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Brankin announces candidate special areas of conservation
07/08/2001
Cape Wrath, Fair Isle and the Firth of Tay are among an extensive list of environmentally sensitive sites which could soon be afforded special conservation status Rhona Brankin said today
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development announced 85 sites which are to be proposed to the EC as candidate Special Areas of Conservation. The sites contain a range of species and habitats including salmon, otters, the rare marsh fritillary butterfly, ancient oakwoods, and sensitive montane and peatland habitats.
In addition to the sites being proposed a further eight sites across Scotland are being considered for designation as special areas of conservation. Ms Brankin also said that she had considered the case made for the selection of further sites to protect rare raised bogs, and would consult about further possible SACs for this habitat.
Announcing the list Rhona Brankin said:
" The Nature of Scotland which we published this year affirms the Scottish Executive's belief that Scotland's nature is at the heart of our common wealth as a nation.
The Executive is committed to working with people to achieve effective protection for our most special places for nature. The identification of areas as candidate Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive is a guarantee that these places will remain special."
BACKGROUND
1. The EC Habitats Directive requires Member States to select areas as Special Areas of Conservation and propose them to the European Commission. These areas are intended to protect Europe's most important places for biodiversity.
2. The sites announced today supplement a list of candidate SACs which was considered by the European Commission in 1999. That list included important areas such as the Cairngorms, the Caithness and Sutherland peatlands, and the important dolphin colony in the Moray Firth.
3. The sites which Ministers have decided to idenitify the Commission have been the subject of local consultation, and Ministers have considered all relevant representations before making a decision.
4. Member States are obliged to protect Special Areas of Conservation from damage and significant disturbance. Public authorities cannot give consent to projects which would significantly damage the interests which the SAC protects, unless there are reasons of over-riding public interest.
5. In most cases, the sites selected are important for biodiversity because of the way they have been managed over the centuries. SAC status does not mean that the people who live and work in the countryside are prevented from going about their business.
6. "The Nature of Scotland", published by the Scottish Executive in March 2001, stressed that "Scotland's nature is at heart of our common wealth as a nation". It is also proposed increased availability of incentives for the people who manage our most special natural places.
7. A list of the sites which Ministers have selected as candidate SACs, and those which are still under consideration are:
Site Name | Local Authority Area | Protected interests include |
Abhainn Clais An Eas and allt a'Mhuilinn | Highland | Freshwater Pearl Mussel |
Achnahaird | Highland | Petalwort |
Altnaharra | Highland | Transition Mires and quaking bogs |
Ardnamurchan Burns | Highland | Freshwater Pearl Mussel |
Ardvar and Loch a'Mhuilinn Woodlands | Highland | Otter, Freshwater Pearl Mussel, Old oak woods |
Ascrib, Isay and Dunvegan | Highland | Common seal |
Berriedale and Langwell Waters | Highland | Salmon |
Borders Woods | Scottish Borders | Forests of slopes, screes and ravines |
Broubster Leans | Highland | Transition Mires and quaking bogs |
Buchan Ness to Collieston | Aberdeenshire | Vegetated sea cliffs |
Cape Wrath | Highland | Vegetated sea cliffs |
Carsegowan Moss | Dumfries & Galloway | Raised bogs |
Cawdor Wood | Highland | Old oak woods |
Coille Mhór | Highland | Old oak woods |
Coyles of Muick | Aberdeenshire | Calaminarian grasslands |
Craighall Gorge | Perth & Kinross | Forests of slopes, screes and ravines |
Crieff Woods | Perth & Kinross | Old oak woods |
Dam Wood | Highland | Juniper and Alkaline fen |
Dinnet Oakwood | Aberdeenshire | Old oak woods |
Dogden Moss (Greenlaw Moor) | Scottish Borders | Raised bogs |
Dun Moss and Forest of Alyth Mires | Perth & Kinross | Raised bogs |
