Cover - Lochaber BAP

The Inverness & NairnBiodiversity Action Plan

SEPTEMBER 2004

FOREWORD

Planning for this Local Biodiversity Action Plan began two years ago with the production of a booklet entitledBiodiversity: Do a Little – Change a Lot in Inverness & Nairn. This booklet highlighted the biodiversity ofInverness & Nairn, and identified some actions that communities, businesses, schools, land managers andagencies could do to help safeguard this precious resource.

This, more detailed Plan has been produced by The Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) andthe Partnership for Rural Inverness & Nairn (PRIN), and forms part of a suite of local biodiversity action planscovering The Highland Council area. A group has been set up to oversee its production and allocate a smallbiodiversity grant scheme (members listed below).

Inverness & Nairn Biodiversity Group:

Cllr Margaret Davidson (Chair) The Highland CouncilCllr Liz MacDonald The Highland CouncilBen Leyshon / Anne Murray Scottish Natural HeritageJonathan Watt Inverness MuseumKaty Stirling The Highland Council Countryside Ranger InvernessMalcolm Wield Forestry Commission ScotlandBill Forrest Partnership for Rural Inverness & NairnJanet Bromham Highland Biodiversity Project

This Plan is also available in electronic format on the Highland biodiversity website:

www.highlandbiodiversity.com

Cover photograph: Iain SarjeantInternal photographs: Janet Bromham, Laurie Campbell, Charlie Phillips,

Iain Sarjeant, Scottish Natural HeritageDesign, layout and printing: Planning & Development Service, The Highland Council

Printed on recycled paper that is made from 100% post consumer waste.

iThe Inverness & Nairn Biodiversity Action Plan

SUMMARY

Biodiversity is short for ‘biological diversity’ andmeans the variety of life or richness of nature. It is allaround us, from the top of the Monadhliath Hillsdown to the bottom of the Moray Firth, from theanimals and plants that live in our waters,woodlands, moorlands and grasslands to theflowers, birds and insects that visit us in our gardens.We as humans are reliant on a robust and healthybiodiversity for our food, raw materials, clean air andgood health.

This Local Biodiversity Action Plan has beenprepared for Inverness & Nairn. It builds on thebooklet ‘Biodiversity: Do a Little – Change a Lot inInverness & Nairn’ and aims:

To raise awareness of the biodiversity of Inverness& NairnTo identify particular habitats and species whichare considered important, andTo suggest projects and actions that could beundertaken by individuals, communities andagencies in the next five to ten years.

Biodiversity: Do a Little - Change a Lot in Inverness &Nairn booklet

The Plan is intended to be a working referencedocument for land managers, communities, agencies,consultants and individuals. Its purpose is toprovide information and reference material for thoseseeking funding for future environmental projects, tohelp agencies and other funding bodies targetresources towards local priorities, and to list the mainhabitats, species and issues that need to be taken intoaccount when planning new developments.

The document is non-statutory, i.e. it is not legallybinding. However, with increased emphasis beingplaced on biodiversity and related issues through theNature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and theScottish Biodiversity Strategy, it is widely acceptedthat such plans will become increasingly importantin terms of targeting of resources and setting ofpriorities.

It is divided into six main chapters covering thebroad habitats of sea and seashore, freshwater, farm

and croft land, woodland, moorland and hill, andurban land. Each chapter highlights some of the keybiodiversity features of the broad habitat it covers,summarises the main habitats and species present inInverness & Nairn, suggests 3 or 4 objectives, lists themain issues and opportunities for biodiversity, andhighlights some projects that are already contributingto maintaining or improving the biodiversity of thearea.

Kessock Bridge from Alturlie, Inverness

The Plan then highlights some opportunities forfuture projects that could be undertaken to encouragebiodiversity in the next five to ten years, in the shadedboxes. These ‘future actions’ are also listed at theback of the document in Chapter 7: Next Steps.

There are people and organisations already workingin a relevant field or with responsibility for many ofthese actions, and they have been suggested aspartners in italics after each action. However, itshould be noted that this is merely intended as aguide for future work, and as yet no agreement hasbeen sought on ‘who’ will do ‘what’ and ‘when’.

Orange peel fungus

This Plan and its partner booklet represent a start tothe biodiversity action planning process in Inverness& Nairn, and it is envisaged that the next step in theprocess will be to approach many of these suggested

ii The Inverness & Nairn Biodiversity Action Plan

partners and encourage them to build these actionsinto their future work programmes. In many cases,this will require additional funding from governmentor other sources, but many of the actions are moreconcerned with retargeting and using existingresources to benefit wildlife.

Lists of the national priority habitats and speciesidentified in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, as wellas those habitats and species of local importance aregiven in Chapter 8.

Black grouse lekking

In drafting the Plan, a number of common themes andactions emerged:

Lack of information: There is a shortage ofinformation on the extent of some of the less well-known species, as well as the impacts of local issueson them. Projects that improve our collectiveknowledge of the location and managementrequirements of priority habitats and species wouldbe welcome. As a start, the Plan suggests that abiodiversity audit is undertaken to pull togetherexisting information and identify gaps in ourknowledge.

Lack of awareness: There is a lack of generalknowledge about the biodiversity on our doorsteps,both amongst children and grown-ups. However, thefirst consultation exercise flagged up a number ofcommunity-led projects that are trying to addressthis, and further ‘Know Your Own Patch’ projects aresuggested as a means of helping local communitiesfind out more about the wildlife in their area. ThePlan recommends that a small, easily accessible grantscheme such as the Partnership for Rural Inverness &Nairn Biodiversity Grant Scheme is set up on a morepermanent basis to help fund such projects.

Lack of co-ordination: The Inverness & NairnBiodiversity Group was set up under the auspices ofPRIN to draft and consult on the Local BiodiversityAction Plan. However, the Group was neverintended to be a permanent fixture and it is therefore

suggested that a similar group be formed, meeting onan infrequent basis to oversee the development andimplementation of the Plan and help target any futurefunding towards local biodiversity projects.

The lack of linkages between the broad habitats,spread of invasive species, wildlife crime and litterand fly-tipping are also identified as recurringthemes, and the Plan goes on to identify a series ofmore habitat-specific issues and projects in each ofthe six chapters.

Please talk about this Plan in your workplace, in yourschool, at home, in the pub: outdoors and inside. Wehope that you will support the ideas that are in it.Then come up with new ideas for biodiversity – anduse it to apply for a grant for your project. You canjoin a group that needs your skills, your strength,your imagination (there’s a list at the back). Andwhen in the years to come, you enjoy the birds andbutterflies that visit your garden or the scent ofbluebells on a spring morning walk; when you lookat the patterned landscape or the leaping dolphins inthe Firth you’ll know that you’ve played a part inhelping to maintain it!

The funding partners are currently considering theoptions for a second phase of the HighlandBiodiversity Project that will start to deliver some ofthe actions emerging from the Local BiodiversityAction Plans. For further information, please contactthe Highland Biodiversity Officer at the followingaddress:

Planning & Development ServiceThe Highland CouncilGlenurquhart RoadInverness IV3 5NXTel: 01463 702274

Fishing, Loch Beinn A'Mheadhoin, Glen Affric

iiiThe Inverness & Nairn Biodiversity Action Plan

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary iTable of Contents iiiHabitat Map ivIntroduction 1Plan Aims & Objectives 2Recurring Themes 3

Chapter 1: Sea & Seashore 71.1 Marine mammal conservation 91.2 Marine litter & pollution 101.3 Recreation 11

Chapter 2: Freshwater 132.1 Acidification,nutrient enrichment & catchment management 162.2 Population decline in Atlantic salmon 182.3 Invasive non-native species 192.4 Lack of information on freshwater species 202.5 Aquaculture 20

Chapter 3: Farm & Croft Land 233.1 Industry problems 263.2 Cattle rearing 273.3 Loss of wet ground 273.4 Decline in Spring cropping 273.5 Reduction in boundary habitats 28

Chapter 4: Woodland 294.1 Woodland fragmentation & absence of tree-line woodlands 324.2 Restructuring plantation woodlands 334.3 Red squirrels 344.4 Black grouse & capercaillie 354.5 Lack of awareness and involvement 36

Chapter 5: Moorland & Hill 375.1 Lack of knowledge 395.2 Grazing 405.3 Inappropriate burning 405.4 Hill tracks & footpaths 415.5 Climate change 42

Chapter 6: Urban 436.1 Uncertainty over access to the countryside 456.2 Roadside verges 466.3 Wildlife gardens 466.4 Habitat creation 476.5 Litter and fly tipping 476.6 Education opportunities 47

Chapter 7: What’s Next? 51Update on Actions from 2002 51New Actions for 2004 - 2014 55

Chapter 8: Habitats & Species Lists 63Priority Habitats 63Priority Species 64Rural Stewardship Scheme 69

Annex 1: Contact Details 71Annex 2: References & Sources of Further Information 80Annex 3: Glossary 81Annex 4: Designations Map 84

iv The Inverness & Nairn Biodiversity Action Plan

HABITAT MAP

1The Inverness & Nairn Biodiversity Action Plan

INTRODUCTION

Inverness & Nairn

We are privileged to live in this beautiful, dramaticand diverse area of Scotland. There are manydifferent habitats to enjoy – from the southern watersand shores of the Moray Firth with its coastal dunes,mudflats and shingle beaches to the crofts and farmson the steep slopes of the Great Glen.

There are small peaty burns and glacial lochansnestling high in the hills, larger lochs lower downrich in plant and animal life and, largest of all, thevast inland waterway of Loch Ness and theCaledonian Canal. Beautiful rivers like the Ness, theBeauly and the Nairn pass through our main townson their way to the sea, bringing wildlife and a ‘greenlung’ into the heart of our urban communities.

Loch Ness

We have vast, open stretches of moorland andheathland, and there are many areas of semi-naturalwoodland including the ancient Caledonianpinewoods of Glen Affric and Strathfarrar. All of thisis set against the scenic backdrop of the Monadhliathmountains and of Munro grandeur such as Sgurr naLapaich and Tom a Choinich, ‘the hill of the wilddog’ near Glen Cannich.

These habitats support an amazing diversity ofwildlife. We have many internationally importantspecies including bottlenose dolphins, great-crestednewts, Slavonian grebes and pearl-bordered fritillarybutterflies. Plants such as twinflower, juniper, greenshield moss and rare lichens grow in our woodlandsand glens, whilst hardy perennials like purplesaxifrage cling to rocks high up in the mountains.

Biodiversity

The term ‘biological diversity’, or ‘biodiversity’ forshort, was born in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio deJaneiro. ‘Biodiversity’ means the rich mix of plants

and animals (the species) and the places where theylive (their habitats). It also includes the geneticvariation within species.

At Rio, 150 countries including Britain signed theConvention on Biological Diversity. This means wein this country are committed to protecting ourwealth of plants, animals and habitats. OurGovernment has asked the people of Britain toidentify the habitats and species that make ourcountry rich in biodiversity, and then come up withplans to help protect and improve them.

Pearl bordered fritillary

Biodiversity Action Planning

A group, now called the Scottish Biodiversity Forum,was set up in 1995 to encourage people from all areasof the country to put together plans that wouldbenefit their local species and habitats. Morerecently, the Scottish Executive published the NatureConservation (Scotland) Act (2004) and the ScottishBiodiversity Strategy (2004). These two documentsplace a duty on all public bodies to further theconservation of biodiversity.

In Highland, the Highland Biodiversity Project wascreated to encourage local people, agencies andorganisations to work up plans for biodiversity toidentify local priorities and help target resources.Through this route, six Local Biodiversity ActionPlans (LBAPs) have been produced for the areas ofCaithness, Sutherland, Wester Ross, Ross & Cromarty(East), Skye and Lochalsh and Lochaber. Badenoch& Strathspey is already covered by the CairngormsLocal Biodiversity Action Plan.

Animals and plants don’t recognise theseadministrative boundaries, but they are a usefulmeans of dividing up the Highland Council area intomore manageable units. We hope that together withthis Plan for Inverness & Nairn, the Highland LBAPswill improve or raise awareness of biodiversitywithin our communities and help target resourcestowards local projects.

2 The Inverness & Nairn Biodiversity Action Plan

This Plan

This Local Biodiversity Action Plan lists anddescribes the special places, plants and animals thatlive here in Inverness & Nairn. It identifies the mainissues or threats to this biodiversity, and suggestsways in which the rich variety of species and habitatscan be protected and improved. Of course, many ofthese issues are not unknown to us, and the Plan alsohighlights some of the many projects and ongoingwork already carried out by agencies, organisationsand individuals to add to the beauty and diversity ofthe area.

Many species and habitats in Britain have alreadyhad plans written for them that identify the threats totheir survival and suggest courses of action thatcould help conserve or increase their population andrange. These Species Action Plans (SAPs) andHabitat Action Plans (HAPs) are good starting pointsto help identify priorities and target effort andresources.

Plodda Falls, near Tomich

Chapter 7 What s Next? gives us an update onprogress since publication of the initial booklet in2002, and summarises the actions that have beenflagged up in the six broad habitats chapters.

Our Plan lists the national priority habitats andspecies that are known to occur in the area in Chapter8. In addition, we have identified a number of localpriorities , habitats and species that, eitherindividually or collectively, make Inverness & Nairndistinctive in wildlife terms.

Yellow flag iris

PLAN AIMS & OBJECTIVES

This Plan aims to ensure that biodiversity issues aregiven a high priority by local government, agencies,and funding bodies; and to involve school children,communities and land managers in delivering localbiodiversity improvements.

Each of the six broad habitats chapters containshabitat-specific objectives, but the following generalobjectives are suggested as over-arching themes toguide our biodiversity work in Inverness & Nairnover the next 5-10 years.

• To safeguard the biodiversity of existing habitats.

• To ensure all future developments take account oflocal biodiversity.

• To encourage a holistic approach to themanagement of land and natural resources thattakes account of local biodiversity.

• To improve access to information about importanthabitats and species, and their managementrequirements.

• To raise awareness of biodiversity and pressuresupon it.

• To identify local opportunities to improvebiodiversity and promote positive attitudes froman early age.

• To maximise the sustainable economic benefitfrom biodiversity.

• To establish a mechanism to help deliver theInverness & Nairn Biodiversity Action Plan.


RECURRING THEMES

In writing this plan, a number of common themes andsuggestions for future work emerged. Some arerecorded under the most relevant broad habitat, but anumber of more general points and suggestions arelisted below.

1. Lack of information

Issue: There is a general lack of knowledge about theextent and coverage of species within Highland as awhole and in drawing up this Plan, the Groupencountered a severe shortage of accessible, up-to-date information on the biodiversity of Inverness &Nairn. Whilst some of the better known groups suchas birds, mammals or flowering plants are relativelywell recorded, information on some of the less well-known groups, including invertebrates, lichens,fungi, bryophytes and marine species, is sadlylacking.

Projects that raise our collective knowledge of thelocation and management needed for these habitatsand species would be welcome. Such work wouldhelp us monitor the success of this and otherbiodiversity plans and projects, and the results willhelp the funding bodies target their limited resourcesto where they are most needed.

Opportunity: The Local Biological Records Centre atInverness Museum contains species records, but iscurrently severely under-resourced. If sufficientfunding and resources can be found, the RecordsCentre could be expanded and used to collate, storeand issue information on national and local priorityspecies and habitats within Highland.

Dog lichen, Inverfarigaig

Current Projects: Agencies such as Scottish NaturalHeritage, Forestry Commission Scotland and theScottish Environment Protection Agency collect andstore information on habitats and species, andorganisations such as the Royal Society for theProtection of Birds and the Butterfly Conservation

Trust also hold records for particular species groups.The Highland Biological Recording Group is a groupof enthusiastic volunteers that collect and submitspecies records, and there are many surveys andprojects where the information collected is not madeaccessible to other bodies.

Future actions:

• Undertake a biodiversity audit to pull togetherexisting information from local groups andnational bodies and identify gaps in our collectiveknowledge. (Suggested partners: SNH, The HighlandCouncil, Forestry Commission Scotland, RSPBScotland, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Highland BiologicalRecording Group, Inverness Museum Records Centre)

• Initiate an accessible fund for future survey work.(Suggested partners: SNH)

• Establish a centralised database a newHighland Biological Records Centre to act as acontact point for anyone requiring furtherinformation. (Suggested partners: SNH, TheHighland Council, Highland Biological RecordingGroup, Inverness Museum Records Centre)

Inverness Bat Group

2. Lack of awareness

Issue: A key theme emerging from the initialconsultation exercise was the lack of generalknowledge about the wildlife on our doorsteps, bothamongst children and adults. Initiatives that raiseawareness of biodiversity and land managementissues amongst the wider public are essential to thesuccess of this Plan, and should be developedthrough projects involving schools and communitygroups.

Opportunity: The Highland Biodiversity Project gavea small amount of funding to a number of KnowYour Own Patch projects in 2003, which were verysuccessful in involving people in community


biodiversity projects and surveys. If funding could befound to continue this scheme, more communitygroups and schools could benefit from smallawareness-raising projects.

Future actions:

• Continue the Know Your Own Patch grantscheme, to help community groups and schoolsraise awareness of biodiversity. (Suggestedpartners: PRIN, SNH, The Highland Council,Highlands & Islands Enterprise, RSPB Scotland)

• Develop educational materials for primary,secondary and tertiary courses that focus on localbiodiversity and examine the threats and current /future actions relating to specific species andhabitats. Examine the primary and secondarycurricula (5-14 and Higher Still courses) andidentify opportunities to raise awareness aboutlocal biodiversity. (Suggested partners: TheHighland Council Education & Ranger Services, SNH)

• Appoint a teacher / biologist to write suitablematerials relating to case studies of localbiodiversity, identify and integrate withindividuals in local agencies who could beapproached to talk to pupils and provide data,and identify suitable sites and sources of fundingfor field trips and projects. (Suggested partners: TheHighland Council Education & Ranger Services, SNH)

Creeping ladies tresses

3. Lack of co-ordination

Issue: There is currently no group or forum withsufficient remit or geographical coverage to pick upon the work of the Inverness & Nairn BiodiversityGroup and help deliver this Local Biodiversity ActionPlan.

Opportunity: The Inverness & Nairn BiodiversityGroup was set up under the auspices of thePartnership for Rural Inverness & Nairn to draft thisPlan, and comprises a number of enthusiasticindividuals representing a range of interests. Theremay be merit in continuing this sub group, perhapswith an extended membership, meeting on aninfrequent basis to help deliver the Plan.

Future actions:

• Continue to support the Inverness & NairnBiodiversity Group to raise awareness ofcommunity-led environmental projects, sharegood practice, oversee actions, run events andsupport awareness-raising projects. (Suggestedpartners: PRIN, SNH, The Highland Council, groupmembers)

• Provide training and support to a network ofvolunteer biodiversity contacts who can adviseand support individuals, businesses, schools andcommunity groups willing to carry outbiodiversity audits and mapping exercises.(Suggested partners: The Highland Council, SNH)

Small blue butterfly

4. Lack of habitat linkages

Issue: Many habitats throughout Inverness & Nairnnow exist only as isolated remnants of once largerareas of wetland, woodland or moorland. Wildlifeoften cannot move between these remnants, and sopopulations of some species become isolated andmore vulnerable to changes in climate, disease, etc.

Opportunity: Biodiversity projects could be targetedto improve linkages between such habitats.


Future actions:

• Undertake projects that re-establish links betweenisolated habitats through agricultural or forestrygrant schemes, or wildlife corridor projectsfocusing on hedgerows or roadside verges.(Suggested partners: The Highland Council Transport,Environmental & Community Services, BEARScotland, SNH, Forestry Commission Scotland,Highland FWAG, Scottish Agricultural College, landmanagers)

5. Invasive species

Issue: Rhododendron ponticum, Japanese knotweed,giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam and signalcrayfish are non-native, invasive species that arethreatening our native biodiversity. In addition, anumber of native species (e.g. ragwort, bracken, gorse,rushes) that often provide good wildlife habitat canbecome problematic if grazing is removed and theplants are left unchecked.

Japanese knotweed

Opportunity: Many of our semi-natural habitatsrequire management through grazing or scrubcontrol, but some non-natives require specialattention to eradicate them. Species such as Japaneseknotweed can often be unwittingly spread to newlocations through machinery or the transfer oftopsoil, but such issues can be addressed throughtraining courses and awareness-raising programmestargeted at contractors.

Future actions:

• Take steps to eradicate alien pest species such asRhododendron ponticum, Japanese knotweed, gianthogweed and Himalayan balsam from watercourses and roadside verges. Manage otherspecies such as bracken and gorse, whichalthough beneficial for biodiversity in small areas,

are detrimental when they take over as blanketcoverage. (Suggested partners: The Highland CouncilTransport, Environmental & Community Services,BEAR Scotland, SNH, Highland FWAG, landmanagers)

• Run training courses for land managers and roadverge maintenance contractors and staff to helpwith identification of these problem species andraise awareness of how to control and eradicatethem. (Suggested partners: The Highland CouncilTransport, Environmental & Community Services,BEAR Scotland, SNH, land managers)

6. Wildlife crime

Issue: There are a number of illegal actions thatthreaten our biodiversity, including the removal ofwild flowers such as bluebells and water lilies fromwoods or ponds, the collection of rare birds eggs, thedeliberate or accidental killing of birds of prey,fishing for pearl mussels and the drowning ofdolphins in illegally set monofilament nets ordisturbance through inappropriate boat use.

