1

NT 72979 73322

Broadleaved, semi-natural woodland follows the course of the Braidwood Burn. Tree species recorded along the burn corridor included ash, sessile oak, beech, grey willow and alder with occasional Scots pine. Understorey vegetation included gorse, elder, hawthorn, bramble, butterbur, great wood-rush, male-fern and bracken.

2

NT 73502 73535

An area of dense broadleaved, semi-natural woodland follows the Thornton Burn northwards. Tree species recorded included ash and sycamore with a scrub understorey of hawthorn, dog-rose, honeysuckle and elder.  Ground flora recorded included common hogweed, bramble, silverweed, red campion, lesser burdock, hedge woundwort, crossword, bush vetch, field forget-me-not, greater plantain, ribwort plantain, herb-robert, purple dead nettle, red clover, square-stalked St John’s-wort and ox-eye daisy.

3

NT 76035 72359

A strip of broadleaved, semi-natural woodland measuring follows the route of the Thurston Burn down to the sea within the central reaches of the Site. Dense vegetation provides limited access to the public but creates an ideal commuting and foraging corridor for a variety of species including bats, otter and badger. Common tree species found in this habitat include alder, ash, sycamore and pedunculate oak. Ground flora included common nettle, common valerian, creeping buttercup, lady’s bedstraw, rosebay willowherb, tormentil, ground elder, foxglove, maidenhair spleenwort, wood sedge, common hogweed. Buddleia was also recorded within the woodland. The surrounding habitat consists primarily of wheat crop being grown to the north of the woodland and grazing used by horses on the south of the woodland.

4

NT 73903 72809

An area of broadleaved, semi-natural woodland borders the Site to the east of Thorntonloch Holdings. This is listed on the AWI as LEPO 2b.

5

NT 73411 75105

An area of broadleaved, plantation woodland surrounds Orchard House near Skateraw, outwith the Site.

6

NT 74054 72649

An area of coniferous, semi-natural woodland dominated by Scots pine lies to the west of Branxton Farm Cottage, outwith the Site. This is listed on the AWI as LEPO 2b.

7

NT 73227 74900

An area of coniferous plantation dominated by Scots pine borders the A1 trunk road to the south of Skateraw and extends north and south along a drainage ditch.

8

NT 73813 72315

Large area of mixed semi-natural woodland located within the south-eastern reaches of the study area. Tree species recorded included beech, ash, sessile oak and sycamore with occasional sweet chestnut. The woodland stand directly to the south of the arable field was found to have high percentage of Scots pine and Sitka spruce in these areas the ground flora was more sparse. The understorey vegetation included wild garlic, great wood-rush, bluebell, common nettle, ground elder, bracken and creeping buttercup. Along the woodland margins species include meadow foxtail, soft brome, common bent, common yarrow, meadow crane’s bill, purple dead nettle, lesser spearwort and field scabious. The well-drained slopes within the woodland are considered to provide badgers with good sett building habitat.

9

NT 75506 72081

The edge of Gallow’s Law, a mixed, semi-natural woodland in the south-east corner of the study area, outwith the Site. The habitat is considered suitable for badger and bats due to the dense vegetation understorey and the variety of tree species that would provide good foraging potential. The common tree species in this habitat include Scots pine, sycamore, rowan and silver birch with an extensive understorey of rhododendron. Ground flora species recorded included lady-fern, male-fern, broad-leaved dock, ground elder, wild garlic, wood forget-me-not, germander speedwell, maidenhair spleenwort, foxglove, great wood-rush and common nettle.

10

NT 73729 75438

Small area of mixed, semi-natural woodland located to the north-east of Skateraw along the Skateraw Dean which connects to the Dry Burn to the west. Tree species recorded included sycamore, Scots pine, rowan and ash with an understorey of elder and hawthorn. The ground flora was dominated by bracken and common nettle. Bat boxes were sited on a mature sycamore within the stand.

11

NT 73331 75312

Shelterbelt of mixed, plantation woodland located within 100 m of a farm shed to the west of Skateraw.  The treeline follows the field boundary in an L-shape, bordering fields used for sheep grazing and crops. Tree species recorded in this area include sycamore, Scots pine, silver birch, beech, elder and ash. This tree line is a potential commuting route for species such as bats and badger to the wider environment.

