Glenarm Woods ASSI

The site is fragmented and consists of four distinct blocks, two of which occur within the broad Glenarm River valley, with the other blocks occuring along the two main tributaries of the Glenarm River - the Linford Water to the south-east and the Owencloghy Water to the south-west - close to their confluence with the Glenarm River. The bulk of the site is made up of semi-natural woodland, which joined together make up the largest stand of semi-natural woodland left within the Antrim region.

The woodland types present range from base-rich and flushed to strongly acidic, which accounts for the high number of associated woodland plant communities which in-turn incorporate one of the richest woodland plant assemblages in the Province including a the large number or rare and notable woodland species including bird cherry, woods cranes bil and birds-nest orchid.

At the upper end of the Glenarm Valley the woodland gives way to open western rush pasture. The breeding bird population often includes wood warblers as well as a mixture of other passerines and raptors.

Rare plants within the wood include bird cherry, wood crane's-bill, intermediate wintergreen, bird's-nest orchid and several grass, rush and horsetail species.

The site is also important for breeding birds including wood warbler. A number of notable invertebrates species have also been recorded.