Opportunity: The Partnership for Action AgainstWildlife Crime is a multi-agency body comprisingrepresentatives of all the organisations involved inwildlife law enforcement in the UK. It promotes theenforcement of legislation and provides opportunitiesfor joint working to address these problems.

Future actions:

• Raise awareness of wildlife crime issues amongstlocal groups and in schools. (Suggested partners:The Highland Council Education Service, SNH, RSPBScotland, Northern Constabulary)

Bluebells, Glen Affric


7. Litter and fly-tipping

Issue: Marine and land-based litter from fly-tippingor discarded items including farm waste, bags,containers and fishing nets and line can causeproblems for mammals and birds in anyenvironment. Plastic items or tin cans can causeparticular damage, as they are not alwaysbiodegradable.

Opportunity: There may be opportunities for localaction through joint working with national initiativessuch as the Think before you flush , Bag it and Binit and Dumb Dumpers campaigns.

Current Projects: Some communities regularlyorganise clean-ups on beaches, rivers or withinwoodlands.

Future actions:

• Provide incentives for businesses andcommunities to minimise the waste they send tolandfill through e.g. community compostingfacilities and agricultrual waste recyclingschemes. (Suggested partners: The Highland Council,SNH, Scottish Environment Protection Agency,Scottish Executive, The Royal Scottish AgricultureBenevolent Institution, businesses, community groups)

• Consider better signage in valuable areas andeducation within schools. (Suggested partners: TheHighland Council Education Service, SNH, NorthernConstabulary)

Nairn beach

8. Natural conflicts

Natural conflicts between different biodiversityinterests exist, for example between seals and salmon/ trout, pine martens and poultry, and ragwort (afood for insects or a noxious weed for stock?). Theseconflicts need to be taken into account as there will bedifferent issues in different locations, and there are

legal restrictions on the control of some species. Formanagement purposes, the Plan advocates promotingbiodiversity through a habitat or ecosystem-basedapproach, rather than managing an area for aparticular species alone.

Pine marten


Photos of: Red shank,Sunset over Beauly Firth, Bottlenosedolphin calf, Nairn beach and Common seals.

Key features:

The following list highlights the key features of ourmarine and coastal biodiversity, the habitats andspecies that make this area so special and distinct inecological terms.

• Part of most important area for wintering wildfowland waders in Britain, supporting winter duckand goose populations of internationalsignificance

• First and last ‘stop-over’ in autumn and spring formany long-distance migrant birds

• Coastal waters used by one of only two knownresident bottlenose dolphin populations in the UK

• Exceptional variety of coastal plant communities,with a large number of rare or local plantsoccurring at the limit of their northern or southernrange

• Includes part of the largest sand dune system inBritain

• Outstanding examples of sand and shingle spitsenclosing an inter-tidal system of saltings, sandand mudflats

• Supports large numbers of juvenile fishpopulations and is a route for returning adultAtlantic Salmon to the rivers Ness and Beauly

Chapter 1: Sea & Seashore


Introduction

We do not have a vast area of sea and coast inInverness & Nairn. Our coastline stretches fromCulbin Sands east of Nairn to the head of the BeaulyFirth, a distance of only 43 km as the oystercatcherflies. However, this distance would be much greaterif we were to kayak round all the bays andheadlands, and what we lack in quantity we makeup for in quality and variety of habitat.

Through time, this coastal stretch has supportednumerous industries including fishing from Nairnand Inverness harbours, oil rig manufacture at theArdersier Fabrication Yard, transportation to andfrom Inverness and, more recently, recreation andtourism. As our population expands, so too do ourdemands on the marine environment but withincreasing legislation, our waters and beaches arebecoming cleaner.

Sunset over Beauly Firth

Habitats & species

The Beauly Firth is a shallow, tidal lagooncontaining over 1,000 hectares of estuarine marshand inter-tidal sand and mud, which is exposed bythe tide twice a day. At the mouth of the Firth thesea bed is dominated by coarse sand and gravel butas you move west, is becomes more sheltered fromsevere wind and wave action, resulting in thedeposition of soft silt and mud habitats.

There are large areas where pioneer species typicalof northern firths such as glasswort, beakedtasselweed and the nationally scarce eelgrasses,have moved in to colonise these habitats. Inaddition to plants, the sediments support abundantspecies of invertebrates which, in turn are food for awide diversity of wintering waders and wildfowl.Populations of greylag geese are of internationalimportance, and up to 1,000 Canada geese fly up tothe Firth to moult during late summer. Red-breastedmerganser, cormorant and goosander were also ofinternational significance in the Beauly Firth in themid 1990 s. However, the overwintering population

of these species have shown significant declines overthe last 7 years the reasons for this remainunknown.

Purple sandpiper & Red shank

The intertidal mudflats of Longman and CastleStuart Bays also support a range of winteringwildfowl and waders including cormorant, wigeon,goldeneye, red-breasted merganser and redshank.High numbers of scaup have also been recordedhere during some winters, and the area is alsoregularly visited by large numbers of teal,oystercatcher and curlew.

The coastline of the Inner Moray Firth is fringed inplaces by saltmarsh, much of which is ungrazed andsupports a range of species including the localsaltmarsh flat sedge and estuarine sedge. As youmove landwards through the upper reaches of theFirth, the habitats move through common reed andbulrush swamp and fen to willow scrub and closedalder carr.

Whiteness Head is an excellent example of a sandand shingle spit enclosing an intertidal system ofsaltings, sand and mud flats, with associatedsaltmarsh and carseland. It is important as a feedingand roosting area for knot and bar-tailed godwit andin summer, as a breeding site for waders, wildfowland four species of tern have been recorded here. Itsdistinctive flora, showing a range of coastal species,is a boon for insects including butterflies.

The largest sand dune system in Britain is at CulbinSands, on the boundary between Nairnshire andMorayshire. The ancient dunes, which were plantedwith conifers in the 1920s to stabilise them, wereformed by windblown sand and can reach 30-40metres in height. Other habitats associated with thissystem include intertidal flats, standard shingle bars,dunes, dune-slacks, saltmarsh, heath, freshwaterbodies, freshwater marshes and scrub woodland.Over 550 species of flowering plant have beenrecorded from this area 48 of which are at thenorthern limit of their range, whilst a further 3 are attheir southern limit. The diversity of fungi andlichens is also outstanding and the site is nationally


important for its exceptionally rich variety of insectspecies.

The inshore waters of the Moray Firth are home toone of only two known resident populations ofbottlenose dolphins to be found in UK waters.Harbour porpoise, white-beaked dolphin, minkewhale, pilot whale and orca have all been sighted inthe inner Moray Firth, although most of thesespecies are seen further out to sea in the Outer Firth.Common (harbour) seals use the intertidalsandbanks and mudflats of the Beauly Firth as haul-outs, and otters use the coastal area to forage forfood.

Common seals

Below the waves, the Moray Firth holds extensiveareas of sand. These sandbanks support a diverserange of species and provide significant feedingareas for seabirds and nursery grounds for fish. Theimmature stages of commercially important fishspecies such as herring, which was formerlyexploited off the coast by a drift net fishery, and coduse these inshore areas, as do sprats that spawn indeep water and then move inshore to over-winter.

In summer, it is not uncommon to see ospreysfishing, and red kites are a familiar site around theBeauly Firth.

Objectives

• To raise awareness of the marine environmentwithin schools, businesses and tourist outlets.

• To define acceptable levels of coastaldevelopment from a biodiversity viewpoint.

• To encourage organisations to set standards forsewage and industrial waste discharges whichsafeguard and improve local biodiversity.

• To minimise disturbance to wildlife caused bythose seeking recreation through increasedinterpretation, signage and promotion of codes ofgood practice.

Nairn Harbour

Main Issues

1.1 Marine mammal conservation

Issue: Dolphins are one of the most marketable andenduring images of the Moray Firth, but theirsurvival around these shores is not a certainty. Theylive at the edge of their range and suffer from anumber of pressures such as noise disturbance,pollution or becoming trapped in illegally set nets.

Common and grey seals too are a well known and aloved sight around the coast, but there are concernsabout the interactions between seal populations andthe numbers of salmon and sea trout returning tospawn in our rivers.

Current projects: The dolphins and underwatersandbanks are both of European importance, and arethe reasons why a large part of the Moray Firth is acandidate Special Area of Conservation. The MorayFirth Management Scheme identifies over 100projects and actions that individuals and agenciescan do to safeguard and improve these interests. Fora copy of the Management Scheme, go towww.morayfirth-partnership.org/SAC(MS).

The University of Aberdeen and St Andrew sUniversity have been monitoring the presence andbehaviour of the Moray Firth dolphins for manyyears and have identified around 130 animals byindividual markings on their fins.


The Dolphin Space Programme is an accreditationscheme for wildlife tour boats. It promotesoperators who “Watch how they Watch” and whocarry out high quality cruises of low environmentalimpact – see www.greentourism.org.uk/DSP formore information.

Operation Fish Net is a project undertaken by thePartnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime whichseeks to raise awareness of the dolphins of theMoray Firth and the threat of entanglement inillegally set monofilament gill nets. In the two yearssince the launch of this project, 75 illegal nets havebeen seized within the Moray Firth.

Bottlenose dolphin calf

Scottish Natural Heritage, the Scottish Executive andthe Moray Firth District Salmon Fishery Boards areworking together to develop a Seal ManagementPlan for the Moray Firth. The aim of the plan is tosafeguard the integrity of the common seal interestof the Dornoch Firth candidate Common SealSpecial Area of Conservation. The plan recognisesthat seals can predate salmon in freshwater andwhere they do they will be managed in accordancewith the Seal Management Plan.

Future actions:

Display information leaflets on the protection ofdolphins, report any illegal or drifting salmon netsto the dedicated freephone number 0800 085 8217,and demonstrate good environmental practice bykeeping the firths clean and healthy for marine life.(Suggested partners: Moray Firth Partnership, HarbourBoard, Ships chandlers, boat operators & marinebusinesses)

Promote positive action to safeguard the MorayFirth dolphins, to support the work of the DolphinDefenders project currently being run by the MorayFirth Partnership seewww.dolphindefenders.co.uk. Possible actionsinclude contacting the police if boats are harassingdolphins; buying only wild salmon or sea troutcaught by legal methods; reporting oil spills at sea tothe coastguard; following the relevant codes of

conduct (Dolphin Space Programme, DolphinAwareness Initiative); avoiding feeding orswimming with dolphins; reporting stranded marineanimals to the Scottish Cetacean StrandingCoordinator; reporting illegal salmon nets; adoptinga dolphin; joining a dolphin watch group;preventing harmful waste from entering into thesewage system; helping to keep the coast litter free;watching dolphins from the shore or with anaccredited boat operator. (Suggested partners: MorayFirth Partnership, Harbour Board, Ships chandlers, boatoperators, marine businesses, local communities,individuals)

1.2 Marine litter & pollution

Issue: Although the local marine environment isrelatively clean by UK standards, improvements canstill be made. Marine litter poses a range of risks tospecies including entanglement and ingestion.Many sources of pollution directly affect species atthe lower end of the food web, such as filter feedingbivalves (cockles, mussels, etc) and pollutants maythen be passed on up the food chain.

Current projects: Work has already been carried outthrough the Moray Firth Partnership and to drawattention to dangers to wildlife posed by seabornelitter and to encourage beach clean-ups.

Scottish Water Solutions is continuing to upgradecoastal sewage treatment sites.

Inverness Harbour

Future actions:

Seek sponsorship for and encourage more schoolsand communities to get involved in beach surveysand clean-ups, and raise awareness of marine litter.(Suggested partners: Moray Firth Partnership, MarineConservation Society, The Highland Council,Community Groups)

Help marine and coastal users recycle or dispose ofwaste such as litter, old fishing nets or marine


chemicals sensitively by ensuring there are adequatewaste disposal and recycling facilities, and bybuilding on existing projects such as the ‘Thinkbefore you flush’, ‘Bag it and Bin it’ and ‘DumbDumpers’ campaigns. (Suggested partners: Moray FirthPartnership, Harbour Board, SEPA, The HighlandCouncil Transport, Environmental & CommunityServices, Ships chandlers, boat operators & marinebusinesses)

Strive to ensure that the standards of discharges fromsewage treatment plants in the area take into accountand safeguard, or enhance, local biodiversity.(Suggested partners: The Highland Council, SEPA,Scottish Water Solutions, SNH, Moray Firth Partnership,Marine Conservation Society)

1.3 Recreation

Issue: While there is enormous scope for quietenjoyment of coastal wildlife here, there are also risksof disturbance in certain areas. Inshore use of fastrecreational craft in the Inverness Firth orunregulated dog exercising beside mudflats areexamples of activities that can be a problem forwildlife and a nuisance to people who wish to enjoythat wildlife.

Current projects: Bird watchers monitor the numberof waterfowl and waders throughout the winteracross the Moray Firth. The Wetland Birds Survey iscarried out at low and high tides each year in one ofthe major inland firths and on the larger inland lochs.The results can be viewed on the Moray FirthPartnership website: www.morayfirth-partmership.org/xrstop.

The Highland Council, with the help of a grant fromScottish Natural Heritage, has improved the parking,access, viewing facilities and interpretation at theInverness Bird Hide on Stadium Road. The improvedhide is now upgraded to an all-abilities standard,and affords views over the mudflats to North Kessockof wading birds including ringed plover, turnstone,curlew and redshank.

The European funded Nortrail Project aims to informvisitors to the Moray Firth about access to its richcoastal heritage. A proposed ‘Hands Across theFirth’ project, led by the Moray Firth Partnership, willbe seeking ideas from communities to celebrate andpromote natural heritage links across the area.

Future actions:

Provide information at a few key points, includingencouragement to restrict dog roaming / keep dogson leads in sensitive areas. (Suggested partners: SNH,RSPB Scotland, local communities, land managers)

Increase promotion, interpretation and signage closeto habitat improvement projects to raise awareness ofthe issues, timescales and the need for measures suchas fencing. (Suggested partners: SNH, The HighlandCouncil, RSPB Scotland, Highlands of Scotland TouristBaord, land managers)

Investigate the potential for one or two low impactviewing facilities elsewhere around the Firth.(Suggested partners: RSPB Scotland, local communities)

Nairn beach


Photos of: Slavonian grebe, Loch Ness, Atlantic salmon,Moniack Burn and Great crested newt.

Chapter 2: Freshwater

Key features:

The following list highlights the key features of ourfreshwater biodiversity, the habitats and species thatmake this area so special and distinct in ecologicalterms.

• Most important location in the UK for breedingSlavonian grebes

• Surviving stock of internationally endangeredAtlantic salmon

• Population of internationally importantfreshwater pearl mussel

• Rivers running through major settlements,bringing people and riverside wildlife together

• River gorges where splash, runoff and spraymaintain variety of plants and trees

• Watercourses as corridors and feeding areas forotters, fish and amphibians

• Lochs containing Arctic char and geneticallydistinct trout populations

• Habitats and feeding grounds for birds includingosprey

• Ponds as breeding sites for great crested newtsand other amphibians

• Loch Ness: the largest freshwater body in the UKand an internationally recognised touristdestination


Introduction

The mountain ridges and plateaux in the west andsouth of Inverness-shire are dissected and drained bysteep, bouldery burns, remote lochans and long,sweeping water bodies such as Loch Monar, LochAffric and Loch Cluanie. Many of our rivers andburns, including the Enrick, Coiltie, Moriston andFoyers charge down the slopes of the Great Glen intoLoch Ness which, in turn, delivers water to the seathrough the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal.

Inverness & Nairn holds most of the upper catchmentof the River Findhorn, a classic Highland river whichstarts in the Monadhliath mountains and passesthrough vast open stretches of moorland and narrowwooded gorges before entering Morayshire. Thesmaller but equally scenic River Nairn, the ‘river ofthe alders’ also rises in the Monadhliaths and passesfarmland and forestry before joining the sea at Nairnitself.

North of the Great Glen, the three Glens of Affric,Cannich and Strathfarrar are connected by the RiverBeauly system which, like the Moriston, has beendammed in several places to create hydroelectricpower. The construction of dams during the 1950screated large new water bodies and regulated theflows of rivers. These activities have had bothpositive and negative impacts for biodiversity, withthe creation of new habitats and the modification ofothers.

Loch Affric

Habitats & species

Rivers & burns: Due to the income generated fromfishing in our rivers, much work takes place locally tomonitor, conserve and maximise the catch of Atlanticsalmon. However, the numbers of salmon returningto our rivers has declined dramatically in recentdecades. Small burns also support both resident fishlike minnows, and migratory fish that return to theburns to spawn, such as sea trout (the migratory formof brown trout) and eels.

Freshwater pearl mussel

Linked to the health of salmon is the freshwaterpearl mussel. Once much more widespread but nowreduced by pollution and over-fishing, this long-livedmollusc (a century or more is possible) is presentwithin a number of rivers within Inverness & Nairn.It is a high priority species for conservation action,and recent studies indicate that it has a beneficial roleto salmon in terms of filtering water and keepingspawning beds clean.

The upland fast-flowing rivers are subject to periodicspates after sudden snowmelt or heavy rainfall.Dipper, grey wagtail and common sandpiper breedhere. Waders such as redshank and curlew may usedamp areas in fields near the rivers.Fast-flowing water running through gorges alsoindirectly boosts local biodiversity through splash,spray and maintenance of moisture in soilsupporting river or burnside trees. Lower plantssuch as mosses, lichens, liverworts and ferns areparticularly favoured in this way.

Freshwater corridors are also important forconservation of the water vole, now one of the UK’smost endangered mammals. Watercourses of allkinds, from rivers to drainage ditches, providecorridors along which the area’s low densitypopulation of otters can move and feed. They oftencatch frogs and toads as they gather for communalmating in Spring.

Otter


Upland lochs: Our upland rocks and soils aregenerally acidic and poor in nutrients, which in turninfluence the rivers, burns and lochs that pass over orsit within them. Such waters are naturally poor infood for aquatic life, termed oligotrophic (nutrientpoor) and are typical of upland systems in theHighlands. The invertebrate and fish fauna includesa smaller range of species than waters in central andsouthern Scotland.

Among the few fish species here, members of thesalmon family are of prime interest and many of theupland lochs contain brown trout and Arctic char.Some of the larger lochs support ferox trout thecannibalistic form of brown trout and these fish cangrow in excess of 20 lbs. The main introduced fishspecies in the area, pike and perch, are predators onother fish and can have an impact on native fishstocks.

Mesotrophic lochs: Due to their richer geology, theuplands surrounding the Great Glen support anumber of freshwater lochs with moderate orintermediate nutrient status. Such waters are termedmesotrophic and because they are richer in food,they tend to support a greater range of species thannutrient poor, oligotrophic lochs in the south andwest of the area. Examples include Loch Ruthven,Loch Ashie, Loch Knockie and Loch nan Lann, all ofwhich lie in the low hills south-east of the Great Glen.

Loch Ruthven

These lochs are rich in vegetation, and some supportextensive beds of emergent vegetation including long-stalked pondweed as well as sedge beds dominatedby bottle sedge and slender sedge. Some, such asLoch Ruthven show a transition from open waterthrough swamp and fen vegetation to sedge-rich wetacidic grassland.

They provide important feeding, gathering, moultingand breeding habitats for many species of wildfowlincluding Slavonian grebe, black-throated diver,tufted duck, mallard, teal, red-breasted merganser,wigeon and coot. In the UK, breeding Slavonian

grebes are almost entirely restricted to Highland andGrampian, with Inverness and Nairn being one of themost important areas overall. Some sites also supportpopulations of common and black-headed gull.

Slavonian grebe

Loch Ruthven is also one of the very few known lochsfor a rare type of stickleback, and Loch Ashie is ofinterest for its freshwater invertebrates including anationally scarce species of water beetle. Dragonfliesbenefit from the rich aquatic and fen vegetation to befound in many of our smaller lochans, such as theBalnagrantach loch system above Drumadrochit andLoch Bran, a shallow lochan on the edge of anescarpment on the south side of Loch Ness.

Eutrophic lochs: Loch Flemington, near Croy inlowland Inverness-shire, is a good example of ashallow freshwater loch of eutrophic or high nutrientstatus. It is important locally as a feeding androosting site for wigeon, mallard and other waterfowlin winter, and as a breeding site for many otherwaterfowl species in summer, including Slavoniangrebe.

Loch an Airigh Fhraoich

Wetlands: Many of the area s lochs and lochans havefens, reedbeds and swamp vegetation around theiredges. Such sites are rich in sedges, reeds, mosses


and liverworts, and provide important habitats forbreeding waders such as curlew, snipe and thelocally rare water rail. Loch Battan contains a raretype of bottle sedge / bryophyte fen, as well as anumber of locally rare and nationally scarce plantssuch as small cranberry and early marsh orchid. Atthe Loch of the Clans, the shallow open water isgradually silting up and being succeeded by sedgeswamp and willow carr.

