Balloch Community woodlands Creetown

Fauna

The most important species in the woodland for conservation reasons is the Red Squirrel.

There are also a wide range of other animals in the wood. 

Roe deer are present at low densities and are most likely to be spotted along the Oak Trail

Otters should benefit from future riverbank management with targeted open space and broadleaf allowing ground vegetation to return to areas where previously conifers were planted up to the stream edges. 

While Scotland’s otters did not suffer the drastic declines in otter populations seen in much of western Europe in the 60s and today the Scottish population is regarded as one of the best in Europe, Dumfries and Galloway’s healthy population is important because of its proximity to depleted stocks in the north of England.

The riverbank management measures will also benefit water voles and salmonid and other riparian and freshwater species. 

Water voles were once common along the banks of rivers in the UK but are now thought to be one of the fastest declining mammal species in the UK.