East Caithness Cliffs | Highland | Vegetated sea cliffs |
Fair Isle | Shetland Islands | Dry heaths, Vegetated sea cliffs |
Galloway Oakwoods | Dumfries and Galloway | Old oak woods |
Glen Beasdale | Highland | Old oak woods |
Glen Creran Woods | Argyll &Bute | Otters, Old oak woods |
Glenartney Juniper Wood | Perth & Kinross | Juniper formations on heaths and grasslands |
Green Hill of Strathdon | Aberdeenshire | Juniper, Calaminarian grasslands |
Grimersta | Na h-Eileanan an Iar | Salmon |
Inverpolly | Highland | Heaths, bogs, old oak woods, otters, freshwater pearl mussel |
Isle of May | Fife | Grey seal, reefs |
Keltneyburn | Perth & Kinross | Forests of slopes, screes and ravines |
Kinloch and Kyleakin Hills | Highland | Heaths, bogs, old oak woods, |
Kippenrait Glen | Stirling | Forests of slopes, screes and ravines |
Ladder Hills | Moray; Aberdeenshire | Heaths and blanket bog |
Ledmore Wood | Highland | Old oak woods |
Eileanan agus Sgeirean Lios mor (Lismore) | Argyll & Bute | Common seal |
Little Gruinard River | Highland | Salmon |
Loch a'Phuill | Argyll & Bute | Natural eutrophic lakes |
Loch Achnacloich | Highland | Natural eutrophic lakes |
Loch Creran | Argyll & Bute | Biogenic Reefs |
Loch Fada | Argyll & Bute | Otters, slender naiad |
Loch Laxford | Highland | Otters, reefs, large shallow inlet and bay |
Loch Moidart and Loch Shiel Woods | Highland | Alluvial forests, otters, old oak woods, ravine forests |
Loch of Isbister | Orkney Islands | Otters, nautural eutrophic lakes, transition mires and quaking bogs |
Loch of Wester | Highland | Natural eutrophic lakes |
Loch Ruthven | Highland | Otters |
Loch Ussie | Highland | Oligotrophic to mesotrophic standing waters |
Lower Findhorn Woods | Moray | Forests of slopes, screes and ravines |
Methven Moss | Perth & Kinross | Raised bogs |
Mingarry Burn | Argyll & Bute | Freshwater pearl mussel |
Moffat Hills | Dumfries & Galloway | Heaths, bogs and montane grasslands |
Monadhliath | Highland | Blanket bog |
Moorfoot Hills | Scottish Borders | Heath and blanket bog |
Mortlach Moss | Aberdeenshire | Alkaline fen |
Morvern Woods | Highland | Old oak woods, Forests of slopes, screes and ravines, otters |
Mull Oakwoods | Argyll & Bute | Old oak woods, otters |
Mull of Galloway | Dumfries & Galloway | Vegetated sea cliffs |
Ness Woods | Highland | Old oak woods, Forests of slopes, screes and ravines, otters |
North Fetlar | Shetland Islands | Heaths, alkaline fens, calaminarian grasslands |
Pitkeathly Mires | Perth & Kinross | Slender green feather moss |
Pitmedden Forest | Fife; Perth & Kinross | Great-crested newt |
Rassal | Highland | Fens, alkaline grasslands, limestone pavement |
Rigg - Bile | Highland | Vegetated sea cliffs |
Rinns of Islay | Argyll & Bute | Marsh fritillary |
River Bladnoch | Dumfries & Galloway | Salmon |
River Evelix | Highland | Freshwater Pearl Mussel |
River Moriston | Highland | Salmon, Freshwater Pearl Mussel |
River Naver and Mallart River | Highland | Salmon, Freshwater Pearl Mussel |
River Oykel | Highland | Salmon, Freshwater Pearl Mussel |
River South Esk | Angus | Salmon, Freshwater Pearl Mussel |
River Teith | Stirling | Salmon, lampreys |
River Thurso | Highland | Salmon |
Shelforkie | Perth & Kinross | Raised bogs |
Shingle Islands | Perth & Kinross | Alluvial forests |
South East Islay Skerries | Argyll & Bute | Common seal |
St Abb's Head to Fast Castle | Scottish Borders | Vegetated sea cliffs |
Tarbert Woods | Argyll & Bute | Old oak woods |
Tayvallich Juniper and Coast | Argyll & Bute | Marsh fritillary, juniper |
Threepwood Moss | Scottish Borders | Raised bogs |
Treshnish Isles | Argyll & Bute | Grey seal, reefs |
Trossachs Woods | Stirling | Old oakwoods |
Tynron Juniper Wood | Dumfries & Galloway | Juniper |
Upper Nithsdale Woods | Dumfries & Galloway | Forests of slopes, screes and ravines |
Urquhart Bay Wood | Highland | Alluvial forests |
Possible SAC's remaining under consideration in the light of consultation responses, or which (*) will be the subject of early consultation include:
Site Name | Local Authority Area |
Airds Moss | East Ayrshire |
Burrow Head | Dumfries & Galloway |
River Dee | Aberdeenshire |
River Tweed | Scottish Borders |
Sound of Barra | Na h-Eilleanan an Iar |
Sullom Voe | Shetland |
River Tay* | Perth & Kinross |
Tay Estuary* | Fife, Dundee, Angus, Perth & Kinross |
News Release: SE1835/2001
7 Aug 2001