Some wetlands and small ponds in the area are hometo colonies of great crested newts, but even tinypatches of marshy ground or standing water cansupport plants such as ragged robin and provideopportunities for common frogs, toads and palmatenewts to spawn or dragonflies and damselflies tobreed.

Although not one of the best areas in Scotland for thegreat crested newt, Inverness and Nairn representsthe northernmost limit of this species natural range.

Great crested newt

Reservoirs: A number of lochs have been created overthe last 50 years by hydro-electric developments.Some of these contain Arctic char and populations ofwading birds, although the water levels oftenfluctuate too much for them to provide good feedinggrounds for the latter. These developments have hada huge influence on our biodiversity, e.g. throughpresenting barriers to the passage of migratory fish,opening up new routes for species transfers, changesin temperatures caused by water transfers, and theloss of natural flood events.

Objectives

• To promote a holistic approach to freshwaterconservation by encouraging co-operationbetween land and water users through thedevelopment of catchment management plans andother initiatives.

• To maintain favourable water quality status in allwater bodies and minimise diffuse pollution.

• To promote the use of best practice guides andprofessional advice from government agencies,and reduce any negative impacts of forestry,agriculture or other industrial discharges onfreshwater habitats.

• To keep lochs and rivers in as natural a state aspossible, with no barriers to fish migration andimproved flow rates on dammed river sections.

• To raise awareness of the importance of wetlandand open water habitats, and encourage localpride in the value of the high quality freshwaterenvironment.

Whitewater canoeing

Main Issues

2.1 Acidification, nutrient enrichment & catchmentmanagement

Issue: Agricultural intensification and an increase inbuilding development has resulted in an increase infertilisers and pesticides reaching our watercoursesthrough run-off from fields and an increase in sewagetreatment works and discharges from pipes. Somewater bodies in the area, such as Loch Flemington,are suffering from nutrient enrichment as a result ofpast land management practices and sewagedischarges, resulting in blooms of blue-green algae,which can kill other aquatic life.

In the past, the planting of large blocks of conifers inthe uplands has released soils and silt into the burnsand rivers, altering flow rates and causing salmonspawning beds to silt up. In some of the burns, theeffect of afforestation has resulted in an increase inthe acidity of the water.


Opportunities: The Water Framework Directiveencourages the development of catchmentmanagement plans, and its implementation throughthe Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)will increase control on pressures affecting waterquality, particularly from diffuse pollution sources.Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) are alsobeing promoted in new developments, which willbenefit water quality.

Farmers and crofters are required to follow thePEPFAA Code (Prevention of EnvironmentalPollution from Agricultural Activity) and usefulinformation and guides on reducing agriculturalpollution are available from SEPA, the ScottishExecutive and the Scottish Agricultural College (Dosand Don ts Guide and the Four Point PlanStraightforward guidance for livestock farmers tominimise pollution and benefit your business).

The production of farm water management plans asrecommended by the World-Wide Fund for Nature(WWF) would give simple, low cost ways in whichfarmers can make savings on fertilisers and otheragrochemicals, reduce pollution and soil loss andalso improve wildlife habitats. In particular thecreation of buffer strips along water courses givelarge biodiversity benefits. Buffer strips can reduceerosion by controlling stock to bank sides, and canalso trap sediments and chemicals before they arewashed into rivers.

The Rural Stewardship Scheme (Scotland s agri-environment scheme, run by the Scottish ExecutiveEnvironment & Rural Affairs Department, describedin more detail in Chapter 3) can fund the creation ofbuffer strips.

Loch Duntelchaig

Current projects: SEPA currently monitors the qualityof our larger rivers and lochs, and regulates alldischarges from water treatment works, farm wastesand industrial effluent.

Although much of the pollution in Loch Flemingtonis a legacy of past activity, including domestic

sources, members of the Loch Flemington CatchmentGroup have been looking for solutions to improve thewater quality for many years. The ScottishAgricultural College has undertaken a survey of theLoch Flemington catchment to assess howagricultural operations might impact on the health ofthe loch and provide advice to minimise agriculturalrunoff. As a result, most farmers have or areplanning to submit applications to the RuralStewardship Scheme for positive conservation worksincluding nutrient budgeting, which recommends theoptimum amount and timing of fertiliser or manure tobe applied to the land.

Loch Flemington

Forestry Commission Scotland and many privatelandowners are restructuring many plantations toremove conifers from the edges of streams, and allnew plantations must adhere to Forest & WaterGuidelines , which give best practice for forestrymanagement to protect watercourses.

Glen Urquhart Community Council has produced anIntegrated Catchment Management Plan for the RiverEnrick, which identifies a number of potentialprojects including selected flood mitigation schemes,improved riparian management, a public pathwaynetwork with way-markers and signage andrecreational facilities based on the natural habitat orarchaeology. A community support worker has beenappointed and Glen Urquhart Land Use Partnershipformed, with funding from the Inverness & NairnCED programme, SEPA, RSPB and SNH, to help thecommunity find and secure the necessary finance todeliver these projects.

Future actions:

Ensure water quality improvements are in line withSEPA s targets. (Suggested partners: SEPA, ScottishWater, National Farmers Union Scotland, agricultural andindustrial businesses)

Continue to promote practical guidance for forestryplantings and new developments taking place near


watercourses. Advise businesses on the legalrequirements for discharges of substances near orinto water, and demonstrate how sustainablepractices can make economic sense to businesses.(Suggested partners: Forestry Commission Scotland,Scottish Executive, SEPA, The Highland CouncilPlanning & Development Service, SNH, SAC, HighlandFWAG)

Promote adoption of SUDS principles (such asswales, infiltration basins, detention / retentionponds, wetlands, reedbeds) in new developments.(Suggested partners: The Highland Council Planning &Development Service, SEPA, SNH, developers)

Safeguard the nutrient status of Loch Flemington asfar as possible by minimising future nutrient inputs;and ensure that good-quality long-term data isavailable to assess the nutrient status of this andother lochs in the area. (Suggested partners: SEPA,SNH, The Highland Council Planning & DevelopmentService)

Produce and enact Farm Waste Water ManagementPlans for some of the larger agricultural units,following a pilot project undertaken as part of theRiver Spey Catchment Management Plan project.(Suggested partners: Scottish Executive, SEPA, HighlandFWAG, SAC, land managers)

Encourage habitat creation and enhancement fordevelopments, particularly those affecting watercourses. (Suggested partners: SEPA, SNH, The HighlandCouncil Planning & Development Service, NationalFarmers Union Scotland, developers)

Atlantic salmon

2.2 Population decline in Atlantic salmon

Issue: Atlantic salmon has suffered huge declinesacross its world range in recent decades. Reasons forthis are complex but are likely to include factors suchas deep-sea trawling at wintering grounds andchanges in water temperature and salinity due toglobal warming that are far beyond the scope of localaction for biodiversity.

More locally, hydro schemes have impacted on riverflows in the Beauly and Moriston catchments, whichhave resulted in a loss of spawning areas for salmonand sea trout. In addition, some road crossings havecreated obstructions to fish migration, resulting in aloss of spawning habitat for migratory fish. Untilrecently, agricultural prices have meant it wasworthwhile to maintain flood banks and field drains,which have canalised rivers and removed potentialspawning habitat for salmon and sea trout.

Fisherman, River Ness

Opportunity: Those fish that do return to the riverwhere they spawned can be helped by conservationmeasures within the local area. This could includeassessment of the usefulness of existing barriers tofish movement and the feasibility of allowingunrestricted fish access to river reaches that havebeen inaccessible in recent decades.

It is likely that most new large-scale developmentswill have implications for local biodiversity, but theseought to be identified and addressed through toolssuch as Project Environmental Impact Assessmentand Strategic Environmental Assessment. There isextensive consultation on new hydro schemes tominimise environmental impact and protectbiodiversity as far as possible. Opportunities exist towork with Scottish and Southern Energy and otherhydro developers to mitigate the effects of hydrodevelopment on biodiversity and there is also scopeto address the problem of road crossings and otherman made obstacles to fish migration and causes ofhabitat fragmentation.

Current projects: The Ness and Beauly DistrictSalmon Fishery Boards have been implementingcatch and release programmes, aimed atmaximising the numbers of salmon returning to theupper reaches of the rivers to spawn.

Scottish and Southern Energy have installed fishpasses with counters at their hydro dams.

Many farmers and crofters have entered into agri-environment schemes with water margin options,


which enable them to fence off rivers and streams,provide alternative watering methods for stock andplant trees to stabilise the banks.

Habitat works in forests e.g. Boblainy have beenundertaken to help improve some spawning burns.

Future actions:

Restore fish passes and reduce barriers to fish andother wildlife to give access to spawning groundsupstream, including the maintenance of appropriateflow rates in flow-altered rivers. (Suggested partners:Scottish & Southern Energy, District Salmon FisheryBoards, SNH, land managers)

Promote and adhere to Government guidance andrecognised best practice for road crossings and riverengineering projects. (Suggested partners: TheHighland Council, BEAR Scotland, SEPA, SNH, landmanagers)

Develop fishery and catchment management plansfor each river system in the region, and carry out ademonstration project on river and loch bankmanagement, including the use of fencing bufferstrips and planting of broadleaves to prevent bankerosion. (Suggested partners: SEPA, SNH, The HighlandCouncil Planning & Development Service, DistrictSalmon Fishery Boards, WWF)

Raise awareness of the issues surrounding rivermanagement for salmon amongst anglers and landmanagers. (Suggested partners: District Salmon FisheryBoards, land managers, angling groups)

2.3 Invasive non-native species

Issue: Some non-native plant species such asJapanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and gianthogweed are very invasive and choke out nativevegetation. These species often spread along rivers,making them particularly difficult to control on anindividual basis. Some tributaries of the River Nairnin particular, are experiencing severe problems withthe poisonous, invasive giant hogweed, and Japaneseknotweed is a problem at the mouths of the RiversEnrick and Coiltie.

American mink have spread throughout theHighlands and prey on small mammals like watervoles. Non-native fish introductions could be aproblem should pike fishing with live bait becomepopular in the area. Genetic issues relating to theintroduction of native but not locally sourced speciesmay be as significant as non-native introductions.Signal crayfish were recently recorded in the riverNairn. This species can have significant anddetrimental impact on river ecosystems and thenative species they support including salmonids.

They can also undermine river bank stability byburrowing into the banks.

Opportunity: There should be an opportunity forpartnership working to remove or control invasiveplant and animal species through tools such ascatchment management planning, and currentlegislative changes are strengthening the law oninvasive, non-native species.

Current projects: The Glen Urquhart Land UsePartnership (GULUP) have recognised the problem ofinvasive species such as Japanese knotweed on therivers Coiltie and Enrick. A programme to eradicatethis species is underway and this will continue in theyears ahead.

Mink trapping takes place on the River Farrar.

Japanese knotweed

Future actions:

Devise a strategy for the survey and then eradicationor control of invasive non-native plant species suchas Japanese knotweed, Himalayan balsam and gianthogweed at river catchment level. (Suggested partners:SNH, District Salmon Fishery Boards, land managers)

Develop a strategy for controlling mink, andinvestigate the impacts of mink on the water volepopulation. (Suggested partners: SNH, RSPB Scotland,land managers)

Continue to support the prohibition of any futureintroductions of non-native species such as signalcrayfish and pike, and investigate the popularity andextent of fishing with live bait in the area. (Suggestedpartners: SNH, District Salmon Fishery Boards, fisherymanagers, fishing clubs & tackle shops)


2.4 Lack of information on freshwater species

Issue: There is a lack of information on the presence,extent and management requirements of freshwaterplants, mammals, invertebrates and fish within thearea.

Opportunity: The Water Framework Directiveencourages greater monitoring of freshwater habitatsand species, and sharing of data through tools likeCatchment Management Planning.

Golden ringed dragonfly

Current projects: Several freshwater lochs have beensurveyed and designated as Sites of Special ScientificInterest by Scottish Natural Heritage and theirpredecessor, the Nature Conservancy Council.Scotland s freshwater pearl mussel population hasbeen surveyed and SNH uses the results to guideriver engineering works requiring planningpermission.

SNH have been undertaking surveys on water voleand great-crested newt populations, and havedeveloped management plans for ponds containinggreat-crested newts in recent years.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency currentlymonitors the larger watercourses in the area forinvertebrates, though data is at Family level only.Under the requirements of the Water FrameworkDirective, SEPA s monitoring of freshwater flora andfauna is likely to increase, particularly to cover lochsmuch more than at present.

Future actions:

Undertake a freshwater inventory of existing surveydata to encourage sharing of data between agenciesand to highlight the needs for additional datagathering. Make use of electronic map datatechnology to link data sets wherever possible. Oncethe gaps have been identified, find funding to help fillthem and translate the information into habitatcreation or management works. (Suggested partners:

SNH, SEPA, District Salmon Fishery Boards, InvernessSub Aqua Club)

Raise awareness of the biodiversity value of ourrivers and lochs. (Suggested partners: SNH, TheHighland Council RangerService , District SalmonFishery Boards)

Raise awareness of habitat management for speciessuch as water vole and great crested newts throughworkshops and field visits. (Suggested partners: SNH,The Highland Council Ranger Service, land managers)

Encourage volunteers to survey and map roadcrossings for e.g. frogs, toads and otters, and installsuitable signage to warn drivers of the hazard towildlife in these areas. Blocked culverts can obstructsafe passage and make animals risk road crossings,and should be reported to the Council or BEARScotland to enable them to be unblocked. (Suggestedpartners: SNH, The Highland Council Transport andRanger Services, BEAR Scotland, local communitygroups)

Pond dipping, Coire Loch, Glen Affric

2.5 Aquaculture

Issue: Aquaculture has the potential to impact onlocal biodiversity through abstractions anddischarges to rivers and the siting of fish farm cagesin lochs. There is concern that discharges to riversand lochs as a result of the fish farming process mayhave a detrimental effect on the environment. Thepotential impact of escapee fish on wild stocksthrough inter-breeding and loss of inherited traits, thetransmission of disease, and competition for food andhabitat have also been identified as issues.

Opportunity: The Water Framework Directiveestablishes an integrated approach to the protection,improvement and sustainable use of the freshwaterenvironment. The Directive will regulate abstractionfrom watercourses and introduces broad ecologicalobjectives designed to protect and, where necessary,restore the structure and function of aquatic


ecosystems. It works to protect the waterenvironment and particular uses of it from the effectsof pollution.

Depending on their size and location, newaquaculture developments may require anEnvironmental Impact Assessment, which mustaddress the concerns identified above. The ScottishEnvironment Protection Agency regulates andmonitors the impacts of all fish farms to safeguard theenvironment.

Current projects: Marine Harvest Scotland hasworked with SEPA and SNH to develop customisedscreens for fish farm outflows and procedures toprevent escapes.

A Salmon LIFE project has been approved for theRiver Moriston.

Future actions: Undertake research into the impactsof aquaculture on local habitats and species.(Suggested partners: SEPA, SNH, Aquaculture industry,Scottish Quality Salmon, District Salmon Fishery Boards)

Undertake measures to minimise the risk of impactson the natural environment from fish farms. Thisincludes effective outflow screens to prevent escapes,maintenance of equipment and ensuring SEPA sdischarge consent conditions are met. (Suggestedpartners: SEPA, SNH, Aquaculture industry, ScottishQuality Salmon)

Water lobelia


Photos of: Ploughing arable farmland, Greylag goose,Raggid robin, Cattle on rough grazing and Gorse flowers.

Chapter 3: Farm & Croft Land

Key features:

The following list highlights the key features of ouragricultural biodiversity, the habitats and speciesthat make this area so special and distinct inecological terms.

• Major feeding area for internationally importantflocks of greylag geese, pink-footed geese andwhooper swans

• Habitat for a range of arable plants such ascornflower, now scarce in other parts of Britainand Ireland

• Only known breeding population of corn buntingin the Highlands is found around a small area oforganic farms at Gollanfield

• Mixed farms support nationally decliningstarlings (helped by cattle-grazed pasture), finchesand buntings (helped by availability of seeds inbrassica crops)

• Drystone dykes and other long-establishedboundaries, providing habitat for plants such asferns and corridors for movement of smallmammals

• Patches of gorse and scrub woodland, givingcover for Scottish wildcats and small birds

• Uncultivated field margins, supporting greypartridges and giving feeding opportunities forinvertebrates such as butterflies


Introduction

The lowlands that flank the inner parts of the MorayFirth support some of the best arable land inScotland. Within the farm and croft areas, there areimportant concentrations or occurrences of nationallyvalued species, and echoes of a long history oflinkage between the area s agriculture and wildlife.

People have farmed here since Neolithic times, some6,000 years ago. The old smallholdings, with theirmixed oat, brassica and grass fields and their relianceon livestock have all but disappeared from the area.They have been replaced with larger units and biggerfields, growing arable crops and silage. This changehas reduced the habitats available for many species.Greater efficiency in weed control and harvestingmethods leaves less and less food for over-winteringfarmland birds such as buntings and finches.

There have been major changes in the patterns ofproduction within the area s farmland and croftlandsince the middle of the 20th century. Prior to the1950s, oats were the most widely grown crop, in alocal farmscape that included a large acreage ofrotational grass, turnips and swedes, barley, somewheat and other crops. Now organic vegetables,winter cereals, oil seed rape, pasture and silage fieldspredominate.

There has been concern recently over the possibleintroduction of Genetically Modified crops. TheHighland Council currently opposes the planting ofGM crops in the area. The impact GM crops couldhave on local biodiversity may need to beinvestigated in the future should it arise as an issuefor the area.

Ploughing, arable farmland

Farm units and fields have become larger, while wetareas have been reduced through drainage. This hasreduced the variety and extent of both habitats andfeeding opportunities for farmland wildlife. At thesame time, herbicides and pesticides have depletedarable weeds and further reduced food availability

for a range of invertebrates and birds. Despite thesechanges, the farmland and croftland of Inverness &Nairn retains a significant wildlife interest, withpotential for increase and expansion in the future.

Recent changes in the Common Agricultural Policyhave provided greater emphasis and funding forenvironmental schemes so that managing farmlandfor wildlife has become financially beneficial onceagain. Local farmers have been quick to take up theopportunity to increase biodiversity on their holdingsthrough the Rural Stewardship Scheme and otherincentives.

Arable farmland, Inverness-shire

Habitats & species

Arable farms, with fields used either as pasture or forbarley, wheat or oilseed rape (with smaller amountsof potatoes, turnips and other brassica crops) is afeature of much of the coastal lowlands and easternrim of the area, stretching up the main river valleys ofthe Nairn, Ness and Beauly. Some of the larger farmsalong the A96 corridor have converted to organicproduction of vegetables, grain and other crops suchas oilseed rape.

Croftland is sparsely distributed on poorer, steeperground on valley sides, and so is more associatedwith bog, moor and hill areas than are other kinds offarming. Croftland can also provide diversitybecause of its small inbye fields and less intensivenature.

Among the plants associated with the farmedlowlands, a number of species that could be classedas arable weeds stand out as having nationalimportance. Once widespread, such species haveslumped in many areas due to changing patterns offarming and use of modern herbicides. Yet they canoften provide striking colour within fields and asource of food for seed-eating birds and farmlandinvertebrates, such as beetles and butterflies.Cornflower is one of these arable weeds that stillclings on in the area. Although not native, it is an


archaeophyte, known to have been present in Britainsince the Iron Age, more than 2,000 years ago.

Weed seeds within farm and croftland are aparticular benefit to small birds such as finches andbuntings. The only breeding population of cornbunting in the Highlands is found around theorganic farms at Gollanfield. Corn bunting were oncecommon in the area. Reasons for their decline arelikely to include a loss of habitat diversity withinfarm and croft land, leading to a restriction of winterfood sources, notably winter stubble. The linnet ismore dependent on weed seeds than other finches. Itis widespread and fairly common in the easternfarmland, as is the yellowhammer. Goldfinch, whichrely on thistles as a main food source, are currentlyincreasing in number. Large flocks of twite alsobenefit from these habitats during the winter months.

Greylag goose

Availability of stubbles that still hold some grain isalso important for the internationally significantnumbers of greylag geese that use the area. Togetherwith Icelandic pink-footed geese, the greylags feedextensively within farmland stubbles, and so couldbe adversely affected by changes in stubbleavailability. At the same time, increasing numbers ofgrey geese place extra demands on local farmersthrough their consumption and trampling of winter-and spring-sown cereals and some permanentgrasslands.

Within the lifetime of older farmers in the area, bothblack grouse and capercaillie used oat stooks leftstanding at the edge of fields with wooded margins.Corncrake also used to breed in the area up until themid-20th century, but now sadly has disappeared.

Improved drainage of farmland in the area has beenanother feature of recent decades which, in turn, hasreduced feeding and breeding opportunities forwading birds such as lapwing, curlew, snipe andredshank.

