Hickory Flats peat moss and northern bog club moss. The five-rowed peat moss (Sphagnum quinquefanum) can be recognized by its rather short and stiff branches which appear angular because of the arrangement of its closely set leaves widely angled in 5 ranks. Red peat moss (Sphagnum rubellum) is a small reddish-coloured peat moss with tongue-shaped stem leaves. And northern bog club moss ("Lycopodiella inundata") has branches up to 10 cm high with narrow, pointed leaves 4–8 mm long. Hickory Flats provides a secluded habitat for a population of black bear ("Ursus americanus"). Since bears are shy and secretive, they are rarely seen.
Blawhorn Moss National Nature Reserve area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and is also designated as both a Special Area of Conservation and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The reserve is owned and managed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). Blawhorn Moss provides an important habitat for wildlife and supports many of the plant species representative of bog habitat. A number of sphagnum mosses grow here, as well as heather, crowberry, hare’s-tail cotton grass and common cotton grass. A variety of bird species breed on the moss, including red grouse, snipe, curlew and redshank. Stonechat, skylark and meadow pipit are also regularly