12

NT 73733 73277

Areas of dense/continuous scrub located at the edge of the roadside extending into an adjacent area of broadleaved, semi-natural woodland, becoming the understorey and in this case following the Thornton Burn. Dominant species found in these areas include gorse, bramble and elder with ground flora species of tall fescue, tufted hair-grass, false brome, common nettle, false nettle, cleavers, honeysuckle and thistle species.

13

NT 73631 73307

Large sections of dense gorse scrub found at the slope of Brunt Hill leading south towards Braidwood Burn. Other plant species recorded included common bent, perennial rye-grass, sweet vernal grass, ragwort, meadow-grasses and cock’s-foot.

14

NT 73049 73584

Dense scrub habitat along the slope of improved grassland bordering an arable field with scattered immature trees providing a commuting route for species including badgers and bats. Species recorded included hawthorn, gorse and regenerating sycamore encompassed by a stone wall field boundary.

15

NT 73377 75525

Scattered scrub running adjacent to Dry Burn. Species include bramble, immature willow, elder, gorse and hawthorn. Understorey species included greater burdock, common thistle, false oat-grass and meadow-grasses.

16

NT 75293 73439

Scattered ash within beech hedge with elder understorey located along the roadside and drainage ditch. Understorey vegetation included broad-leaved dock, lesser plantain, common nettle, common nipplewort, lesser spearwort, creeping thistle, cleavers, common yarrow, field forget-me-not, devil’s-bit scabious, Himalayan balsam and rosebay willowherb. This habitat feature provides a good commuting and foraging route for bats however no potential roost features suitable for bats were observed.

17

NT 74517 72839

Area of broadleaved scattered trees including ash, sycamore and beech. No features identified with bat roosting potential however these trees provide a potential foraging and commuting route to further areas of beech and hawthorn to the south.

18

NT 73321 75894

Semi-improved grassland found at the north-west of the Study Area, lying between coastal grassland and arable land as it follows the North Sea coastline west to east towards Torness power station. Species recorded included false oat-grass, cock’s-foot, wavy hair-grass and meadow fescue with occasional ragwort, sheep’s-bit, devil’s-bit scabious, common knapweed and tormentil.

19

NT 73780 73245

Small area of semi-improved grassland along access track close to Thornton Burn running south of the bridge crossing and the arable fields. Grass species including cock’s-foot, Yorkshire-fog and false oat-grass recorded.  Other plant species recorded in this area included butterbur, broom, common figwort, common knapweed, common nipplewort and herb Robert.

20

NT 73890 73284

Vegetation typically found at the edge of the road in overgrown lay-bys and as margins between hedgerow and wooded areas as semi-improved grassland. Common grass species identified include cock’s-foot, false oat-grass and meadow fescue with other plants including dog-rose, ragwort, ribwort plantain, dock and bramble.

21

NT 73292 76025

Semi-improved grassland meadow to north-west of Skateraw harbour.  Species recorded included crested dog’s-tail, timothy, creeping buttercup, perennial rye-grass, ragwort, yellow saxifrage, sea campion, gorse, broad-leaved dock, meadow crane’s-bill and cow parsley.

22

NT 73940 72782

Improved grassland currently used for grazing with species including perennial rye-grass, false oatgrass, cock’s-foot grass and meadow fescue and bordered by row of immature ash trees.

23

NT 75366 73970

Improved grassland field of perennial rye-grass, cock’s-foot and Yorkshire fog with a high percentage of white clover.

24

NT 74168 72728

Improved grassland fields of perennial rye-grass with white clover, Yorkshire fog and common meadow-grass also recorded. Used for grazing and bordering the Branxton Burn.

25

NT 73859 72252

Area of continuous bracken within woodland. Other species recorded in this area included bramble and common nettle.

26

NT 75423 73921

The end of the Branxton Burn watercourse at the eastern boundary of Site leading down to sea is heavily overgrown by tall ruderal species including rosebay willowherb.  Other species recorded in this area included bramble, common comfrey and foxglove. Vegetation was dense and at least c.2 m deep either side of the burn in this area.