Work in different parts of Britain has demonstratedthe value of both uncultivated field margins and roadverges to farmland birds and to plants. The grey

partridge, which is still present in small numbersthroughout most of the farmed eastern lowlands here,is one native species that benefits.

The population of brown hares has fluctuated inrecent years, and farmers cutting silage or hay shouldbe encouraged to cut from the inside out rather thanthe outside in, to allow the hares to escape the mower.

Barn owl

Old buildings & dykes are also an importantbiodiversity resource. Bats, barn owls, swallows andhouse martins use old buildings to roost and nest in,and great crested newts use old dykes, walls andstone heaps to shelter in.

Whilst hedgerows are not a particularly prominent orfrequent part of the local farming and crofting scene,they are present in some areas e.g. along road vergesthroughout Nairnshire. Road verges cut late in thegrowing season (early August onwards) can in effectbe small linear meadows containing remnants ofwildflower habitats.

Dykes, hedgerows, roadside verges, drainage ditches,burns, lines of trees and riparian woodland can all beimportant habitats within agricultural landscapesthat link up existing areas of biodiversity value,making them more valuable to wildlife. Thesehabitats are sometimes referred to as wildlifecorridors .

Gorse


Objectives

• To implement whole farm plans that combinebusiness and environmental objectives.

• To reward good management (best practice)through better-funded and more flexible agri-environmental schemes, and through the marketplace by securing a premium for locally producedgoods.

• To target conservation schemes at species mostunder threat.

• To provide alternative roosting and nesting sitesfor species which will be displaced by thedevelopment of old and ruined buildings in andaround Inverness.

• To raise awareness of the very real link betweenagricultural activity and environmental protection

Marsh thistle

Main issues

3.1 Industry problems

Issue: Due to the current economic problems facingthe agricultural industry, the rural population isdeclining and with it we are experiencing a closure ofrural services, reduction in work force and loss oftraditional land management skills. Fields andindeed farms themselves have got bigger, and with itwe have seen a reduction in the diversity of cropsgrown and animals reared, which has reduced thenumber of habitats available to wildlife.

The current agri-environment scheme, the RuralStewardship Scheme (RSS), is a competitive schemeoperating on a Scotland-wide basis.

In addition, because of State Aid Rules it istremendously difficult to secure public funding foragriculture-related project, despite the fact that manyof the suggested projects do not provide any financialbenefits or marketing advantages for the farmersconcerned.

Opportunity: Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)Reform will break the link between farming supportpayments and the production of food. Together withthe requirement for farmers to keep land in goodagricultural and environmental condition, this couldprovide opportunities within an area like Inverness &Nairn, which already has important farmlandqualities.

Farmland, Loch Ruthven

Current projects: The Rural Stewardship Schemesupports habitat creation and management, and isopen to farmers and crofters throughout Scotland.Like its predecessor the Countryside PremiumScheme, the RSS is competitive and the number ofentrants is restricted by the overall budget. However,ranking incentives to keep plan costs below 20,000have led to a greater number of farmers and croftersgaining entry to the scheme.

Organisations such as Farming & Wildlife AdvisoryGroup (FWAG) and Scottish Agricultural College(SAC) provide advice on agri-environmental projectsand schemes to farmers and crofters in the area.

Future actions:

Raise awareness of existing RSS management acrossthe area, and use this information to target futureefforts on neighbouring units to increase connectivityand maximise biodiversity benefit. (Suggestedpartners: Scottish Executive, Highland FWAG, SAC, SNH,farmers & crofters)

Increase links between statutory agencies so that


support for biodiversity on land is co-ordinated andany conflicts of interest minimised. (Suggestedpartners: SEPA, SNH, Scottish Executive)

Produce local guidelines to allow the best targeting ofRSS prescriptions for priority habitats and species.Highlight areas where the RSS is failing to deliver ata local level and feed this information back to theScottish Executive. (Suggested partners: HighlandFWAG, SAC, SNH, farmers & crofters, Scottish Executive)

3.2 Cattle rearing

Issues: One environmental concern arising out of theCAP Reform is a further shift away from cattle rearingthrough alterations in subsidy. At present, cattlewithin the area help to maintain pastures and coastalgrazings that can be important habitat for a range offlowering plants and grasses. Traditionally, theinsects that feed on cattle dung have benefited birdssuch as starlings, swallows and martins, althoughthis is less true if powerful worm and skin parasitetreatments are used.

Opportunity: Detailed survey to identify parts of thearea that hold good numbers of the above speciescould help to direct appropriate subsidies.

Future actions:

Raise awareness of the link between cattle rearingand biodiversity, and support farmers to remain inlivestock where this benefits biodiversity through theRural Stewardship Scheme and Scottish ForestryGrant Scheme. (Suggested partners: Scottish Executive,Forestry Commission Scotland, Highland FWAG, SAC,National Farmers Union Scotland, Scottish CroftingFoundation, farmers & crofters)

3.3 Loss of wet ground

Issue: Reduction in wet ground through drainageand tree planting to take advantage of grants isassociated with a loss of plants such as marshorchids, ragged robin and cuckooflower. It alsoreduces the amount of nesting cover and feedingopportunities for wading birds and ducks andhabitat for amphibians.

Opportunity: In many cases, restoration of smallwetland areas is relatively simple and produces hugebonuses for wildlife. In the wake of CAP reform,appropriately directed agri-environment subsidy,allowing for larger schemes where feasible, could bean appropriate way of boosting the area s farmlandbiodiversity.

Current projects: Some farmers in the area have takenadvantage of the wetland creation options within theRural Stewardship Scheme. Farmers within the LochFlemington catchment have received assistance fromthe Scottish Agricultural College to submit RSSapplications.

Future actions:

Encourage farmland wader populations by habitatcreation and management in the Straths and Glens.(Suggested partners: Scottish Executive, SNH, SAC,Highland FWAG , farmers & crofters)

Discourage farmers from planting boggy areas withtrees. (Suggested partners: Forestry CommissionScotland, Highland FWAG, SAC, farmers & crofters)

Ragged robin

3.4 Decline in Spring cropping

Issue: Local comment suggests that the amount ofwinter stubble has been declining in the area, with anincreasing amount of winter ploughing and sowing.This should be quantified, since it has importantimplications for the area s populations of winteringfinches and geese, as well as the corn buntingpopulation.

Cattle on rough gra ing


Opportunity: There are unharvested crops andSpring cropping options within the RuralStewardship Scheme and, with further funding, thereis potential to greatly expand the area available toover-wintering birds in Inverness & Nairn.

Current projects: With some funding from thePartnership for Rural Inverness & Nairn and theHighland Biodiversity Project, Highland FWAG led aproject in 2002 and 2003 to plant farm fields acrossInverness & Nairn with winter cover for birds. Eachfarm contributed one to two hectares and ten hectaresin total were covered.

Future actions:

Undertake a Wild Bird Cover / Game Crops projectwhere small areas of Spring-sown cereals such asQuinoa are left unharvested as a source of wintercover and food for over-wintering birds such asfinches, brambling and yellowhammer. (Suggestedpartners: Highland FWAG, SAC, RSPB, farmers &crofters)

Roadside verge, Inverness-shire

3.5 Reduction in boundary habitats

Issue: Uncultivated field margins and road verges areimportant linear assets to biodiversity, which willvanish or be greatly reduced through cultivation upto field edges, leaching of farm chemicals intowatercourses and early mowing or roadside verges.

Opportunity: Linkages between different patches ofhabitat, such as pockets of woodland, can be madeeasier for many kinds of wildlife by the provision ofcorridors . There are many opportunities for smallchanges in farming practice in Inverness & Nairnthat would produce large benefits for wildlife at fieldmargins and road edges.

Future actions:

Encourage farmers and crofters to leave buffer stripswhen cultivating land or spraying crops near

watercourses. (Suggested partners: Scottish Executive,SAC, Highland FWAG, farmers & crofters)

Local wildlife enthusiasts could be well placed toadvise on potentially rich verges (as has been doneelsewhere in Scotland) and to work with farmers andFarming & Wildlife Advisory Group to help establishwildlife-friendly stretches. (Suggested partners: localwildlife enthusiasts, Highland FWAG, farmers & crofters)

Ensure local biodiversity is taken into account inlocal verge mowing and hedge flailing regimes.(Suggested partners: The Highland Council Transport,Environmental & Community Services, BEAR Scotland,Highland FWAG)

Scottish wild cat


Chapter 4: Woodland

Key features:

The following list highlights the key features of ourwoodland biodiversity, the habitats and species thatmake this area so special and distinct in ecologicalterms.

• One of the largest remaining native pinewoods inScotland

• Resident populations of capercaillie, black grouseand Scottish crossbill

• Widespread populations of red squirrel and pinemartin

• Many areas of ancient and semi-naturalbroadleaved woodland, including a relativelylarge area of ancient oakwood

• Gorge woodlands rich in lower plants such asmosses, liverworts and lichens

• Diverse communities of woodland plantsincluding large numbers of epiphytic lichens

• Excellent example of a swamp alderwood

• Extensive area of mature juniper scrub on lowlandglacial deposits

Photos of: Red squirrel, Birch bracket fungus, Birchwoodnear Dores, Black grouse and Forestry at Daviot.


Introduction

In Inverness & Nairn, much of our lowland scenery isdominated by woodland broadleaved trees andsome conifers extend along the valleys of the mainriver systems and burns, and form a green connectionbetween many of the upland straths and glens in thewest of the area. Remnants of Caledonian pine forestin Glen Affric, Glen Strathfarrar and Glen Cannichprovide a valuable ecological link between east andwest Highland, showing characteristics of bothwestern (oceanic) and eastern (continental)pinewoods. Conifer plantations throughout the areaprovide additional wildlife habitat for manypinewood species.

The nature and structure of our woodlands reflectnational forest policies and land use issues spanningmore than a century. These include the clearance ofnative woodland for grazing throughout the 19th

century, the increased popularity of deer stalking andgrouse shooting in Victorian times, the developmentof plantations on private estates, the call to establish astrategic timber reserve following World War One, taxincentives for afforestation during the mid to late 20th

century and the introduction of grants to encouragethe establishment of new native woodlands in the1990s.

Tor Point, Loch Ness at sunrise

A large proportion of the area s woodland ismanaged under a long established regime for timberproduction and contributes significantly to theeconomy of the area by providing employment inwoodland management, harvesting and haulage. Aswell as providing the raw material for a range ofwood processing companies both locally and outwiththe Highland area, these woodlands have provided acrucial habitat for woodland species.

Many of the woods and forests in and around theInverness & Nairn area are heavily used forrecreation, and those juxtaposed to housing provide avaluable resource for enjoyment of woodland wildlifeand for education.

Inverness & Nairn is well placed to enhance forestand woodland biodiversity through sensitivemanagement of the existing native woodland relicsand mature plantations, the developing post-Warplantations and the recently established nativewoodlands.

Scots pine, Glen Affric

Habitats & species

Glen Affric and Glen Strathfarrar represent two of thefinest stands of native pinewood remaining inScotland. Scots pine is the dominant tree cover overmost of these Glens, but other tree species are presentincluding birch, wych elm, hazel, alder, willow,aspen, rowan, oak, bird cherry, holly and juniper.Both areas also have clearings and open ground withmoorland vegetation and transitions to sub-alpineheath including species such as dwarf birch, alpinebearberry and dwarf cornel.

The woodlands support a rich flora and faunacharacteristic of native pinewoods, including severalspecies of wintergreen, creeping ladies tresses andlesser twayblade, pine marten, red squirrel, crestedtit, Scottish crossbill, black grouse and capercaillie.

Glen Affric and Strathfarrar are extremely importantnative pinewood sites for lichens, with Strathfarrarcontaining 173 epiphytes, including 28 rarities, and222 species of lichen recorded in Glen Affric. Over125 species of higher plants have also been recordedin Strathfarrar, with several rare or locally distributedspecies. In Glen Affric these are also extensive, withmany pinewood specialists present including


twinflower and creeping ladies tresses. In terms ofinsects, 7 species of dragonfly have been recorded inStrathfarrar, including one vulnerable species on theedge of its range; and 43 species of butterflies andmoths are present. Glen Affric holds the mostimportant dragonfly population of the area with 14species recorded, 4 of which are nationally rare; and117 species of butterfly and moth are present.

Lichen on branch

The majority of woodlands in the area are coniferplantations of predominately Scots pine, which haveimportant populations of red squirrels and othercharacteristic pinewood species.

Black grouse or blackcock and capercaillie are twoof the fastest declining birds in Britain, but theHighlands of Scotland is still a stronghold and inInverness & Nairn we have retained a healthypopulation. During mating season the males andfemales gather early in the morning for a communalcourtship display known as a lek.

Upland birch and mixed pine/birch woods with ashand oak are present in many glens to the west andsouth of the area, including Glen Strathfarrar and theEaster Ness Forest, covering a seven mile stretch ofsteep, north west facing slopes along the shores ofLoch Ness. Some of the trees in such woods can beover two hundred years old, with tree holes and deadwood providing shelter, breeding and feedingopportunities for a wide range of creatures, fungi,ferns and mosses.

Mixed broadleaved woodlands still survive alongmany river gorges such as at Inverfarigaig, Glen

Tarff, Moniack Gorge and Dalroy Gorge. Tree speciespresent include birch, oak, ash, wych elm and alder,with a shrub layer with hazel, bird cherry, holly andgoat willow. As well as flowering plants like smallcow-wheat, these are important habitats for manykinds of ferns, mosses, liverworts and epiphyticlichens that thrive in moist, shaded conditions.Indeed, Moniak Gorge / Reelig Glen is one of only 3known sites in Britain for the green shield moss. Theinsect fauna on these sites is also of great importancein biodiversity terms, including some rarities andbeetles characteristic of ancient forest.

Inverfarigaig, Inverness-shire

Cawdor Wood is one of the best broadleavedwoodlands in north east Scotland, and isoutstanding for its relatively large area of ancientoakwood, its diverse ground flora and rich lichenand bryophyte communities. Over 225 species ofvascular plant and 121 species of lichen have beenrecorded from the site, including a number of rarities.There are few similar ancient woods remaining in theUK with a relatively dry continental climate that arenot now in zones of significant air pollution.

The wood supports a rich woodland bird communityof passerines including redstart, spotted flycatcherand siskin, with occasional blackcap and chiff-chaff.Woodcock, capercaillie, Scottish crossbill and greatspotted woodpecker are also present.

Levishie Wood in Glen Moriston is the largest andfinest example of birch/juniper woodland inInverness & Nairn, supporting a good range of treespecies and ground flora types. The wood alsoboasts a rich community of breeding birds, includingnumbers of redstart, wood warbler and tree pipit, anda large number of butterflies including Scotch arguscan be seen in the glades and clearings during latesummer.

A stand of mature juniper scrub covers the southwest ridges of the Kildrummie Kames, a fluvioglacialfeature lying north of the River Nairn betweenArdersier and Cawdor. Some plants reaching fivemetres in height, and they grow with whin, broom


and a few Scots pine. There is also an important areaof coastal scrub woodland on the sand bar, dunesand dune heaths at Culbin.

Juniper

Urquhart Bay Woods, formed on an alluvial delta atthe confluence of the Rivers Enrick and Coiltie asthey flow into Loch Ness, is the best example of afloodplain alderwood in the district. This type of wetwoodland is dominated by alder on the wetterground, with lowland broadleaved stands of ash,gean, rowan, wych elm, white willow and bird cherryon the gradually rising, drier areas. The ground florais typical of a northern wet broadleaved woodland,and there are characteristic transitions to swamp andopen water habitats. The site also supports a goodwoodland and wetland bird community, andcharacteristic insect fauna.

Lungwort, Urquhart Bay

Policy woodlands, such as Cawdor Wood maycontain old and veteran trees, and some of the largertrees provide excellent nesting habitat for birds ofprey. Old trees, as well as standing and fallendeadwood within both semi-natural and plantedwoods, are a very important biodiversity resource,providing different habitats for a range of lichen,fungi, bryophyte, invertebrate and bird species.

Woodant nest, Strathfarrar

Objectives

• To protect, enhance and expand semi-naturalwoodland areas, including the formation of anatural tree-line in many upland areas.

• To support restructuring within plantations, tocreate areas of open space and broadleaved trees,particularly near watercourses, and to leave somelarge trees and standing and fallen deadwood.

• To support the use of locally sourced timbermaterials for developments.

• To encourage opportunities for the greaterenjoyment of woodlands, and greater localinvolvement in woodland management throughcommunity woodland groups.

Main Issues

4.1 Woodland fragmentation & absence of tree-line woodlands

Issue: On the whole, the woodlands of Inverness &Nairn are reasonably well connected. However,woodland types are fragmented and many of thesurviving havens of native woodland biodiversity inthe area are isolated: oakwood remnants, coastalscrub and woodland, riverine and floodplainalderwoods, are often separated from each other byfarmland. This makes it difficult for wildlife to passbetween the woods, and so reduces the number ofspecies that each area can support.


There are very few woodlands in the area that growat the upper altitudinal limit for their tree species inScotland. The montane scrub usually associatedwith these tree-line woodlands is also absent. Onlyscattered groups or individual trees in areasinaccessible to large browsing mammals represent aformerly much more widespread habitat.

Opportunity: The area has huge scope for creation offorest habitat networks by linking existingwoodlands that have surviving elements of nativebiodiversity. Work towards this has already begun insome state and privately-owned forests through thearea, for example through removal of exotic conifersand encouragement of native trees along majorwatercourses.

Birchwood, near Dores

Creation of forest habitat networks in the area couldalso involve restoration and creation of new nativewoodlands on ground that is at present moorland,grassland or under crops. However, the desire tocreate woodland networks has to be tempered withthe need to maintain open-habitat networks too, sothat their biodiversity value is also protected whereappropriate.

Restoration of tree-line woodlands and montanescrub, and thus provision of opportunities forcolonisation by bird and invertebrate speciesnormally associated with such habitats, wouldrepresent both a major biodiversity achievement anda significant landscape enhancement. There areoptions within the new Scottish Forestry GrantScheme (SFGS) and the Rural Stewardship Scheme(RSS) to expand scrub cover (up to 20% of cover innative woodland schemes under the SFGS). For thishabitat to expand through natural regeneration, amuch lower density of grazing animals will berequired through fencing (where appropriate) anddeer management.

Current projects: Semi-natural woodlands across thearea are being expanded and brought into positivemanagement for biodiversity benefit by land

managers, with support from Forestry CommissionScotland s Woodland Grant and WoodlandImprovement Grant Schemes (now incorporated intothe Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme (SFGS)).

The European Union LIFE Capercaillie Project ishelping to create and manage existing pinewoodhabitats to conserve the Highland capercailliepopulation.

Future actions:

Expand current forest habitat network by creatinglinkages with estate woodlands and encouragingsome corridors of farmland and moorland to convertto new native woodlands. (Suggested partners: ForestryCommission Scotland, SNH, Scottish Executive, woodlandadvisers & managers)

Encourage the safeguarding and expansion of scrubspecies such as juniper, willows and dwarf birchthrough improved funding and increased uptake ofthe SFGS and RSS. (Suggested partners: ForestryCommission Scotland, Scottish Executive, woodland &agricultural advisers, land managers)

Forestry, Daviot

4.2 Restructuring plantation woodlands

Issue: Due to market demands, depressed timberprices and site conditions, some plantations in thearea are managed on a clear-fell system wherebyblocks of land are planted with one or two coniferspecies, and then thinned and felled at the same time.These blocks are often large in size and when the


trees are felled, there is a lack of continuity of habitatfor the species that have come to inhabit the forest. Inthe past, conifers were planted next to watercoursesand little internal space or deadwood was left withinthe forest, both important features for biodiversity.

Opportunity: Re-structuring of forestry plantations asmature stands are harvested can provide oneopportunity for within-site action. Greater diversitycan be created within some of the rather uniformplantations in terms of age structure, species andfinally in silvicultural systems, such as a move awayfrom clear-fells towards smaller scale felling coupsand continuous cover forestry where appropriate.The Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme can help fundsuch fine-tuning of woodland management forwildlife.

Increased provision of deadwood standing or fallencould be part of this restructuring, and woodland

managers are encouraged to plant broadleaved treesnear to watercourses and leave some large trees andinternal spaces within forests for their biodiversitybenefit.

Birch bracket fungi

Current projects: Some Forestry Commission Scotlandwoodlands are being restructured to incorporate theelements mentioned above, and are moving towards acontinuous cover system. In addition, Forest Plansfor private woodlands are now also being drawn upto include smaller scale felling areas and continuouscover forestry.

Many woods in the east of the area are receiving anumber of thinnings and the woodland managers are

already practising continuous cover forestry.

Future actions:

Encourage woodland managers to move towardssmaller felling coups and a continuous cover systemwhere appropriate; and to restructure existingwoodlands to incorporate native broadleaves alongwater courses, areas of internal open space, tall treesas potential nesting sites and some standing andfallen deadwood through schemes such as the SFGS.(Suggested partners: Forestry Commission Scotland,woodland advisers, woodland managers)

4.3 Red squirrels

Issue: North American grey squirrels are notcurrently in the area. However, they have beenrecorded close to The Highland Council s south andeastern boundaries and are known to be movingnorth. Corridors of large seeded broadleavedwoodland will aid the grey squirrel s progress north,and many wildlife enthusiasts and land managersadvocate altering the management of woodlands tothe south of the area to discourage their spread.

