Information for flora of South Gare

[Dave Barlow]

Can anyone in the bird club give me the dates (a year will do) when some of the plants related to birdwatching were introduced at the Gare. In particular the sea buckthorn, the Suaeda bushes and the tea tree bushes. Any other information about introduced plants at the Gare would be useful.

I am gathering information about the plants at the Gare with the aim of producing a flora of this area which is a mixture of natural and man made habitats. The Gare does hold some nationally rare plants. Total species list so far is of the order of 670

Many thanks

Dave Barlow

[Mike Tucker]

Hi Dave the Suaeda bushes were brought from Norfolk in 1965 and planted by South Cleveland Ringing Group and the Elders and Rogusa in the eighties, (information from Steve Norman). I helped Neville Harwood plant quite a number of Valerians again in the eighties, they seem to like it. Hope this is some help.

[Dave Barlow]

Many thanks Mike, that is great information. The Gare has lots of introduced plants which makes it such an interesting mix of natural native species and others that have got there on their own. An interesting plant at the Gare  is a species of hawkweed (Hieracium uiginskyense) which as the name might suggest is common on the island of Uig of the west coast of Scotland. Not sure how that one got there, from a ship most likely. If you know of any more information or if anyone else knows anything of the origin of any of the trees planted I would be very grateful.  There are a number of very rare plants on the cabin rocks one of which is listed as critically endangered in the UK

Cheers

Dave