27

NT 73269 72680

Pond 1 – Waterbody fed by Ogle Burn found c.315 m south of the Site boundary, within the 500 m survey area. The pond is c.150 m² with a low level of macrophyte cover, good surrounding habitat and no water fowl or fish observed during the survey. The HSI score for great crested newt potential is 0.71 (Good)

28

NT 72935 72795

Pond 2 – Kames Well found c.300 m west of the Site boundary, within the 500 m survey area. The pond is c.200 m with a high level of macrophyte cover, no water fowl and no evidence of fish. HSI score for great crested newt potential is 0.78 (Good).

29

NT 73671 75405

Small pond/pool fed by the Skateraw burn underneath the canopy of woodland and within the Site. The pond is c.50 m² with no macrophyte cover and grassy vegetative habitat immediately surrounding the pond. The HSI score for GCN potential is 0.46 (Poor).

30

NT 72428 75367

Small waterbody within Viridor site, 177 m west of the Site – no access. Review of aerial photograph suggests this is likely a settlement pond, situated in rough grassland surrounded by scattered scrub.

31

NT 72408 75382

Small waterbody within Viridor site, 235 m west of the Site – no access. Review of aerial photograph suggests this is likely a settlement pond, situated in rough grassland surrounded by scattered scrub.

32

NT 72272 75560

Large water body within Viridor site, 370 m west of the Site – no access. Review of aerial photograph suggests this waterbody is over 3.7 hectares in area. Likely to be suboptimal due to presence of fish and or water fowl.

33

NT 73918 73302

Bridge crossing over valley overlooking Thornton Burn watercourse. Slope gradient alongside watercourse is c.40 degree. Tree species recorded along the riparian corridor included beech, alder, hazel, ash with an understorey of ivy, lady-fern, great wood-rush and hard fern.  Depth of watercourse in this area was shallow c.10-30 cm but fast flowing. Channel width c.4 m and burn width c.1 m in this section.

34

NT 73403 75439

Skateraw watercourse covered by a dense tree canopy including Scots pine, Leyland cypress, sycamore and ash. The burn was estimated to be 10 cm deep and 3m across at time of survey with a stone base and bankside vegetation including holly, elder and bramble. Other plants identified include rhododendron, hawthorn and rosebay willowherb.

35

NT 73444 75670

Inlet of the watercourse where Dry Burn ends at sea. Stoney bank at edges of burn before banks are dominated by grass species and dense scrub.

36

NT 75263 74223

Mouth of Thornton Burn watercourse. Estimated as 4 m across, 40 cm deep and with a sand and rock base. Bordering vegetation includes grey willow, goat willow, common comfrey, oxeye daisy, marram grass, broad-leaved dock, Yorkshire-fog and thistle species.

37

NT 71708 75064

Dry Burn to the west of A1 trunk road at west side of study area passing under road culvert. The stone base was estimated as 3m wide with an average channel depth of 20 cm.

38

NT 75478 73871

Coastland intertidal beachhead of sand with no vegetation leading up to dune grassland.

39

NT 73837 75818

Boulders and rocks above and below the high tide mark can be found to the north of Torness Point. Size of rock along the beach measured c.10-20 cm in diameter. Species recorded included biting stonecrop, bladder wrack, spiral wrack, oarweed and sea lettuce.

40

NT 75403 73993

Shingle above high tide mark between coastal grassland and intertidal mud/sand.

41

NT 73822 75793

Coastal grassland recorded along the edge of the rocky intertidal habitat. Within the sparser areas of marram grass and sea bindweed other species such as bird’s-foot trefoil, lady’s bedstraw and wild thyme were recorded.

42

NT 73538 73415

Arable field of cereal with marginal vegetation including common burdock, crested dog’s-tail, timothy, common nettle, white clover, ox-eye daisy and field poppy. Mature hawthorn hedge border the field.

43

NT 73149 73468

Arable crop fields within western reaches of study area, outwith the Site. Barley was commonly grown in these areas and field boundaries were often defined by stone walls approximately 1.5 m high.

44

NT 73543 75402

Edge of arable crop field, observed to be growing brussel sprouts and surrounded by a stone wall boundary leading to houses.

45

NT 71646 74788

Edge of western survey area is predominantly arable wheat fields bordered by semi-mature broadleaved woodland and mature, defunct and intact, hawthorn hedgerows.