Opportunity: The Highland Red Squirrel Group, withsome funding from the Highland Biodiversity Project,has produced a Species Action Plan which highlightsa number of actions that could help the conservationof the Highland red squirrel population.

Red squirrel

Current projects: The Highland Red Squirrel Groupwas recently reformed with a broader membership,and is currently seeking funding for an officer to helpprogress some of the actions outlined in the SpeciesAction Plan.

The Highland Biodiversity Project installed someroad signs, with help from the Council Roads andRanger Services, to warn motorists of the presence of


squirrels, and Forestry Commission Scotland haserected rope bridges in suitable locations aroundInverness & Nairn.

Future actions:

Undertake actions in line with the Highland RedSquirrel Species Action Plan. (Suggested partners:Forestry Commission Scotland, Highland Red SquirrelGroup, woodland advisers, land managers)

4.4 Black grouse & capercaillie

Issue: Numbers of black grouse and capercaillie arecurrently declining in Scotland, linked to changes inhabitat and weather conditions. In Inverness &Nairn, many woodlands have been encouraged toregenerate naturally by removing grazing throughdeer fencing or heavy culls. Whilst this is necessaryfor the establishment of young trees, these birds alsorequire short ground vegetation for lekking andrearing their young particularly during wet Springweather. In addition, black grouse and capercailliehave been known to fly into fences, which has led to arange of measures to make them more visible to thebirds.

Other threats include loss of habitat throughovergrazing, an increase in the number of predatorsand disturbance at leks.

Black grouse lekking

Opportunities: Forestry Commission Scotlandprovides grant aid for the expansion of semi-naturalwoodlands and the establishment of new woodlandsthrough the SFGS. Black grouse and capercaillie aretaken into consideration in all new forestry schemesreceiving Forestry Commission Scotland grant aid.The joint policy on fencing now requires the fullrange of options to be considered before fencing isused, and public funding is only allowed if theimpacts have been sufficiently mitigated.

New woodland plantations can provide short-termhabitat for black grouse. However, whilst they can

use clearings and rides when the plantations are inthe young pre-thicket stage, these habitats becomeunsuitable as the canopy closes. Planting Scots pine,European larch and birch in small clumps on theouter edge of new softwood plantations would creategood feeding and roosting areas for black grouse,which feed on the early buds of these trees.

Scots pine flower

Current projects: At Corrimony Nature Reserve, RSPBScotland is trying to restore black grouse numbersthrough changes in land management.

Members of Abriachan Forest Trust are undertaking ablack grouse management project.

Land managers of both State owned and privatewoodland are incorporating conditions for blackgrouse and capercaillie into their woodlandmanagement practices.

Future actions:

Continue to incorporate objectives for black grouseand capercaillie into woodland management.(Suggested partners: Forestry Commission Scotland,woodland advisers, land managers)

Minimise disturbance at leks by providing additionalviewing facilities and encouraging owners to keepdogs on leads. (Suggested partners: ForestryCommission Scotland, land managers, Ranger Services)


Caledonian pine forest, Strathfarrar

4.5 Lack of awareness and involvement

Issue: There is a keen interest but general lack ofawareness about forest and woodland managementand biodiversity amongst the general public. ForestryCommission Scotland and others are seeking toinvolve more communities in the way that forests aremanaged.

In addition, we do not know the specific biodiversityvalue of many of our non-designated woods, whichmakes it more difficult to manage them for wildlife.

Opportunity: Increasingly, woodlands are seen asbeing managed for multi-purpose use, and grants aregiven for enhancing access and encouragingcommunity input to woodland management throughtools like Forestry Commission Scotland s ForestDesign Plans. There are also more opportunities forcommunities to buy local woodlands or enter intomanagement agreements with owners, all of whichwill help raise awareness and involvement.

Current projects: Abriachan Forest Trust hasundertaken a number of environmental projects inand around their community-owned woodlandincluding the installation of a number of trails withdifferent types of interpretation, and the building oftwo tree-houses and a wildlife hide. Several opendays have been held, and the Trust currently employsa woodland officer to manage the land.

The Strathnairn Community Woodland Group iscurrently working on an environmental educationstrategy for the woodland, incorporating a woodenxylophone project and a nest box with a camera totransmit pictures to neighbouring Farr PrimarySchool.

Forestry Commission Scotland has involved the localcommunity in the management of its woodland atReelig Glen, Moniack.

Moniack Burn

Future actions:

Develop trails, interpretation panels and links withoutdoor organisations both in the commercial and thepublic sector, and ensure biodiversity issues aretaken into consideration in the planning of newroutes. (Suggested partners: Forestry CommissionScotland Ranger Service, The Highland Council RangerService, land managers, Highland Mountain BikingAssociation, walking groups, community groups)

Encourage forest users to take access responsibly,and especially to keep dogs on leads where requestedfor the sake of nesting birds. (Suggested partners:Forestry Commission Scotland, SNH, RSPB Scotland,land managers, community groups)

Rock climbing by Loch Duntelchaig


Photos of: Ptarmigan, Heather & lichen, Red deer hinds &calves, Golden eagle and Glen Affric.

Chapter 5: Moorland & Hill

Key features:

The following list highlights the key features of ourupland biodiversity, the habitats and species thatmake this area so special and distinct in ecologicalterms.

• Extensive areas of blanket bog of internationalimportance

• Important mountain systems for alpine and subalpine vegetation communities and invertebrates

• Territories for golden eagle, merlin and other birdsof prey

• Populations of breeding birds (dotterel,ptarmigan) on the high summits

• Habitat for nationally rare montane plants

• Distinctive upland and snowbed plantcommunities

• Upland red deer herds valued as an economic andrecreational resource

• Hill-slopes highly visible from roads andsettlements within the area, giving a distinctivesense of the closeness to the mountain wilds


Introduction

In contrast to the accessible urban and arable areas ofInverness & Nairn, the largest expanse of landdescribed within this biodiversity action plan isisolated mountain and moorland, which is dissectedonly by occasional roads and hill tracks. Upland,typically with acid soils, stretches from the relativelylow-lying Nairnshire hills in the east, up StrathDearn through the northern Monadhliath mountainsand, on the other side of the Great Glen, up GlenMoriston and the Affric-Cannich hills to theboundary with Skye & Lochalsh.

The climate shift from the eastern lowlands to thesehigher inland territories can be extreme, from warmand moderately dry at the coast to very cold and weton the mountains. Wind speed is also dramaticallydifferent on the tops, which on average experiencethree times the wind speed of the more shelteredcoasts.

Glen Affric

In terms of biodiversity, this mix of upland andlowland makes the area special. Not only isInverness & Nairn rich in lowland species, it also hasa good range of upland species. The majority of thearea’s mountains have nutrient-poor, acidic soils butcalcareous soils also occur. The Affric-Cannich hillsare particularly important for the diversity and extentof upland vegetation communities which includemontane acid grassland, willow scrub, and heath.As a rule the variety of species is less in the uplandsthan in the coastal lowlands, but within that smallertally are species that are highly valued in differentways whether for their rarity, beauty or economicworth.

Habitats & species

A wide range of snow-bed vegetation in theMonadhliaths and the Affric and Cannich hillssupport some nationally rare plant species. Differentcommunities develop according to the length of time

under snow cover. Mosses and liverwortspredominate in late lying patches, for example, whileearly-melting patches are dominated by alpine lady’smantle and grasses such as mat grass.

Golden eagles, though less numerous than in theWestern Highlands, still breed here and range widelyover mountains and glens, and ptarmigan breed onhigh-level ground.

Ptarmigan

Blanket bog, dominated by bog-moss (Sphagnum)species is widespread across a broad altitudinalrange in the Monadliaths and the western uplands,and there are large areas of upland heath andgrassland mosaics to the west of the area. A varietyof grass, heath and flush communities occur,changing with altitude and drainage. The lowerslopes are dominated by a ling heather/hares-tailcotton grass community grading with increasingaltitude through to a crowberry-blaeberry heath. Thehighest areas show an interesting mix of oceanic andcontinental heaths, with lichen-rich heath occurringon the same areas as grassland that is woolly-hairmoss rich.

The area’s large upland plateaux provide excellentbreeding and hunting ground for a range of uplandbird species including a number of raptors togetherwith some uncommon waders such as dotterel andgolden plover. A wide range of species occur alongthe lower glen sides including dipper, ring ouzel andwheatear.

Elsewhere, moorland on midlevels of the hill groundis nowhere as extensive as in the Cairngorms area orsouthern Highlands. However, it is still an importanthabitat for birds such as merlin and red grouse.Indeed, management for red grouse can helpmaintain this habitat for other moorland species. It isalso important for the greatly reduced number ofblack grouse that use heathland close to woodlandedges.


The heather-dominated plant communities supportthe black mountain moth, which is nationally rareand has only been recorded in the central Highlandsof Scotland.

Heather & lichen

Distinctive communities of upland plants, includingheather-lichen mixtures and moss-rich grasslandgrow extensively on some hills. Herds of red deerroam extensively over hillsides and mountains, andthe names of deer ‘forests’ in the area carry a longhistory of association with the hunting of this,Britain’s largest land mammal. Red deer aretremendously important to the local economy(through stalking and tourism), and have had animportant influence on the area’s upland vegetationfor a long time.

Red deer herds coupled with the influence of sheepgrazing have a major influence on the mix of shrubspresent. Light grazing favours dwarf woody shrubsincluding heather and trees such as willows, whileheavier grazing favours coarse grasses. The nearabsence of ‘montane scrub’ on our hillsides andconfinement of tall herb communities to ledges mayreflect pressure from these combined influences.

Objectives

• To reduce grazing pressure to levels that avoiddamage and permit recovery of damaged habitats,where appropriate.

• To ensure adherence to the Muirburn Code.

• To avoid damage to blanket bog by not drainingland, and confining all-terrain vehicle use wherepossible to drier ground.

• To promote better understanding of the uplandenvironment and its sensitivity to change ordamage, especially from recreational use.

Golden eagle

Main Issues

5.1 Lack of knowledge

Issue: Beyond national and internationaldesignations, there is no indication of the location ofprime moorland areas from a biodiversity viewpoint,and there is a perception that areas of open groundcould be lost for example to forestry or newdevelopment. In addition, we do not know thelocation, extent and management requirements ofmany of our national and local priority moorlandspecies.

With a push for increased use of renewable energy,there could be further proposals for wind generation(and small-scale hydro-schemes) in the area’suplands. Since these developments can typicallyinvolve creation of extensive broad tracks in placesthat were previously trackless, great care should betaken in agreeing sites of future renewable schemes.

Certain developments on open land will requireplanning permission but where permission isrequired, often the planners do not have sufficientknowledge of the habitats or species that are likely tobe affected by a new development to judge the impactupon the area’s biodiversity.

Opportunity: Land use change to forestry is regulatedby Forestry Commission Scotland, and large scaleafforestation schemes and new forest tracks requirethe applicants to provide an Environmental ImpactAssessment which should identify and mitigateagainst any negative impacts on local biodiversity.

There are opportunities to raise awareness ofbiodiversity issues with planners throughforthcoming legislation covering biodiversity issuesand new tools like Strategic EnvironmentalAssessment. Any potentially negative impacts oflarge new developments should be identified throughthe Environmental Impact Assessment process.


Future actions:

Identify the most important areas of open groundthrough survey and local consultation, and feed thisinto the planning process through StrategicEnvironmental Assessment. (Suggested partners: SNH,Scottish Wildlife Trust, local recorders and communitygroups, Forestry Commission Scotland, The HighlandCouncil Planning & Development Service, land managers)

Corrieyarrick

5.2 Grazing

Issue: Grazing by sheep and deer has a majorinfluence on the area’s hill vegetation. Some sensitivespecies have been confined to inaccessible locationssuch as cliffs by overgrazing, and overgrazingprevents the regeneration of woodland and montanescrub. In some areas, undergrazing too can causeproblems, as some plant communities need a level ofgrazing to thrive.

Opportunities: Following mid-term review of theCommon Agricultural Policy there may beopportunities for a reduction in sheep numbers andpayments for environmentally sensitive farming.

Deer management groups have a key role to play interms of balancing economic, social, and naturalheritage objectives. These objectives help inform deermanagement plans which draw together informationon deer numbers and grazing impacts. These plansadvise on the numbers of deer the land can supportand therefore the number of deer that need to beculled each year to maintain an optimum deerdensity. Habitat Impact Assessments are a usefultool to help determine optimum deer densities. Theseassessments also present land managers with anopportunity to achieve nature conservation and otherland management objectives alongside deer stalking.

Current projects: The Rural Stewardship Scheme andScottish Forestry Grant Scheme pay grants to reduce

grazing pressure on lowland sites, and ScottishNatural Heritage have entered into agreements withsome land managers on designated sites.

Deer Management Groups meet annually to discussdeer numbers and cull targets. The Deer Commissionfor Scotland acts in an advisory capacity to thesegroups and through a priority site process, deals withdeer damage to natural heritage, woodland oragricultural interests.

The Deer Commission for Scotland, ForestryCommission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage andthe Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department haveproduced a joint agency statement and guidance ondeer fencing which will aid land managers on its use,impacts and means of mitigating against thoseimpacts. This guidance can be viewed atwww.dcs.gov.uk/downloads final%20fencing%20policy.pdf.

Red deer hinds & calves

Future actions:

Encourage land managers to reduce, maintain or, insome cases, increase numbers of grazing animals(including deer, sheep and cattle) to levels that permitthe survival and expansion of grazing-sensitivespecies while enhancing the welfare and quality ofthe remaining, smaller deer population. (Suggestedpartners: DCS, Deer Management Groups, Scottish RuralProperty & Business Association, Highland FWAG, SAC,Scottish Crofting Foundation, Scottish National FarmersUnion, land managers)

5.3 Inappropriate burning

Issue: Controlled strip burning of heather moorlandand heathland can benefit grouse and some otherspecies of moorland birds (e.g. meadow pipit,skylark). However, burning of habitats such asblanket bog, scree and woodland can cause lastingdamage, and if fires are not managed they can spreadinto neighbouring habitats, often with disastrouseffects.


Opportunity: Good practice guides such as ‘TheMuirburn Code’ (Scottish Executive, 2001) and itssupplement ‘Prescribed burning on moorland’ giveadvice on the times and conditions for burning, andpresent information on where not to burn, e.g. onblanket bog and steep sided valleys.

Current projects: The Rural Stewardship Scheme alsopays grants for sensitive muirburning and brackencontrol.

Future actions:

Encourage adherence to good practice guides such asthose mentioned above, and give thought to whetherburning is required at all in some locations.(Suggested partners: Scottish Rural Property & BusinessAssociation, SNH, land managers)

Provide education and training for those involved inheather management, in particular muirburning,through formal and informal routes. (Suggestedpartners: Highland Rural Business Services, ScottishRural Property & Business, Highlands & Islands FireBrigade)

Loch Ness

5.4 Hill tracks & footpaths

Issue: Hill tracks and footpaths, particularly at highaltitude can cause erosion of fragile, irreplaceablesoils. The use of all terrain vehicles, quad and trailbikes can cause severe erosion and loss of importanthabitats on upland areas where re-growth is slow.Increased visitor activity can cause disturbance tobreeding birds, deer and plants, and dogs sometimeschase and catch chicks or frighten birds off nests.

Opportunity: The new Access legislation providesopportunities for joint working to address some ofthese concerns.

The increasing value placed upon upland areas as arecreational resource emphasises the importance ofproviding and maintaining sustainable tracks andpaths.

Current projects: The 10 Glens Mountain BikingGroup have purchased a trail building toolkit forcommunity use and a group of volunteers regularlymeets to build and maintain sustainable mountainbike trails.

Remedial works were recently carried out on theCorrieyarrick Pass which crosses the hills from FortAugustus to Laggan. The route was badly damagedand dangerous in places but recent work has lead todamaged sections being resurfaced, drainage worksbeing carried out and walls being repaired. Theroute was ‘re-opened’ on 22 May 2004 with acelebratory walk across the pass.

Cyclist, Corrieyarrick Pass

Future actions:

Restrict all-terrain vehicles to drier ground wherepossible and prevent illegal access by poweredvehicles to upland areas. (Suggested partners: landmanagers)

Prevent recreational damage by path repair andconstruction where appropriate, and takebiodiversity into account when planning new routes.(Suggested partners: The Highland Council, SNH,Forestry Commission Scotland, land managers, usergroups)

Raise awareness amongst businesses involved inactivities using hill tracks and paths (e.g. cycling, hillwalking and running). (Suggested partners: TheHighland Council, SNH, land managers, user groups)


Interpret appropriate tracks to help manage publicaccess and inform people of upland habitatmanagement. (Suggested partners: land managers, TheHighland Council Access & Ranger Services, SNH)

5.5 Climate change

Issue: Climate change, due to global warming is likelyto influence the vegetation of the area’s mountains.In particular, a reduction in the amount and durationof snow cover will have an impact on snowbed plantcommunities (initially working against ones wheremosses and liverworts are common). Warming mightalso allow more grass-dominated plant communitiesto spread further uphill, perhaps at the expense ofgrasslands that are woolly fringe moss rich.

Opportunity: Whilst there is not much that can bedone within the scope of this Plan to counteractglobal warming, there are opportunities to monitorand model changes in our vegetation, and manageour habitats accordingly. We don’t know a lot aboutthe ecology of the high mountain species and if wefind out more, we might be able to determine howthey will react to changes in our climate.

Current projects: Scottish Natural Heritage and someof the country’s research organisations aremonitoring and modelling climate change to helppredict the impacts on the UK’s biodiversity and feedinto international debates.

Future actions:

Continue to undertake monitoring and modellingexperiments, feed the results into habitatmanagement practices and inform The HighlandCouncil Sustainable Development Committee ofimplications for the area. (Suggested partners: SNH,Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Macaulay Land UseResearch Institute, land managers, The Highland Council )

Raise awareness of the impacts of climate change onsensitive snow bed and upland communities.(Suggested partners: SNH, Centre for Ecology &Hydrology, Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, landmanagers)

Red deer stag


Photos of: Bird cherry blossom, River Ness, Red admiral,Torvean golf course and Otter.

Chapter 6: Urban

Key features:

The following list highlights the key features of oururban and built environment, the habitats andspecies that make this area so special and distinct inecological terms.

• Healthy populations of house sparrow and swift,common ‘urban’ birds that are decliningelsewhere in the UK

• Good population of badgers in and aroundInverness and along the A96 corridor

• Close proximity between human dwellings andwildlife (otters, seals, dippers, goldeneye, red-breasted merganser & goosander are seenregularly in the City Centre)

• Strong linkages between town and country, and agrowing desire for more countryside access withinthe urban population

• Linear oases for plants and animals along rivers &burns, roadside verges, hedges and fieldboundaries


Introduction

The population of Inverness & Nairn is 77,647, andthe great majority of these people live in Inverness,Nairn and the surrounding small villages andhamlets. Inverness itself has a number of excellenthabitats for wildlife in the river and canal corridors,coastal fringe including the Longman Landfill Site,woods (e.g. Craig Phadrig, Torvean, Lochardil), golfcourses, parks, cemeteries and areas of open land, notto mention the many smaller wildlife habitats createdby people in their gardens.

Nairn too has a river running through the heart of thetown, as do Drumnadrochit, Invermoriston, FortAugustus and, on its fringes, Beauly. In addition,strong linkages between town and country areevident in every main settlement. Farmland orwoodland stretches to part or most of the edge of thebuilt-up area in each case, and several towns andvillages are located on the coast.

In contrast to many other urban areas where the bulk(more than 80 per cent) of Scotland’s populationdwells, the people of Inverness & Nairn have a flyingstart in terms of appreciation and perception ofwildlife close to home. Building on this appreciationcould be more about making access to nearby habitatseasier, rather than planning how (beyond gardens) tobring wildlife into town. Quite simply, towns andvillages here have visible, audible, enjoyable wildlifejust beyond the doorstep.

Bellfield Park, Inverness

Habitats & species

Gardens: Wildlife-friendly gardening techniques canmake a huge contribution to local biodiversity. Thishas been quantified in detail, for example, inEdinburgh, where a range of species is recorded onlyin gardens and where gardens represent a majorexpanse of wildlife-rich green space within the citylimits.

Even in an area with a predominantly rurallandscape such as Inverness & Nairn, gardens canboost biodiversity. One crucial way they can do thisis through provision of ponds (without tadpole-eating goldfish) with gently sloping edges and someemergent vegetation. Garden ponds provideimportant habitat for local amphibians – commonfrogs, toads, and palmate newts – and will also beused by water beetles, diving beetles, pond snails and(sometimes) dragonflies and damselflies. Drainage ofmarshy parts of farmland in recent decades hasreduced the breeding habitat for these small wetlandcreatures, and so provision of garden ponds canmake a real contribution to their well-being.

