| Regional Priority Code | Biodiversity Priorities | Relevant Packages |
| | Shetland's biodiversity is special in the British Isles and an extremely valuable contributor to quality of life and economic development in the islands. The value derives from the existing diversity of flora and fauna and the way these are distributed to form characteristic habitats that contribute to Shetland's inspirational land and seascapes. The aims are to prevent loss of biodiversity as a direct result of land management in Shetland, restore damaged habitats and increase numbers, and widen distribution, of important habitats and species. The highest priority should be afforded to maintaining the mix of habitats and species that have characterised Shetland in recent times (approximately the last 100 years) and restoring this where recent management has proved unsustainable. | |
| Orkney's rich and distinctive natural heritage has been shaped by the underlying geology, the oceanic climate and by its land-use history. This has lead to a wide variety of habitats and associated species ranging from the coastal areas through the lowland farming areas and up on to the moorland and hills. |
| NIS08 | "A halt in the loss of biodiversity and reverse previous losses through targeted action" (a Scottish Biodiversity Strategy objective) through management that restores, conserves or enhances Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species and habitats, with an initial emphasis on management which will deliver by 2010. For example: through maintenance and enhancement of ancient, long established and semi-natural woodlands, restoration of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS), particularly where ancient plant communities are most at risk; organic conversion or organic maintenance; and, actions in Local Biodiversity Action Plans. | 7-26 |
| Proposals that deliver management necessary to restore, conserve, enhance and/or connect habitats and species for which Shetland is a significant stronghold and also identified as being of priority in UK, Scottish and Shetland Local Biodiversity Action Plan. Particularly proposals that: for Shetland; -
improve the quantity and/or quality of the following habitats: blanket bog, upland heath (including serpentine, montane and lichen-rich heath), species-rich hay meadows and grassland (including coastal grassland), machair, coastal sand dunes, coastal vegetated shingle, saltmarsh, native relict trees, wetlands, burns and nutrient-rich lochs -
maintain and enhance populations of in-bye breeding waders including lapwing, redshank, curlew and snipe or seed-eating birds including twite through the creation or management of suitable habitats -
otherwise contribute to the aims of the Shetland AgriBAP. |
| Proposals that deliver management necessary to restore, conserve, enhance and/or connect habitats and species for which Orkney is a significant stronghold and also identified as being of priority in UK, Scottish and Orkney Local Biodiversity Action Plans. In addition support for Sites of Local Nature Conservation Importance will be considered (as identified in the Proposals Maps in the Orkney Island Council Local Plan. Particularly species and habitats associated with the following: for Orkney; -
species rich coastal grasslands - particularly maritime heath and maritime grassland, machair, coastal sand dunes, saltmarsh, links, coastal vegetated shingle, Aeolianite; which, for example and where appropriate, also support nationally important populations of breeding and/or Wintering Waders, Corncrake, Arctic Tern, Arctic Skua, Scottish Primrose, Great Yellow Bumblebee -
upland peat dominated habitats - particularly upland heath, montane habitats, blanket bog, lichen heath, species-rich heath, basin bog, upland fens and flushes, treeless woodland and dales; dwarf shrub habitat at low altitudes; which, for example and where appropriate, also support nationally important populations of Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Red-throated Diver, Skylark, Orkney Vole -
un-improved upland species-rich grasslands - particularly upland calcareous grassland -
in-bye cropped grassland - particularly lowland meadows, extensive hay/silage, wet meadows; which, for example and where appropriate, support nationally important populations of Waders, seed eating birds, e.g. Corncrake, Linnet and Skylark, also mammals, e.g. Brown Hare. -
wildlife corridors - particularly field margins, buffer strips, cereal field margins, road verges; which, for example and where appropriate, support Corncrake, Great Yellow Bumblebee, Orkney Vole. -
woodland and scrub - particularly upland birch, upland willow scrub, wet woodlands, broad leaved woodland; which, for example and where appropriate, support Song Thrush, Linnet, Reed Bunting -
fens and reedbeds - particularly fens, marsh and reedbeds; which, for example and where appropriate, support Otter, Reed Bunting -
freshwater - particularly mesotrophic lochs, eutrophic standing water, burns (and canalised burns), ponds and milldams, oligotrophic (and dystrophic) lochs; which, for example and where appropriate, support, Otter, Stonewort species, water birds, e.g. Teal, Shoveler, Pintail, Salmonids |
| NIS09 | The special features on Scotland's nationally important nature sites ( SSSIs, SACs, SPAs and Ramsar sites) being in 'favourable condition' (95% by 2010). Particularly proposals that: | 7, 9-15, 17-20 & 21-24 |
| for Shetland; |
| for Orkney; -
deliver management necessary to maintain and restore the special features on Orkney's nationally and internationallyimportant nature sites ( SSSIs, SACs, SPAs and Ramsar sites) -
encourage collaborative action in sites' water catchmentaddressing pollution issues in order to ensure or move their special features towards favourable condition. |
| NIS10 | Viable populations of rare and/or endangered species, through improved conservation of the 32 species listed for priority action in the Species Action Framework for Scotland, and through targeted action identified in priority Species Action Plans. Particularly proposals that: | 7, 9-18, 20-24 & 26 |
| for Shetland; |
| for Orkney; |
| NIS11 | Reduced threat from non-native species, through action to eradicate or control target species, e.g. Grey Squirrels, Rhododendron, and particularly those listed in the Non-Native Species Framework Strategy for GB. | 7, 10 & 14-16 |
| for Shetland; |
| In Orkney, particularly proposals that promote: -
strategic, collaborative and site-specific control of Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed -
the control of other non-native species may be justified if required to deliver other priorities. |
| NIS12 | Increase in the area of connected natural habitats and ecological features, through collaboration between land managers to adopt a landscape scale, whole ecosystem approach to helping biodiversity, particularly where the threat from climate change is most acute, or, offering desirable species the opportunity to increase their range by taking advantage of changing climatic factors. For example, by expanding the area of native woodland in preferred locations, organic conversion or organic maintenance. Particularly proposals that promote: | 5-7 & 15 |
| for Shetland; -
more and better collaborative cross-unit management of open habitats and mosaics, e.g. moorland, coastal grassland/heathland mosaics and freshwater habitats -
improved freshwater spawning areas and access for migratory fish through, e.g. buffer zones to burns and loch margins, opening up choked drains, planting of riparian woodland to promote fly life -
proposals to help deliver river basin management plans. |
| for Orkney; -
co-operative cross-unit management of priority habitats and species involving minimal fencing of management compartments especially to maintain upland native woodland/moorland mosaics, coastal grassland/wetland/machair mosaics and freshwater margins -
low intensity grazing of open priority habitats including upland, wetland, coastal grasslands within habitat mosaics and with minimal use of fences (to safeguard landscape and access priorities) -
proposals to help deliver river basin management plans. |