46

NT 73123 75160

Arable land used for growing Brussels sprouts at north of Site.

47

NT 74932 72690

Species-poor intact hedge dominated by hawthorn.  Other species recorded in understorey included bindweed, bramble, bird’s-foot trefoil, dock, butterbur, thistle species and dandelion.

48

NT 74621 72244

Species-poor defunct hawthorn hedgerow with scattered trees including willow and ash.

49

NT 75592 72453

Stone wall c.1 m at side of road with species-poor hedge on east. Understory species include bramble and common grasses such as cock’s-foot and Yorkshire fog. On the west side of the road there is a high managed hedge of sycamore and hawthorn with an understorey of ivy, nettle and bramble.

50

NT 74241 74110

Invasive non-native species (INNS) Japanese knotweed extending for approximately 50 m² alongside Thornton Burn.

51

NT 75041 72992

Himalayan balsam extending c.50 m along roadside ditch next to stone wall.

52

NT 75248 73330

Himalayan balsam extending c.100 m along roadside ditch next to hedge and scrub.

53

NT 74441 72916

Sand Martin burrows along sandy bank of burn.

54

NT 76053 73150

Coastal cliff with Palustriella commutata-dominated spring vegetation. Smaller areas of similar bryophyte spring communities occur along the cliff c. 50 m north and south of this location. The vegetation conforms to National Vegetation Classification (NVC) (Rodwell, 1991) M37 Palustriella commutata-Festuca rubra spring. The bryophyte Palustriella commutata (formerly Cratoneuron commutatum) and red fescue are abundant, with other species including colt’s-foot, sea plantain, marsh thistle, ragwort, marsh marigold and marsh horsetail. Water drips through the community and areas of bare mud are present, suggesting local slippage.

55

NT 73210 75209

Site ECoW (Mohr Environmental, 12.07.2022) identified a stand of Himalayan balsam in the field ditch before the water enters the concrete culvert in the direction of the site compound and adjacent to the proposed access route.

