Garscadden Burn

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Garscadden Burn

This site lies in the middle of Drumchapel. It is bounded by Garscadden Road, Southdeen Avenue and Glenkirk Drive.

Status - City Wide SINC

Grid Reference NS524709

Description

This two and a half hectare site straddles the Garscadden Burn as it runs south and west towards the River Clyde. The vegetation has been shaped by the physical, historical and social pressures on the site, with the wetland and heathland areas reflecting the underlying geology and the woodland and hedgerows being remnants of original planting associated with Garscadden House. These different habitat types support an exciting diversity of wildlife within a relatively small area. The plant life is particularly varied with some, such as the lesser pond-sedge, greater tussock-sedge and wood club-rush, being rare in the Glasgow area.

Habitat Types

Open Water
The burn provides habitat for a variety of aquatic plants and animals, while the associated banks and floodplain areas support reed and sedge beds.
Wetland
In the wet areas where reed and sedge do not dominate a more diverse species-rich marsh community has developed.
Heathland
In contrast to the wetland areas, a small area of heathland has developed on a well drained outcrop of sand and gravel. Gorse and broom are dominant with localised heather and blaeberry.
Woodland
Surrounding the wetland at the west end of the site is a belt of mixed plantation woodland consisting predominantly of beech, lime and sycamore. The trees are the remnant of original planting associated with Garscadden House.

Animal Life

Water Vole Willow Warbler Green Veined White

Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) numbers, in Britain, have been declining quite rapidly in recent years. Garscadden Burn appears to support a relatively healthy population that feeds on the grasses, sedges and other bank-side vegetation. They are commonly mistaken, when swimming, for the common rat which has a much longer tail. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) can be found in a variety of woodland habitats, but most commonly in birch scrub. They only visit in the summer when they migrate from Africa.

Green-veined White (Pieris napi) butterflies have dusky vein markings on the underside of their wings which act as camouflage when they are at rest among vegetation. They prefer damp, sheltered areas such as stream edges or woodland rides.

Plant Life

Common Valerian

Common Spotted Orchid

Greater Tussock Sedge

Common Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a tall attractive herb often growing in some profusion in ungrazed fens and marshes.
Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) often grows together with the northern marsh orchid with which it frequently hybridises. Greater Tussock Sedge (Carex paniculata) grows in wet shady places in fens or beside slow-moving streams.


Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) numbers, in Britain, have been declining quite rapidly in recent years. Garscadden Burn appears to support a relatively healthy population that feeds on the grasses, sedges and other bank-side vegetation. They are commonly mistaken, when swimming, for the common rat which has a much longer tail.	Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) can be found in a variety of woodland habitats, but most commonly in birch scrub. They only visit in the summer when they migrate from Africa.	Green-veined White (Pieris napi) butterflies have dusky vein markings on the underside of their wings which act as camouflage when they are at rest among vegetation. They prefer damp, sheltered areas such as stream edges or woodland rides.


Common Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a tall attractive herb often growing in some profusion in ungrazed fens and marshes.	Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) often grows together with the northern marsh orchid with which it frequently hybridises.	Greater Tussock Sedge (Carex paniculata) grows in wet shady places in fens or beside slow-moving streams.

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