Bird cherry blossom

Providing winter food for birds may also have apositive impact beyond a garden and into the widercountryside. Reduction in availability of seed-bearing plants through agricultural changes has abearing on the survival of birds such as locallybreeding yellowhammers, chaffinches, goldfinchesand linnets. Bird-table seeds can benefit the first twospecies; seeding garden thistles benefit the secondtwo. Otherwise, provision of bird food is an excellentway for people – of whatever age – to get close viewsof small, wild creatures. As such, it can be both aboost to personal well-being and an importanteducational resource.

For butterflies, Buddleia bushes and other floweringplants provide an excellent nectar source in gardens.Otherwise, provision of native tree species and plantssuch as rowan, bird cherry and gean can give foodand/or shelter to a wide range of birds andinvertebrates. Often ‘untidy’ gardens, withovergrown hedges and trees, long grass, nettles,seeding thistles and dandelions provide excellent


habitats for birds, butterflies and other gardenwildlife.

Road verges: Some stretches of boundary wall,hedges or roadside verges are already linear oases forplants and other species, and others could make amuch greater contribution to local biodiversity thanthey do at present.

It is possible in different parts of the area to seeremnants of former farmland, heathland or woodlandvegetation along roadsides, for example, with nativeplants such as orchids, ox-eye daisies, ling heather,ferns and bedstraws that are absent from adjacentfields or gardens. These species are dependant on thelater mowing of verges and, whilst it may not alwaysbe possible for safety reasons, roadside biodiversitycould be improved by postponing the mowing ofthese areas until August.

Red admiral

Objectives

• To raise awareness of biodiversity in and aroundsettlements.

• To foster linkages between towns and villages andtheir surrounding countryside through thecreation and maintenance of path networks,whilst ensuring that any new path developmentstake account of biodiversity.

• To encourage positive action through wildlifegardening projects, local recording initiatives andschool-based projects.

• To consider biodiversity as part of themaintenance of public parks, cemeteries androadside verges.

• To encourage further developments to takebiodiversity into account at an early stage in theplanning process and design appropriate newhousing developments with biodiversity in mind.

Torvean Golf Course

Main issues

6.1 Uncertainty over access to the countryside

Issue: There is a need to ensure that local residentshave easy access to the areas of farmland, river,woodland or coast that surround the settlementareas. This should not compromise the economicactivities of surrounding land but at the same time itshould allow quiet recreation with minimaldisturbance to wildlife.

Opportunity: Good path networks already existaround some of the area’s settlements. These mustcontinue to be promoted and opportunities to createfurther linkage between them and to new footpathsand multi-user networks should be realised. There isscope to further survey the existing path networkalongside their biodiversity assets so that therecreational and health benefits of outdoor access canbe combined with greater interpretation andappreciation of the local biodiversity.

Current projects: The Inverness Local AdvisoryGroup have undertaken and completed manyprojects within the lifespan of the Highland AccessProject. These include improved footpaths at Daviot;the pathsinverness leaflet detailing 14 signpostedroutes in and around the city of Inverness; improvedsignage at Abriachan Forest; path construction andsignage at the Aird, Kirkhill; leaflets promoting PathsAround Drumnadrochit, Invermoriston and FortAugustus; signposting and promotion at Cannich(including mountain bike routes); promotion of PathsAround Foyers; pathworks and signage inTradespark Wood; new link path between Auldearnand Nairn. There has also been investigation intofurther promotion at the Longman to link into anArdersier/Fort George Coastal Path and otherpotential routes have been identified in the CityCentre itself as the Southern Distributor Routeextends.


Future actions:

Review the extent of access routes linking settlementswith wildlife areas that could be visited with minimaldisturbance. (Suggested partners: SNH, The HighlandCouncil Ranger & Access Services)

Link features such as woodlands (currentlyseparated from settlement edges by fields) to thesettlements by new green corridors, extend existingpaths and create hides to offer better viewing facilitiesfor wildlife watching. (Suggested partners: SNH, TheHighland Council Ranger & Access Services, landmanagers)

Otter

6.2 Roadside verges

Issue: For safety and tidiness reasons, road vergesthroughout the area are often cut early in the season,before the wild flowers and grasses have time to setseeds, which will gradually result in the loss of thesespecies in favour of rank grasses.

Using mowers that tear hedge plants weakens theirstructure and allows disease to set in, and annualcutting of hedges removes a source of food andshelter for wintering birds.

Opportunity: Identifying species-rich verges andhedges through local knowledge and survey wouldbe a useful project in many areas, so that thisinformation can be fed to the road verge maintenancecontractors in order that they can be left uncut untilafter August or, in the case of hedges, left uncut inalternate years.

Future actions:

Conduct a community council-level survey to identifyplant-rich sections of verges and hedges, and findother areas where plant variety could be boosted.(Suggested partners: Field Clubs, Highland BiologicalRecording Group, Scottish Wildlife Trust, The HighlandCouncil Ranger Service, SNH)

Incorporate the sympathetic management of roadsideverges for biodiversity into road verge maintenancecontracts where feasible and not conflicting withother issues such as safety. (Suggested partners: TheHighland Council Transport, Environmental &Community Services, BEAR Scotland)

Wild dog rose

6.3 Wildlife gardens

Issue: Wildlife gardens provide us with an excellentopportunity to provide food and shelter for our nativewildlife, whilst enabling us to find out more aboutthem.

Opportunity: Scottish Natural Heritage providessmall grants for wildlife gardening projects, and willalso advise on the types of plants to grow. TheHighland Council Rangers also provide a valuableinput to the siting and design of features in manyschool and community gardens around the area.

Current projects: The Junior Ardersier & PettyEnvironmental Society (JAPES) were recentlyawarded a Community Garden Grant by the BBC’sBeechgrove Garden to create a wildlife garden atArdersier. They designed a wildlife garden includinga set of toad ponds, and even appeared on theBeechgrove Garden!

Future actions:

Conduct an assessment of the availability of locallyappropriate wildflower seed mixes for meadowhabitat in both gardens and verges, and raiseawareness of the issues surrounding non-local mixes.


(Suggested partners: SNH, The Highland Council RangerService, Gardening Centres and Clubs)

Provide locally relevant information on the creationof wildlife-friendly ponds and other wildlifegardening issues through training days,demonstration gardens and the employment ofspecialist wildlife gardeners. (Suggested partners:SNH, The Highland Council Ranger Service, GardeningCentres and Clubs)

Modify parts of school grounds to improve them forwildlife in schools that do not yet have wildlifegardens. (Suggested partners: Highland CouncilEducation Service & Ranger Services, SNH)

Encourage the incorporation of wildlife gardeninginto the annual gardening competitions held inInverness & Nairn. (Suggested partners: The HighlandCouncil, PRIN, SNH, Nairn Green & Beautiful,Gardening Centres and Clubs)

6.4 Habitat creation

Issue: There are a number of disused structures andareas of waste ground that could be transformed intowildlife-friendly sites with community involvement.However, care must be taken in doing so to avoid‘tidying up’ areas of scrub, deadwood, weeds andlong grass, which are natural features although theycan be perceived as messy.

Current projects: Cawdor Estate has created a pond toimprove habitat for great crested newts. The projectwas led by the Cawdor Estate Ranger Service, andCawdor Hoglets helped undertake some of the works.

Future actions:

Encourage local communities to identify areas thatthey would like to turn into a community wildliferesource, and help them to undertake the work.(Suggested partners: SNH, The Highland Council

Planning & Development Service, British Trust forConservation Volunteers, local groups and field clubs)

Reduce strimming of marginal vegetation along someparts of City Centre riverbanks to give cover for ottersand various birds. (Suggested partners: The HighlandCouncil)

6.5 Litter and fly tipping

Issue: Fly tipping of litter and garden waste candamage biodiversity. Discarded items such as bags,containers and fishing line can cause problems formammals and birds in any environment. Plasticitems and tin cans are particularly damaging, as theyare not biodegradable. The issue of invasive plantsis also particularly concentrated around towns andvillages, some of which results from unauthoriseddumping of garden waste.

Current projects: Krikhill & Bunchrew CommunityCouncil have set up a recycling centre at Kirkhill.

The Highland Council is developing a facility tocompost garden waste from the Inverness area, and iscurrently composting material in open windrows onthe Longman Landfill site, which it is hoped willdiscourage fly-tipping. The Council is collecting thiswaste in two ways: members of the public can bringgarden waste for composting to the Council’s depoton Henderson Drive and a small pilot kerbsidecollection scheme is currently operating in parts ofthe city, and in Beauly. The Council will shortlyexpand its kerbside collection operation to other partsof the Inverness area.

Future actions:

Raise awareness of the implications on wildlife oflitter and fly-tipping of garden waste, and encouragecommunities to use recycling and compostingfacilities as far as possible. (Suggested partners: SEPA,The Highland Council Transport, Environmental &Community Services, local groups)

6.6 Education opportunities

Issue: There is a lack of awareness about biodiversityand sustainable development in the Highlandsamongst school children, their parents and localauthority / agency staff. Projects that encouragepeople to find out more about their local wildlife andthe environment in general should be encouraged.

Current projects: The Highland Council and otherRanger Services visit schools and arranges field tripsfor local people so that they have a greater

River Ness


understanding of the interactions between plants,animals and humans.

The area around Inverness city supports a significantpopulation of badgers. Development around the citycan conflict with badger social groups’ foraging areasand setts. A study was commissioned by ScottishNatural Heritage, The Highland Council and keydevelopment companies in the Inverness area toidentify badger setts, key pathways, feeding areasand sites where badgers were being killed on theroad. The findings of the study will form the basis ofa Badger Strategy to help developers take thesecreatures fully into account as developmentprogresses in and around Inverness over the comingyears.

Badger road casualty

At Culduthel Mains, local developers Tullochs haveworked with Scottish Natural Heritage and TheHighland Council to develop a badger mitigationplan for the site which included constructing anartificial sett. This ‘best practise work’ will help toinform future badger mitigation works.

The newly formed ‘greeninverness Partnership’ setsout to implement the elements of Inverness CityVision that relate to open space. It has commissioneda GIS-based audit of open space in the city and itssurrounds. The audit, which is due for completion inNovember 2004, will inform the production of a Cityof Inverness Green Space Strategy and projectprogramme. An officer has been appointed to leadthese developments and work closely with theBiodiversity Action Plan. In the longer term the viewis to create a Trust to take forward future green spaceinitiatives.

The Inverness Field Club hold regular fieldexcursions to woodlands, country estates, riversidewalks and hill climbs when environmental aspectsare examined and discussed. Their YoungNaturalists Group are also active in the field,carrying out detailed studies of rural and coastalhabitats, and producing high quality reports on theirfindings. The Inverness Botany Group is involved inrecording sites of botanical interest.

Bogbean

Moray based environmental charity, Wild Things, arerunning day and residential trips to Glen Affric for 7to16 year olds. The aim of the three year programmeis to provide an opportunity for young people to learnabout natural heritage in a fun and practical way.The programme also offers insight into how naturalresources were used traditionally and raisesyoungsters awareness of both biodiversity andsustainable development.

Conservation Service Volunteers Scotland’s Actionfor Sustainability Project will provide a one stop shopfor all Highland schools to be able to access onesource of information, resources and advice to assistin their work in subjects relating to education forsustainable development. They will provide learningopportunities, resources and practical help tosupport children and young people across theHighlands to understand, care for and improve theirnatural environment.

There are a number of curriculum linked educationalresources available from Scottish Natural Heritageincluding the Moray Firth edition of Boats, Barnaclesand Basking Sharks and the School Grounds Box.(Contact the SNH Dingwall Office for moreinformation.)


Crested tit

Future actions:

Pull together a list of tools and materials available toschools, and identify projects and local biodiversitystudies that fit in with the curriculum. (Suggestedpartners: The Highland Council Education Service,Forestry Commission Scotland Ranger Service, SNH)

Undertake local bird surveys with school children toassess populations and provide biodiversityinformation of relevance to local schools, perhapslinked with a nest box camera project such as thatcarried out in Skye & Lochalsh last year. (Suggestedpartners: RSPB Scotland, The Highland Council RangerService, Forestry Commission Scotland Ranger Service,SNH, The Highland Council Education Service)

Undertake urban wildlife surveys and investigatehistorical records to find out what is, was and couldbe present. (Suggested partners: Field Clubs, HighlandBiological Recording Group, SNH, Forestry CommissionScotland Ranger Service)

Develop a Forest School to raise awareness ofwoodland and general biodiversity issues. (Suggestedpartners: Forestry Commission Scotland, SNH, TheHighland Council)


Chapter 7: What’s Next?

Update on Actions from 2002

The Biodiversity: Do a Little – Change a Lot in Inverness & Nairn booklet highlighted a number of actions forcommunities, businesses, schools, land managers and local authorities & agencies. Here’s how we’re doing sofar.

COMMUNITY ACTIONS

Encourage others to come and enjoy your local environment by building path networks, holdingidentification days or inviting experts to come and inspire the community to do more.

• Ardersier & Petty Environmental Society have created a path with bird sounds along the sea front. Theyalso organise litter picks on the beach. The Community Council with PRIN assistance are in the process ofcreating a high standard footpath along the high shore line to link Ardersier and Fort George, improve carparking and provide appropriate signage.

• Nairn River Community Council with PRIN funding have recently upgraded the River Walk between theJubilee and Firhall Bridges.

• Stratherrick and Foyers Community Council are constructing a community wildlife area in Gorthleck withwildlife viewing shelters and a wild flower garden with funding from SNH and CED.

Set up a ‘community mapping’ project so people can learn and show others what is special about their ownpatch.

• Boleskin Environmental Network and Foyers Primary School are undertaking a mapping project “A Year inthe Life of Loch Bran”. This project will produce displays and a report for display in the local area and canbe used as an example of good practice.

• Dores Community Council and Aldourie Primary School are designing a wildlife Notice Board to be sited atthe Dores Inn.

• Scottish Wildlife Trust with PRIN funding have produced a City Wildlife Leaflet and Display.

Recycle, reduce and reuse what we use in and around the home.

• The South Kessock Environmental Group encourage visitors to stop, take an interest and care for the localenvironment while enjoying views over the Moray Firth.

• PRIN are organising a series of sustainability seminars including Network 21, Waste Management forCommunities and linking with Highland Council objectives.

Reduce transport costs by buying local goods and supporting Farmers’ Markets.

• The Inverness Farmers Market runs on the first Saturday of the month through the year at the Eastgate.

Set up or get involved in a local biodiversity forum.

• The Loch Ness Partnership Ltd has established a Heritage and Environmental Sub-group to promote,inform and educate the communities, businesses and visitors to the area, and provide information on awide range of environmental and biodiversity topics.

• The PRIN Biodiversity Group encompasses a wide range of interests and members will be encouraged toimplement the outcomes of this LBAP through demonstratable projects with communities.

Contact the Partnership for Rural Inverness & Nairn for advice and funding for community environmentalprojects.


• In the two years since the booklet was first produced, 64 communities contacted PRIN for advice andfunding, and of them 21 projects received funding through the Small Environmental Grants Scheme. Thisyear, PRIN has secured some additional funding for a small Biodiversity Grant Scheme and so far, 8projects have received funding from this scheme.

BUSINESS ACTIONS

Survey your site, learn what lives in the area, ensure the habitat is not being spoiled – invite local experts tohelp your staff with audits.

Hold team building conservation activities to improve habitats.

Set up staff award schemes and use their environmental actions to improve morale and create goodpublicity.

Create links with local community groups and school grounds projects –support in kind or offer somefunding.

Become a ‘Biodiversity Champion’ of a local species or habitat, e.g. Tesco champions the skylark.

Register with the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), which aims to reward organisations thatstrive to improve their environmental performance.

Strive to achieve ISO 14001 accreditation by minimising your environmental impacts.

CLASSROOM ACTIONS

Get involved in recording – survey birds at the bird table, when you see the first hazel catkin...www.woodland-trust.org.uk/phenology has an eye-catching recording format suitable for all ages.

Share information about successful projects – some schools take turns in writing environmental news ontheir websites or in their newsletters.

Invite local rangers and environmentalists to lead activities regularly – get involved in Scottish BiodiversityWeek during September.

• The Highland Council, Forestry Commission and Cawdor Estate Rangers continue to lead activities withschools.

• Scottish Biodiversity Week has moved to a day in early Summer, and there are other national biodiversity-type events held throughout the year, e.g. National Moth Night, Big Garden Bird Watch.

Start School Grounds projects – have an outdoor classroom. Scottish Natural Heritage offer advice andfunding.

• In the last two years, SNH have directly assisted schools with advice and funding for wildlife gardeningprojects in their grounds. Other projects have received funding under PRIN’s small Environmental GrantScheme. A number of projects have been awarded funding this summer under the PRIN Biodiversity Grant,for which SNH, INE and CED provide funding and other assistance. Projects which received funding are:

o Glenmoriston High School, will plant a “Wildlife Garden” on the slopes between the playingfields and the school.

o Aldourie Primary School, (Dores Community Council), will erect a “Wildlife Notice Board” at theDores Inn and provide information on the local biodiversity.

o Nairn Millbank School, are building a “Wildlife Garden” in the playground with assistance fromthe Cawdor Ranger Service.

o Crown Primary School, are putting the finishing touches to a new wildlife garden in the schoolgrounds.

o Foyers Primary School (Boleskin Environmental Group), “A Year in the Life of Loch Bran” projectinvolves recording and monitoring Loch Bran biodiversity.


LAND MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

Keep woodland edges open, leave standing dead wood and old strainer posts as perches for birds of prey,nesting sites for crested tits and woodpecker grub sources.

Replant some areas of conifer plantations with native hardwoods, e.g. birch, and manage for timber andbiodiversity.

Manage river banks to benefit wildlife, improve fishing and prevent erosion.

Link wet field margins by creating new ponds and deciduous plantings to maximse biodiversity.

Maintain an open mind to managing land for biodiversity!

• The Rural Stewardship Scheme provides funding for all of the above agricultural actions. 34 RuralStewardship Scheme plans were approved by the Scottish Executive Environment & Rural AffairsDepartment between 2001 and 2003, and a further 33 plans are expected to be approved under the 2004round.

• In the Inverness & Nairn area, Forestry Commission Scotland has directly funded 24 woodlands forbiodiversity work through the Woodland Improvement Grant of the Woodland Grant Scheme. In addition,adding value for biodiversity is taken into account during the processing of applications for grant schemes,Long Term Plans and Felling Licences as well as in the management of Forestry Commission woodlands.In the Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme, which has replaced the Woodland Grant Scheme in Scotland,biodiversity is a key theme of the Stewardship grants available. This will encourage further work forbiodiversity to be undertaken.

LOCAL AUTHORITY & AGENCY ACTIONS

Set up and support a local biodiversity network to raise awareness of community-led environmentalprojects, share good practice, oversee actions, run events and support awareness-raising projects inInverness & Nairn.

• Although no network has been set up as such, the Partnership for Rural Inverness & Nairn has held twolocal heritage workshops for community groups in the last two years: one in Fort Augustus in 2002 and onein Nairn earlier this year.

• Many local groups are members of the Partnership for Rural Inverness & Nairn, the Loch Ness Partnershipand the Highland Environmental Network which, to some extent, already perform this function.

Employ a part-time biodiversity officer for a year to support the above group in its initial stages and helplocal communities and businesses to undertake biodiversity projects.

• Funding, as always, is difficult to come by for such posts and as yet, only one biodiversity officer has beenemployed in Highland.

Provide training and support to a network of volunteer biodiversity contacts, who can advise and supportindividuals, schools and community groups willing to carry out community mapping exercises.

Organise a scientific audit of the biodiversity of Inverness & Nairn to act as a source of information andstarting point for biodiversity monitoring.

Employ an ecologist to ensure this information and other ecological advice is available for developers andplanners.

• The Highland Council is producing guidance for developers on designing for sustainability, which willoffer advice on safeguarding and enhancing biodiversity. It is also trying to secure funding for such astrategic post to advise on environmental legislation and policy matters, including Strategic EnvironmentalAssessment.


Produce a series of local case studies and contacts, which can be used to demonstrate and publicise thevariety of community actions for biodiversity already achieved.

• A series of local case studies is contained within this Plan.

Create a biodiversity display and starter pack for communities to use in the initial stages of a project.

• The Scottish Wildlife Trust, Inner Moray Firth Members Centre has worked with the Inverness & Great GlenRanger, the Highland Biodiversity Officer and SNH to produce a City Wildlife leaflet and display to markthe 50th anniversary of the Trust.

Produce a Highland-wide biodiversity website containing the above information, that local groups andschools can feed into.

• A Highland biodiversity website has been set up by the Highland Biodiversity Project:www.highlandbiodiversity.com

Initiate an award scheme for different sectors of the Inverness & Nairn community, e.g. small & largebusinesses, farmers, nurseries, schools, community groups to reward environmental achievements.

• There is no award scheme as such, but PRIN has initiated a small Biodiversity Grant Scheme forcommunity-led biodiversity projects.