Forbs

Bird’s-foot trefoil

Lotus corniculatus

Biting stonecrop

Sedum acre

Bladder campion

Silene vulgaris

Bluebell

Hyacinthoides non-scripta

Broad-leaved dock

Rumex obtuifolius

Broom

Cytisus scoparius

Bush vetch

Vicia sepium

Butterbur

Petasites hybridus

Cleavers

Galium aparine

Colt’s-foot

Tussilago farfara

Common burdock

Arctium minus

Common comfrey

Symphytum officinale

Common figwort

Scrophularia nodosa

Common hogweed

Heracleum sphondylium

Common knapweed

Centaurea nigra

Common nettle

Urtica dioica

Common nipplewort

Lapsana communis

Common thistle

Cirsium vulgare

Common valerian

Valeriana officialis

Common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Cow parsley

Anthriscus sylvestris

Creeping buttercup

Ranunculus repens

Crosswort

Cruciata laevipes

Devil’s-bit scabious

Succisa pratensis

False nettle

Boehmeria cylindrical

Field forget-me-not

Myosotis arvensis

Field poppy

Papaver rhoeas

Field scabious

Knautia arvensis

Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea

Germander speedwell

Veronica chamaedrys

Globe thistle

Echinops bannaticus

Gorse

Ulex europaeus

Greater burdock

Articum lappa

Greater burnet-saxifrage

Pimpinella major

Greater plantain

Plantago major

Ground elder

Aegopodium podagraria

Hedge bindweed

Convolvulus arvensis

Hedge mustard

Sisymbrium officinale

Hedge woundwort

Stachys sylvatica

Herb-robert

Geranium robertianum

Lady’s bedstraw

Galium verum

Large thyme

Thymus pulegioides

Lesser burdock

Arctium minus

Lesser spearwort

Ranunculus flammula

Maidenhair spleenwort

Asplenium trichomanes

Marsh marigold

Caltha palustris

Marsh thistle

Cirsium palustre

Meadow crane’s-bill

Geraium pratense

Navelwort

Umbilicus rupestris

Oxeye daisy

Leucanthemum vulgare

Pineappleweed

Matricaria discoidea

Purple deadnettle

Lamium purpureum

Ragwort

Jacobaea vulgaris

Red campion

Silene dioica

Red clover

Trifolium pratensis

Ribwort plantain

Plantago lanceolata

Rosebay willowherb

Chamerion angustifolium

Scentless mayweed

Tripleurospermum inodorum

Sea bindweed

Calystegia soldanella

Sea campion

Silene uniflora

Sea plantain

Plantago maritima

Sea sandwort

Honckenya peploides

Sheep’s-bit

Jasione montana

Silverweed

Argentina ansrina

Smooth hawks-beard

Crepis capillaris

Spearwort

Ranunculus flammula

Spleenwort

Asplenium trichomanes

Square-stalked St. John’s wort

Hypericum tetrapterum

Sunspurge

Euphorbia helioscopia

Teasel

Dipsacus fullonum

Thrift

Armeria maritima

Tormentil

Potentilla erecta

Water mint

Mentha aquatica

White clover

Trifolium repens

White deadnettle

Lamium album

Wild garlic

Allium ursinum

Wild thyme

Thymus polytrichus

Wood forget-me-not

Myosotis sylvatica

Yellow saxifrage

Saxifraga aizoides

Yellow toadflax

Linaria vulgaris

Grasses

Annual meadow grass

Poa annua

Cock’s-foot

Dactylis glomerata

Common bent

Agrostis capillaris

Crested dog’s-tail

Cynosurus cristatus

Crested-hair grass

Koeleria macrantha

False oat-grass

Arrhenatherum elatius

Hairy oat-grass

Arrhenatherum elatius

Marram

Ammophila

Meadow fescue

Festuca pratensis

Meadow foxtail

Alopecurus pratensis

Perennial rye-grass

Lolium perenne

Red fescue

Festuca rubra

Sheep’s fescue

Festuca ovina

Smooth meadow-grass

Poa pratensis

Soft brome

Bromus hordeaceus

Sweet vernal-grass

Anthoxanthum odoratum

Tall fescue

Festuca arundinacea

Timothy

Phleum pratense

Tufted hair-grass

Deschampia cespitosa

Wall barley

Hordeum murinum

Wavy hair-grass

Deschampsia flexuosa

Yorkshire-fog

Holcus lanatus

Sedges and rushes

Field woodrush

Luzula campestris

Greater woodrush

Luzula slyvatica

Sand sedge

Carex arenaria

Wood sedge

Carex sylvatica

Seaweed

Sea lettuce

Ulva lactua

Oarweed

Laminaria digitata

Spiral wrack

Fucus spiralis

Bladder wrack

Fucus vesiculosus

Ferns and Horsetails

Bracken

Pteridun aquilinum

Broad-buckler fern

Dryopteris dilatata

Hard fern

Blechnum spicant

Lady-fern

Athyrium filix-femina

Male-fern

Dryopteris filix-mas

Marsh horsetail

Equisetum palustre

Bryophytes

A bryophyte

Palustriella commutata

Trees, shrub and scrub:

Ash

Fraxinus excelsior

Bramble

Rubus fruticosus agg.

Common ivy

Hedera helix

Dog-rose

Rosa canina

Elder

Sambucus nigra

Field rose

Rosa arvensis

Goat willow

Salix caprea

Gooseberry

Ribes uva-crispa

Grey willow

Salix cinerea

Hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna

Hazel

Corylus avellana

Holly

Ilex aguilfolium

Honeysuckle

Lonicera periclymenum

Leyland cypress

Cupressus × leylandii

Pedunculate oak

Quercus robur

Privet

Ligustrum vulgare

Raspberry

Rubus idaeus

Rowan

Sorbus acuparia

Scots pine

Pinus sylvatica

Scotch laburnum

Laburnum alpinum

Sessile oak

Quercus petrea

Silver birch

Betula pendula

Sitka Spruce

Picea sitchensis

Sweet chestnut

Castanea sativa

Sycamore

Acer pseudoplatanus

Wild cherry

Prunus avium

Introduced Shrub (Non-Native)

Buddleja

Buddleja davidii

Rhododendron

Rhododendron indicum

Invasive Non Native Species

Himalayan balsam

Impatiens glandulifera

Japanese knotweed

Fallopia japonica