views of the waterfalls. The site is part of the Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve, a SSSI, SAC and part of the World Heritage Site. Waterfall Days at the Falls of Clyde.
Hare and Dunhog Mosses
Hare Moss and Dunhog Moss are small wetlands tucked into hollows in a windswept hill and dale landscape. Hare Moss was dammed in the early 1960s and converted into a small lochan and Dunhog Moss represents an advanced stage of valley/mire basin fen. Dunhog Moss is designated a SSSI for its basin fen and water beetles.
Keltneyburn
Keltneyburn
Cumbernauld Glen
Cumbernauld Glen is a beautiful ancient woodland in the heart of Cumbernauld, providing a haven for wildlife and an important recreational space for local people. Badgers, roe deer and foxes make their home here as well as all kinds of woodland birds. Butterflies such as ringlet, meadow brown and small pearl bordered fritillary make use of the meadow areas. The Glen is full of history too, with a 16th century dovecote, an 18th Century lime kiln and the remains of a 13th century castle mound.
Loch of the Lowes
Loch of the Lowes is a large freshwater loch with a diverse aquatic flora, fringed by areas of fen, reedbeds and semi-natural woodland. From early April to late August a pair of breeding ospreys nest close to the observation hides. CCTV and telescopes allow you to view family life at close quarters. Fallow and roe deer are also seen regularly from the hide.
Fountainbleau Ladypark
Low-lying wet birchwood. Good bird population including willow tits and willow warblers
The Miley
The Miley is part of the disused Newtyle to Dundee railway. It was originally an impassable, mile long rubbish tip, but it now supports grassland, tall herb communities, scrub and trees - habitats that birds, mammals and insects thrive in.