Provide incentives for businesses and communities to minimise the waste they send to landfill – this couldbe community composting facilities.

• The Highland Council has developed the following facilities for members of the public to recycle waste inthe Inverness and Nairn Areas:

o Paper recycling: All schools in Inverness city have been supplied with paper recycling bins. Theseare for use by pupils, staff, and their families. In addition, members of the public can bring paperfor recycling to the Council’s depot on Henderson Drive, Inverness.

o Bottle recycling: The Council has located a number of bottle banks at convenient locations aroundthe City of Inverness for members of the public to dispose of glass.

o Garden materials, metals, household appliances etc are received at the Balbair Recycling Depot inNairn on Saturdays.

o The Council is running a small pilot kerbside collection scheme in Beauly and parts of Invernesscity to uplift paper, garden waste and metal cans (both steel and aluminium). The Council willshortly expand its kerbside collection operation to other parts of the Inverness Area.

Embed sustainability in all departments, grant programmes and the awarding of external contracts, e.g. thegrass cutting of roadside verge & public parks should be carried out with biodiversity, as well as safety andtidiness, in mind.

• The Partnership for Rural Inverness & Nairn are hosting a series of seminars on sustainability in thecoming months aimed at the needs of rural communities.

• Through the Network 21 project, the Highland Council has supported the development of a SustainabilityChecklist for use by communities when planning projects to attract funding from grant authorities.Network 21 is a partnership of the Highland Wellbeing Alliance involving public bodies from the HighlandCommunity Planning Partnership (The Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Highlands andIslands Enterprise and NHS Highland), the voluntary sector and local communities. The checklist isavailable on the Network 21 website: www.network-21.info


New Actions for 2004 – 2014

This Local Biodiversity Action Plan suggests a number of additional actions that could be undertaken toimprove or raise awareness of local biodiversity within Inverness and Nairn in the next five to ten years. Theseare listed in the highlighted boxes through the main report, and summarised below for ease of reference.

It is recognised that there are already a number of organisations, groups and individuals working in thesefields and where appropriate, partners have been suggested who might be in a position to take this forwardeither as part of their existing work programme or as a new project that they could lead. It should be notedhowever, that no agreement has been sought from these suggested partners on ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘when’, and itis envisaged that these discussions will form part of the next phase in the Biodiversity Action Planningprocess.

This Plan has been prepared by The Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Partnership forRural Inverness & Nairn. It forms part of a suite of Local Biodiversity Action Plans that have been producedfor The Highland Council area by the Highland Biodiversity Project.

The Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage are currently working on a Highland-wide project thatwill look at delivering some of the main priorities emerging from the Local Biodiversity Action Plans. In themeantime, it is hoped that the partners listed below will consider which of these actions they might be able totake forward within the next five years, and to start to implement them.

Suggested action:

1.1 Marine mammal conservation

Display information leaflets on the protection of dolphins, reportany illegal or drifting salmon nets to the dedicated freephonenumber - 0800 0858217 and demonstrate good environmentalpractice by keeping the firths clean and healthy for marine life.

Promote positive action to safeguard the Moray Firth dolphins, tosupport the work of the Dolphin Defenders project currentlybeing run by the Moray Firth Partnership – seewww.dolphindefenders.co.uk. Possible actions includecontacting the police if boats are harassing dolphins; buyingonly wild salmon or sea trout caught by legal methods; reportingoil spills at sea to the coastguard; following the relevant codes ofconduct (Dolphin Space Programme, Dolphin AwarenessInitiative); avoiding feeding or swimming with dolphins;reporting stranded marine animals to the Scottish CetaceanStranding Coordinator; reporting illegal salmon nets; adopting adolphin; joining a dolphin watch group; preventing harmfulwaste from entering into the sewage system; helping to keep thecoast litter free; watching dolphins from the shore or with anaccredited boat operator.

1.2 Marine litter & pollution

Seek sponsorship for and encourage more schools andcommunities to get involved in beach surveys and clean-ups, andraise awareness of marine litter.

Help marine and coastal users recycle or dispose of waste suchas litter, old fishing nets or marine chemicals sensitively byensuring there are adequate waste disposal and recyclingfacilities, and by building on existing projects such as the ‘Thinkbefore you flush’, ‘Bag it and Bin it’ and ‘Dumb Dumpers’campaigns.

Suggested partners:

Moray Firth Partnership, Harbour Board,Ships chandlers, boat operators & marinebusinesses

Moray Firth Partnership, Harbour Board,Ships chandlers, boat operators, marinebusinesses, local communities,individuals

Moray Firth Partnership, MarineConservation Society, The HighlandCouncil, Community Groups

Moray Firth Partnership, Harbour Board,SEPA, The Highland Council Transport,Environmental & Community Services,ships chandlers, boat operators & marinebusinesses


Strive to ensure that the standards of discharges from sewagetreatment plants in the area take into account and safeguard, orenhance, local biodiversity.

1.3 Recreation

Provide information at a few key points, includingencouragement to restrict dog roaming / keep dogs on leads insensitive areas.

Increase promontion, interpretation and signage close to habitatimprovement projects to raise awareness of the issues, timescalesand the need for measures such as fencing.

Investigate the potential for one or two low impact viewingfacilities elsewhere around the Firth.

2.1 Acidification, nutrient enrichment & catchmentmanagement

Ensure water quality improvements are in line with SEPA’stargets.

Continue to promote practical guidance for forestry plantingsand new developments taking place near watercourses. Advisebusinesses on the legal requirements for discharges of substancesnear or into water, and demonstrate how sustainable practicescan make economic sense to businesses.

Promote adoption of SUDS principles (such as swales,infiltration basins, detention / retention ponds, wetlands,reedbeds) in new developments.

Safeguard the nutrient status of Loch Flemington as far aspossible by minimising future nutrient inputs; and ensure thatgood-quality long term data is available to assess the nutrientstatus of this and other lochs in the area.

Produce and enact Farm Waste Water Management Plans forsome of the larger agricultural units, following a pilot projectundertaken as part of the River Spey Catchment ManagementPlan project.

Encourage habitat creation and enhancement for developments,particularly those affecting watercourses.

2.2 Population decline in Atlantic salmon

Restore fish passes and reduce barriers to fish and other wildlifeto give access to spawning grounds upstream, including themaintenance of appropriate flow rates in flow-altered rivers.

Promote and adhere to Government guidance and recognisedbest practice for road crossings and river engineering projects.

The Highland Council, SEPA, ScottishWater Solutions, SNH, Moray FirthPartnership, Marine Conservation Society

SNH, RSPB Scotland, local communities,land managers

SNH, The Highland Council, RSPBScotland, Highlands of Scotland TouristBoard land managers

RSPB Scotland, local communities

SEPA, Scottish Water, National FarmersUnion Scotland, agricultural andindustrial businesses

Forestry Commission Scotland, ScottishExecutive, SEPA, The Highland CouncilPlanning & Development Service, SNH,SAC, Highland FWAG

The Highland Council Planning &Development Service, SEPA, SNH,developers

SEPA, SNH, The Highland CouncilPlanning & Development Service

Scottish Executive, SEPA, HighlandFWAG, SAC, land managers

SEPA, SNH, The Highland CouncilPlanning & Development Service,National Farmers Union Scotland,developers

Scottish & Southern Energy, DistrictSalmon Fishery Boards, SNH, landmanagers

The Highland Council, BEAR Scotland,SEPA, SNH, land managers

Suggested action: Suggested partners:


Develop fishery and catchment management plans for each riversystem in the region, and carry out a demonstration project onriver and loch bank management, including the use of fencingbuffer strips and planting of broadleaves to prevent bank erosion.

Raise awareness of the issues surrounding river management forsalmon amongst anglers and land managers.

2.3 Invasive non-native species

Devise a strategy for the survey and then eradication or control ofinvasive non-native plant species such as Japanese knotweed,Himalayan balsam and giant hogweed at river catchment level.

Develop a strategy for controlling mink, and investigate theimpacts of mink on the water vole population.

Continue to support the prohibition of any future introductionsof non-native species such as pike, and investigate the popularityand extent of fishing with live bait in the area.

2.4 Lack of information on freshwater species

Undertake a freshwater inventory of existing survey data toencourage sharing of data between agencies and to highlight theneeds for additional data gathering. Make use of electronic mapdata technology to link data sets wherever possible. Once thegaps have been identified, find funding to help fill them andtranslate the information into habitat creation or managementworks.

Raise awareness of the biodiversity value of our rivers and lochs.

Raise awareness of habitat management for species such aswater vole and great crested newts through workshops and fieldvisits.

Encourage volunteers to survey and map road crossings for e.g.frogs, toads and otters, and install suitable signage to warndrivers of the hazard to wildlife in these areas. Blocked culvertscan obstruct safe passage and make animals risk road crossings,and should be reported to the Council or BEAR Scotland toenable them to be unblocked.

2.5 Aquaculture

Undertake research into the impacts of aquaculture on localhabitats and species.

Undertake measures to minimise the risk of impacts on thenatural environment from fish farms. This includes effectiveoutflow screens to prevent escapes, maintenance of equipmentand ensuring SEPA’s discharge consent conditions are met.

SEPA, SNH, The Highland CouncilPlanning & Development Service, DistrictSalmon Fishery Boards, WWF

District Salmon Fishery Boards, landmanagers, angling groups

SNH, District Salmon Fishery Boards,land managers

SNH, RSPB Scotland, land managers

SNH, District Salmon Fishery Boards,fishery managers, fishing clubs & tackleshops

SNH, SEPA, District Salmon FisheryBoards, Inverness Sub Aqua Club

SNH, The Highland Council RangerService, District Salmon Fishery Boards

SNH, The Highland Council RangerService, land managers

SNH, The Highland Council Transportand Ranger Services, BEAR Scotland,local community groups

SEPA, SNH, Aquaculture industry,Scottish Quality Salmon, District SalmonFishery Boards

SEPA, SNH, Aquaculture industry,Scottish Quality Salmon



3.1 Industry problems

Raise awareness of existing RSS management across the area,and use this information to target future efforts on neighbouringunits to increase connectivity and maximise biodiversity benefit.

Increase links between statutory agencies so that support forbiodiversity on land is co-ordinated and any conflicts of interestminimised.

Produce local guidelines to allow the best targeting of RSSprescriptions for priority habitats and species. Highlight areaswhere the RSS is failing to deliver at a local level and feed thisinformation back to the Scottish Executive.

3.2 Cattle rearing

Raise awareness of the link between cattle rearing andbiodiversity, and support farmers to remain in livestock wherethis benefits biodiversity through the Rural Stewardship Schemeand Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme.

3.3 Loss of wet ground

Encourage farmland wader populations by habitat creation andmanagement in the Straths and Glens.

Discourage farmers from planting boggy areas with trees.

3.4 Decline in Spring cropping

Undertake a Wild Bird Cover / Game Crops project where smallareas of Spring-sown cereals such as Quinoa are left unharvestedas a source of winter cover and food for over-wintering birdssuch as finches, brambling and yellowhammer.

3.5 Reduction in boundary habitats

Encourage farmers and crofters to leave buffer strips whencultivating land or spraying crops near watercourses.

Local wildlife enthusiasts could be well placed to advise onparticularly or potentially rich verges (as has been doneelsewhere in Scotland) and to work with farmers and Farming &Wildlife Advisory Group to help establish wildlife-friendlystretches.

Ensure local biodiversity is taken into account in local vergemowing and hedge flailing regimes.

Scottish Executive, Highland FWAG,SAC, SNH, farmers & crofters

SEPA, SNH, Scottish Executive

Highland FWAG, SAC, SNH, farmers &crofters, Scottish Executive

Scottish Executive, Forestry CommissionScotland, Highland FWAG, SAC,National Farmers Union Scotland,Scottish Crofting Foundation, farmers &crofters

Scottish Executive, SNH, SAC, HighlandFWAG, farmers & crofters

Forestry Commission Scotland, HighlandFWAG, SAC, farmers & crofters

Highland FWAG, SAC, RSPB, farmers &crofters

Scottish Executive, SAC, HighlandFWAG, farmers & crofters

local wildlife enthusiasts, HighlandFWAG, farmers & crofters

The Highland Council RoadsDepartment, BEAR Scotland, HighlandFWAG



4.1 Woodland fragmentation & absence of tree-linewoodlands

Expand current forest habitat network work by creating linkageswith estate woodlands and encouraging some corridors offarmland and moorland to convert to new native woodlands.

Encourage the safeguarding and expansion of scrub species suchas juniper, willows and dwarf birch through improved fundingand increased uptake of the SFGS and RSS.

4.2 Restructuring plantation woodlands

Encourage woodland managers to move towards smaller fellingcoups and a continuous cover system where appropriate; and torestructure existing woodlands to incorporate native broadleavesalong water courses, areas of internal open space, tall trees aspotential nesting sites and some standing and fallen deadwoodthrough schemes such as the SFGS.

4.3 Red squirrels

Undertake actions in line with the Highland Red Squirrel SpeciesAction Plan.

4.4 Black grouse & capercaillie

Continue to incorporate objectives for black grouse andcapercaillie into woodland management.

Minimise disturbance at leks by providing additional viewingfacilities and encouraging owners to keep dogs on leads.

4.5 Lack of awareness & involvement

Develop trails, interpretation panels and links with outdoororganisations both in the commercial and the pubic sector, andensure biodiversity issues are taken into consideration in theplanning of new routes.

Encourage forest users to take access responsibly, and especiallyto keep dogs on leads where requested for the sake of nestingbirds.

5.1 Lack of knowledge

Identify the most important areas of open ground through surveyand local consultation, and feed this into the planning processthrough Strategic Environmental Assessment.

Forestry Commission Scotland, SNH,Scottish Executive, woodland advisers &managers

Forestry Commission Scotland, ScottishExecutive, woodland & agriculturaladvisers, land managers

Forestry Commission Scotland, woodlandadvisers, woodland managers

Forestry Commission Scotland, HighlandRed Squirrel Group, woodland advisers,land managers

Forestry Commission Scotland, woodlandadvisers, land managers

Forestry Commission Scotland, landmanagers, Ranger Services

Forestry Commission Scotland RangerService, The Highland Council RangerService, land managers, HighlandMountain Biking Association, walkinggroups, community groups

Forestry Commission Scotland, SNH,RSPB Scotland, land managers,community groups

SNH, Scottish Wildlife Trust, localrecorders and community groups,Forestry Commission Scotland, TheHighland Council Planning &Development Service, land managers



5.2 Grazing

Encourage land managers to reduce, maintain or, in some cases,increase numbers of grazing animals (including deer, sheep andcattle) to levels that permit the survival and expansion ofgrazing-sensitive species while enhancing the welfare andquality of the remaining, smaller deer population.

5.3 Inappropriate burning

Encourage adherence to good practice guides such as thosementioned above, and give thought to whether burning isrequired at all in some locations.

Provide education and training for those involved in heathermanagement, in particular muirburning, through formal andinformal routes.

5.4 Hill tracks & footpaths

Restrict all-terrain vehicles to drier ground where possible andprevent illegal access by powered vehicles to upland areas.

Prevent recreational damage by path repair and constructionwhere appropriate, and take biodiversity into account whenplanning new routes.

Raise awareness amongst businesses involved in activities usinghill tracks and paths (e.g. cycling, hill walking and running).

Interpret appropriate tracks to help manage public access andinform people of upland habitat management.

5.5 Climate change

Continue to undertake monitoring and modelling experiments,and feed the results into habitat management practices andinform The Highland Council Sustainable DevelopmentCommittee of implications for the area.

Raise awareness of the impacts of climate change on sensitivesnow bed and upland communities.

6.1 Uncertainty over access to the countryside

Review the extent of access routes linking settlements withwildlife areas that could be visited with minimal disturbance.

Link features such as woodlands (currently separated fromsettlement edges by fields) to the settlements by new greencorridors, extend existing paths and create hides to offer betterviewing facilities for wildlife watching.

DCS, Deer Management Groups, ScottishRural Property & Business Association,Highland FWAG, SAC, Scottish CroftingFoundation, National Farmers UnionScotland, land managers

Scottish Rural Property & BusinessAssociation, SNH, land managers

Highland Rural Business Services,Scottish Rural Property & Business,Highlands & Islands Fire Brigade

land managers

The Highland Council, SNH, ForestryCommission, land managers, user groups

The Highland Council, SNH, landmanagers, user groups

land managers, The Highland CouncilAccess & Ranger Services, SNH

SNH, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology,Macaulay Land Use Research Institute,land managers, The Highland Council

SNH, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology,Macaulay Land Use Research Institute,land managers

SNH, The Highland Council Ranger &Access Services

SNH, The Highland Council Ranger &Access Services, land managers



6.2 Roadside verges

Conduct a community council-level survey to identify plant-richsections of verges and hedges, and find other areas where plantvariety could be boosted.

Incorporate the sympathetic management of roadside verges forbiodiversity into road verge maintenance contracts wherefeasible and not conflicting with other issues such as safety.

6.3 Wildlife gardens

Conduct an assessment of the availability of locally appropriatewildflower seed mixes for meadow habitat in both gardens andverges, and raise awareness of the issues surrounding non-localmixes.

Provide locally relevant information on the creation of wildlife-friendly ponds and other wildlife gardening issues throughtraining days, demonstration gardens and the employment ofspecialist wildlife gardeners.

Modify parts of school grounds to improve them for wildlife inschools that do not yet have wildlife gardens.

Encourage the incorporation of wildlife gardening into theannual gardening competitions held in Inverness & Nairn.

6.4 Habitat creation

Encourage local communities to identify areas that they wouldlike to turn into a community wildlife resource, and help them toundertake the work.

Reduce strimming of marginal vegetation along some parts ofCity Centre riverbanks to give cover for otters and various birds.

6.5 Litter and fly tipping

Raise awareness of the implications on wildlife of litter and flytipping of garden waste, and encourage communities to userecycling and composting facilities as far as possible.

6.6 Education opportunities

Pull together a list of tools and materials available to schools,and identify projects and local biodiversity studies that fit inwith the curriculum.

Undertake local bird surveys with school children to assesspopulations and provide biodiversity information of relevance tolocal schools, perhaps linked with a nest box camera project suchas that carried out in Skye & Lochalsh last year.

Field Clubs, Highland BiologicalRecording Group, Scottish Wildlife Trust,The Highland Council Ranger Service,SNH

The Highland Council Transport,Environmental & Community Services,BEAR Scotland

SNH, The Highland Council RangerService, Gardening Centres and Clubs

SNH, The Highland Council RangerService, Gardening Centres and Clubs

The Highland Council Education Service& Ranger Services, SNH

The Highland Council, PRIN, SNH, NairnGreen & Beautiful, Gardening Centresand Clubs

SNH, The Highland Council Planning &Development Service, British Trust forConservation Volunteers, local groupsand field clubs

The Highland Council

SEPA, The Highland Council Transport,Environmental & Community Services,local groups

The Highland Council Education Service,Forestry Commission Scotland RangerService, SNH

RSPB Scotland, The Highland CouncilRanger Service, Forestry CommissionScotland Ranger Service, SNH, TheHighland Council Education Service




Undertake urban wildlife surveys and investigate historicalrecords to find out what is, was and could be present.

Develop a forest school to raise awareness of woodland andgeneral biodiversity issues.

Field Clubs, Highland BiologicalRecording Group, SNH, ForestryCommission Scotland Ranger Service

Forestry Commission Scotland, SNH, TheHighland Council


Chapter 8: Habitats & Species Lists

Introduction

This chapter contains lists of national and local priority habitats and species for the Inverness & Nairn area.Please note that these are not intended to be comprehensive lists of all the habitats and species present in thearea, but they include those habitats and species that have been identified as having national or localimportance. The habitats and species used for Rural Stewardship Scheme applications in the East Highlandarea are detailed separately on page 69.

Priority Habitats:

Table 1 lists the national and local priority habitats. The national priority habitats (N) are the habitatsoccurring in Inverness & Nairn that have been selected by the UK Biodiversity Steering Group. Habitat ActionPlans (HAPs) or Statements have been prepared for these habitats, and are available on the websitewww.ukbap.org.uk. Additional local priorities (L), which are not covered by the national categories but arenonetheless important habitats in their own right, are also listed here.

Table 1: Priority Habitats

Chapter: Habitat type: Notable occurrence:

Sea & Coast Coastal salt marsh (N) Whiteness Head and Culbin SandsCoastal sand dunes (N) Culbin SandsMudflats (N) Moray and Beauly FirthsSeagrass beds (N) Beauly Firth, Longman and Castle Stuart

BaysSublittoral sands and gravels (N) Moray Firth cSACCoastal waters (L) Inner Moray Firth

River, Loch & Wetland Eutrophic standing waters (N) Loch FlemmingtonMesotrophic lakes (N) Glen Doe Lochans, Knockie Lochs, Loch

Ashie, Loch Bran, Loch Ruthven, Lochs atBalnagrantach Dubh Lochs, Loch Battan

Reedbeds (N) Beauly FirthFloodplain (L) Urquhart Bay WoodsRiver gorges (L) Moniack Gorge, Inverfarigaig GorgeSpawning burns (L) River FarrarWetlands and ponds (L) Urquhart Bay Woods

Farm & Croft Land Cereal field margins (N) FarmlandPurple moor grass and Upland farm and croftlandrush pastures (N)Cattle-grazed pasture (L) Farm and croft land in eastDrystone dykes and long established Farmlandfield boundaries (L)Gorse and scrub woodland (L) Coastal sites, roadsides & field marginsUnsprayed and uncultivated Farmlandfield margins (L)Winter brassica fields & stubbles (L) Farm and croft land in east

Forest & Woodland Native pinewood (N) Glen Affric, Glen Strathfarrar, Liatrie Burn.Juniper Scrub Kildrummie KamesUpland oakwood (N) Easter Ness ForestWet woodland (N) Urquhart Bay WoodUpland birch (N) Easter Ness ForestAspen stands (L) Glen Strathfarrar


Riparian woodland (L) Along the lower reaches of the River Tarff,Coiltie, Enrick and Farrar and many otherburns.

Bog, Moor & Hill Blanket bog (N) Upland west of areaLowland heathland (N)Upland heathland (N) Hillsides in uplandMontane scrub (L) Affric/Cannich Hills (willow scrub)Rock faces & ledges (L) Upland west areaSnow-bed vegetation (L) Monadhliath, Affric & Cannich hills

Town & Village Wildlife-friendly private & Gardens throughout area, public parks andpublic gardens (L) cemeteriesPotentially flower-rich roadside Roadside verges throughout areaverges (L)

Priority Species:

Table 2 identifies the national and local priority species that are known to occur in Inverness & Nairn.

The ‘national priority’ species are those shaded. These species have been identified by the UK BiodiversitySteering Group, and Species Action Plans (SAPs) or Statements have been prepared for their conservation andenhancement. These Plans and Statements are available on the website www.ukbap.org.uk, and further detailsof nationally important species are available from Scottish Natural Heritage.

Inverness & Nairn contains a number of additional species that are rare or scarce in either Highland or Britainas a whole, and these ‘local priority’ species are also listed in the table (un-shaded). We have included anumber of species that although not rare or scarce nationally, are rare or particularly valued by local people.

Table 2: Priority Species

Scientific name Common name Habitat

AmphibiansBufo bufo common toad freshwaterRana temporaria common frog freshwaterTriturus cristatus great crested newt open water, grassland, woodland and hedgeTriturus helvetica palmate newt freshwater

AntsFormica aquilonia Scottish wood ant coniferous, native pine and broad-leaved woodlandFormica lugubris northern wood ant coniferous, native pine and broad-leaved woodland

BeesBombus monticola bilberry bumblebee upland moorland with blaeberryBombus muscorum moss carder bee associated with wet heath which contains cross leaved

heathBombus soroeensis broken-belted bumblebee widespread throughout LBAP areaOsmia inermis a mason bee upland calcareous grassland and moorlandOsmia uncinata a mason bee open native pine woodland and sand dune

BeetlesDonacia aquatica a reed beetle open waterDyschirius angustatus a ground beetle river shingle and sandy shoresRhynchaenus testaceus a jumping weevil wet woodlandThinobius newberyi a rove beetle river shingle

BirdsAcanthis flavirostris twite upland moorland (breeding), farmland and coastal

(winter)


Accipiter gentilis goshawk coniferous forestsAlauda arvensis skylark rough pastures, heaths, farmland and coastal grasslandsAlcedo atthis kingfisher lowland rivers, canals and lochs (breeds on the Ness)Anus penelope wigeon moorland lochans (breeding) and estuaries (winter)Anser anser greylag goose farmland, lochs and estuariesAnser brachyrhyncus pink-footed goose farmland (feeding), lochs and estuaries (roosting)Apus apus swift urban areasAquila chrysaetos golden eagleArenaria interpres turnstone rocky shorelinesAsio flammeus short-eared owl wetlands, moorland, heaths and sand dunesBucephala clangula goldeneye nests in holes close to lochs and rivers, winters on inland lochs

and sheltered estuaries.Calidris canutus knot estuariesCarduelis cannabina linnet farmland scrub and lowland heathCharadrius morinellus dotterel montaneCircus cyaneus hen harrier upland heather moorland (breeding)Crex crex corncrake low intensity mixed farmland e.g crofting areas with croppingCygnus cygnus whooper swan farmland, lochs and estuariesDelichon urbica house martin urban areas and some cliff nesting coloniesEmberiza citronella yellow hammer farmlandEmberiza schoeniclus reed bunting scrub and farmlandFalco columbarius merlin upland heather moorlandFalco peregrinus peregrine falcon nests on rocky cliffs, quarry faces and buildingsGallinago gallinago snipe wet grassland and saltmarshesGavia arctica black throated breed on fresh water lochs, lochans and winters in coastal areas

diverGavia stellata red-throated diver breed on small fresh water lochs, lochans and winters in coastal

areasHirundo rustica swallow farmlandJynx torquilla wryneck mature open deciduous woodlandLarus ridibundus black-headed gull breed on upland lochans and winter in coastal areasLimosa lapponica bar-tailed godwit estuariesLoxia scotica Scottish crossbill native pinewoodLoxia curvirostra crossbill Scots pine, spruce and larch trees, especially mature forest or old

plantations.Loxia pytryopsittacus parrot crossbill rare vagrant, possibly breedingMelanitta nigra common scoter freshwater loch and inshore watersMergus merganser goosander nests near fast flowing rivers or streams and upland lochs, also

nests in riparian woodland in holes.Mergus serrator red breasted breeds on lakes, rivers, sheltered inlets and estuaries, winters on

merganser coastal waters.Miliaria calandra corn bunting farmlandMilvus milvus red kite woodland and farmlandMuscicapa striata spotted flycatcher woodland and wooded farmlandNumenius arquata curlew blanket bog, wet meadows (breeding) and estuaries (winter)Pandion haliaetus osprey favour bog woodland for nesting, feed in freshwater and coastal

areas.Parus cristatus crested tit native pinewoodPasser domesticus house sparrow urban areas, around buildings in rural areasPasser montanus tree sparrow lowland wooded farmlandPerdix perdix grey partridge farmland with coverPernis apivorus honey buzzard woodland with wasps nestsPhalacrocorax carbo cormorant coastal cliff nesting birdsPlectrophenax nivalis snow bunting montane (breeding), coastal (winter)Pluvialis apricaria golden plover upland areas of moorland, blanket bog and grasslandPodiceps auritus Slavonian grebe lochs (breeding), coastal (winter)Pyrrhula pyrrhula bullfinch broad-leaved woodland, hedgerow and arableScolopax rusticola woodcock damp woodlandSomateria mollissima eider coastalSterna paradisaea arctic tern open coastal areas with sand or shingle, winter at sea.


Sterna hirundo common tern coastal areas with shingle beaches, rocky islands andsaltmarshes, also found inland nesting on islands in gravel pitsand rivers.

Tetrao tetrix black grouse upland heath, young plantations and farmlandTetrao urogallus capercaillie mature mixed woodland with bilberryTringa nebularia greenshank blanket bogsTringa totanus redshank lowland wet grassland and salt marshes (breeding), estuaries

(winter)Turdus philomelos song thrush gardens, woodlands and wooded farmlandTyto alba barn owl farmlandVanellus vanellus lapwing upland and lowland wet grassland

ButterfliesAricia artaxerxes northern brown mainly coastal grassland with rock rose

argusBoloria euphrosyne pearl-bordered woodland clearings or unimproved grassland with scrub or

fritillary brackenCoenonympha pamphilus small heath white beaked sedge bedsCupido minimus small blue meadowsPararge aegeria speckled wood woodland

CrustaceanCancer pagurus edible crab rocky seabedHomarus gammarus common lobster coastal fringesNephrops norvegicus Norway lobster muddy/fine silt seabed

FishAnguilla anguilla common eel burns, rivers, ponds, lochs, and marineSalmo salar Atlantic salmon freshwater/marineClupea harengus herring marineGadus morhua cod marineLampetra fluviatilis river lamprey rivers and the seaLampetra planeri brook lamprey watercoursesMerlangus merlangus whiting marinePetromyzon marinus sea lamprey rivers and the seaPleuronectes platessa plaice marinePollachius virens saithe marineRaja batis common skate marineSalmo trutta brown/sea trout freshwater/marineScomber scombus mackerel marineTracharus trachurus horse mackerel marine

FungiBankera fuligineoalba drab tooth fungus native pine wood and conifer plantationsHydnellum caeruleum blue corky spine native pine wood

fungusHydnellum ferrugineum reddish-brown native pine wood

corky spine fungusHydnellum peckii brown corky spine native pine wood and conifer plantations

fungusHygrocybe spp. waxcaps grassy meadowsSarcodon glaucopus green footed

spiny-cap fungus native pine woodSarcodon imbricatus scaly tooth fungusbroad-leaved / coniferous plantation

LichensSchismatomma speckled script well-lit ancient woodlands and wood pasture, on bark of oakgraphidioides lichen and beech.Bryoria furcellata forked hair lichen found growing on trees in woodlandsPannaria ignobilis Caledonian Caledonian pine woods

pannaria


Gyalecta ulmi elm gyalecta calcareous rock outcrops

LiverwortsMarsupella stableri stabler’s rustwort gullies and late-snow areas

MammalsArvicola terrestris water vole open water, grassland, bog, ditch and marshDelphinus delphis common dolphin firthFelix silvestris wild cat Highlands and LowlandsHalichoerus grypus grey seal firthsLepus europaeus brown hare arable, grassland and hedgeLepus timidus mountain hare mountain areasLutra lutra European otter rocky coast, open water, reed bed and marshMartes martes pine marten woodland and farmlandMeles meles badger woodland and farmlandMus muscuilus house mouse farmland and settlementsMustela putorius polecat widespread in farmland and woodlandMyotis daubentoni Daubenton’s bat hunt over rivers and waterMyotis nattereri natterer’s bat rivers, streams, open water, riparian vegetation, broad-

leaved / mixed woodland, hedgerows, other linearfeatures, buildings and gardens

Neomys fodiens water shrew rivers and canal banksPhoca vitulina common (harbour) seal firthsPhocoena phocoena harbour porpoise firthsPlecotus auritus brown long-eared bat rivers, streams, open water, riparian vegetation, broad-

leaved / mixed woodland, hedgerows,other linearfeatures, buildings and gardens

Pipistrellus pipistrellus pipistrelle bat rivers, streams, open water, riparian vegetation, broad-leaved / mixed woodland, hedgerows, other linearfeatures, buildings and gardens

Pipistrellus pigmaeus soprano pipistrelle bat rivers, streams, open water, riparian vegetation, broad-leaved / mixed woodland, hedgerows, other linearfeatures, buildings and gardens

Sciurus vulgaris red squirrel coniferous and broad-leaved woodlandTursiops truncatus bottlenose dolphin firths

MolluscsBuccinum undatum common whelk coastal fringesCerastoderma edule common cockle firth especially inner firthEledone cirrhosa lesser octopus firthsLittorina littoria edible periwinkle coastlineLoligo forbesii common squid firthsMargaritifera margaritifera freshwater pearl mussel freshwater rivers with salmonoids presentMytilus edulis edible mussel firthsPecten maximus great scallop firths

MossesBuxbaumia viridis green shield moss decorticated wood in sheltered, humid gorge

MothsEpione parallelaria dark-bordered beauty wet and lightly wooded heathlandHemaris tityus narrow-bordered bee woodland, grassland, bogs and moorland with Succisa

hawk-moth pratensis.Noctua orbona lunar yellow underwing grasslandParadiarsia sobrina cousin German associated with birch woods and old Caledonian pine

forest with widely spaced trees and bilberry ling groundflora.

Semiothisa carbonaria netted mountain moth open moorland and mountainsidesXestia alpicola alpina northern dart montane, larvae mainly feed on Empetrum nigrumXylena exsoleta sword grass uplands and moorlands


ReptilesAnguis fragilis slow worm grassland and open woodlandLacerta vivipara common lizard grassland, open woodland and open moorlandVipera berus adder grassland, open woodland and open moorland

Vascular plantsAnthemis arvensis corn chamomile grasslandCentaurea cyanus cornflower grassland and fieldsChrysanthemum segetum corn marigold grassland and fieldsCorallorhiza trifida coralroot orchid two forms - coniferous woodland and sand dune slacksEuphrasia heslop-harrisonii an eyebright grasslandHyacinthoides non-scripta bluebell woodlandsJuniperus communis juniper pine wood and heathLinnaea borealis twin flower pine woodlandLychnis flos-cuculi ragged robin grassland flushesLycopodiella inundata marsh clubmoss wet heaths on bare peaty soil and occasionally loch marginsMelampyrum sylvaticum small cow-wheat open birch woodland on grassy slopesMoneses uniflora flowered open pinewood

wintergreenOxytropis halleri purple oxytropis uplandPilularia globulifera pillwort pond and loch edgesPopulus tremula aspen riparian woodland and where it is protected from grazing

pressurePotentilla neumanniana spring cinquefoil grasslandPotomogeton rutilus Shetland lochs

pondweedSaxifraga granulata meadow saxifrage grasslandSorbus aria whitebeam woodlandViola arvensis field pansy fields and roadsides

WaspsChrysura hirsuta a ruby-tailed parasite of Osmia which lives in upland calcareous grassland,parasitoid of Osmia spp. wasp moorland, open native pine woodland and sand dune


Rural Stewardship Scheme:

The Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) incorporates a list of 30 locally important habitats and species, that havebeen drawn up jointly by agricultural and conservation interests. There are different lists for different areasthroughout Scotland, and Inverness & Nairn falls under the East Highland list, which is shown below. Thislist is not to be confused with the national and local priority habitats and species above, as it is usedspecifically for RSS applications and is updated by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural AffairsDepartment on an annual basis.

Habitat1. Acid grassland2. Marshy grassland and rough pasture3. Lowland meadows4. Neutral grassland5. Purple moor grass & rush pasture6. Watercourses (rivers and streams)7. Rushes & Marginal vegetation (including species-rich rush pasture)8. Wetland margins9. Wet heath10. Dry heath11. Overwintering crops12. Arable field margins13. Riparian woodland14. Scrub woodland (upland scrub)15. Non species-rich hedgerows

Species16. Common eyebright17. Blaeberry18. Ragged robin19. Greater woodrush20. Devil’s bit scabious21. Common orchid22. Knapweed23. Corn marigold24. Bird’s foot trefoil25. Brown trout26. Barn owl27. Lapwing28. Snipe29. Goldfinch30. Yellowhammer


Annex 1: Contact Details

Organisation / Group: What they can help with /Interest :

Contact details:

Aigas Field Centre

Arbriachan Forest Trust

Ardersier & Petty EnvironmentalSociety

Bat Conservation Trust

BEAR Scotland

Biological Recording in Scotland

Botanical Society of the BritishIsles

British Dragonfly Society

British Trust for ConservationVolunteers

British Trust for Ornithology

British Waterways

Run programmes for schools,individuals, groups andorganisations to learn about awide variety of aspects relating tothe Highland environment.

A community owned andmanaged woodland withimproving biodiversity as one itsmain aims.

Initiate environmental projectssuch as Beechgrove CommunityGarden in Ardersier andencourage young people protecttheir environment.

Information on bats, bat habitats,bat boxes and conservation.

Manages and maintains the trunkroads of North West and NorthEast Scotland on behalf of theScottish Executive.

Promote the gathering ofenvironmental data, initiateprojects and circulate informationto help the recording communityin Scotland.

Holder of the botanical records forthe area.

Information on dragonfly habitats,training of volunteers inidentification & collation ofdragonfly records.

Volunteer participation inpractical conservation activities,can work with communities todeliver local environmentalprojects & provide insurance forsuch works.

Investigate the populations,movements and ecology of wildbirds, organise annual breedingand winter bird surveys locally.

A public corporation responsiblefor managing and caring for theClaedonian canal amongst otherUK waterways.

Aigas Field Centre, Near BeaulyIV4 7ADTel: 01463 782443

www.arbriachan.org.uk

Mr J Kay, 49 Stewart Street,Ardesier IV2 7RU

www.bats.org.uk

Inveralmond Road, InveralmondIndustrial Estate, Perth PH1 3TWTel: 0800 587 1108www.bearscot.com

www.brisc.org.uk

www.bsbi.org.uk

www.dragonflysoc.org.uk

30 Millbank Road, Munlochy,Inverness IV8 8NDTel: 01463 811560www.btcv.org.uk

www.bto.org

Canal House, Applecross Street,Glasgow G4 9SPTel: 0141 3311688www.britishwaterways.co.uk


Organisation / Group: What they can help with /Interest:

Contact details:

Butterfly Conservation (Scotland)

Cantraybridge Rural Skills College

Cantraybridge Trust

Cawdor Hoglets / Cawdor EstateRangers

Cill Chumein Heritage Group

Community Toolkit

Craigmonie WoodlandAssociation

Deer Commission Scotland

Encourage surveying andmonitoring of butterflies andmoths, and advise on habitatmanagement for priority species.

A Rural Skills College for up to 30young people with a disability. Itsaim is to enable them to acquirethe necessary skills in agriculture,horticulture, forestry, fresh waterfisheries, gamekeeping and otherrelated outdoor activities in orderto gain employment.

The objectives of the trust are to -Enhance the environmental andscenic beauty of the area - Ensurecontinued public access - Promoteplanting of a mixed nativewoodland - Stimulate communityand local job creation - Encourageinterest in and education aboutthis unique Highlandenvironment.

The Hoglets are youth nature clubwhich meets every Saturdaymorning between April – October.Activities include wastemanagement, replanting, habitatenhancement for Great CrestedNewts

Protects and enhances the culturaland natural heritage of the areaaround Ft Augustus.

Can help organisations findsolutions to a range of problemsand issues. Specifically designedfor community groups and isbased on common themesidentified by local voluntarygroups from around Invernessand Nairn.

Work in partnership with ForestryCommission to maintain andupgrade the facilities inCraigmonie Woodland.

Provide advice on deermanagement and welfare issues.

Balallan House, Allan Park,Stirling FK8 2QGTel: 01786 447753www.butterfly-conservation.org

Cantraybridge College, Cawdor,Nairn, IV12 5XT.Tel: 01667 493500

Joanna McGregor, Mill of Cantray,Cawdor, Nairn IV12 5XT

Derek Hamilton, Cawdor Ranger,Cawdor Castle, Nairn. IV12 5RDTel: 01667 404666

Brian Steptoe, Secretary, Ardachy,Fort Augustus

www.communitytoolkit.org.uk

Mrs Anne Bell, Chair, Eastlea,Drumnadrochit, Inverness-shireIV63 6TXTel:01456 450227

Knowsley, 82 Fairfield Road,Inverness IV3 5LHTel: 01463 231751www.dcs.gov.uk



Contact details:

The Fishery Boards have statutorypowers to control and managesalmon fisheries and stocks.

Provide advice to farmers, croftersand landowners on conservationprojects and agri-environmentalgrants.

Administer the Scottish ForestryGrant Scheme, which provideswoodland management andexpansion incentives for privatewoodland owners, and regulateand control works through FellingLicence and EnvironmentalImpact Assessment regulations.

Responsible for managingScotland’s national forests withindistrict areas.

Provide opportunities forwatching and learning more aboutdolphins, gather data on theMoray Firth dolphins and areinvolved in awareness raising.

Provide habitat advice aboutamphibians and reptiles ingardens and the widercountryside, and encourage theirrecording.

• Beauly District Salmon FisheryBoard, J Wotherspoon,MacAndrew & Jenkins WS,Solicitors and Estate Agents, 5Drummond Street, Inverness,IV1 1QF

• Nairn District Salmon FisheryBoard, E M B Larby, FinlaysonHughes, 45 Church Street,Inverness IV4 1DR

• Ness District Salmon FisheryBoard, F Kelly, MessrsAnderson, Shaw & Gilbert,Solicitors, York House, 20Church Street, Inverness IV11ED

Fran Lockhart, Glaikmore, NorthKessock, Inverness IV1 1XDTel: 01463 811072www.fwag.org.uk/scotland

‘Woodlands’, Fodderty Way,Dingwall IV15 9XBTel: 01349 862144www.forestry.gov.uk/scotland

• Inverness Forest District,Tower Road, Smithton,Inverness IV1 2NLTel : 01463 791575

• Fort Augustus Forest District,Strathoich, Fort Augustus,Inverness-shire PH32 4BTTel : 01320 366322

• Moray Forest District,Balnacoul, Fochabers IV32 7LLTel: 01343 820223

4 Craigview, Banffshire AB56 4QFwww.loupers.com

www.froglife.org

District Salmon Fishery Boards

Farming and Wildlife AdvisoryGroup (FWAG)

Forestry Commission Scotland

Friends of Moray Firth Dolphins

Froglife


Organisation / Group: What they can help with /Interest:

Contact details:

Developing and supportinginitiatives to improve Glenresidents quality of life - since1949.

Provide advice, contacts,programmes, grant and awardschemes tailored for Scottishschools, for the improvement ofschool grounds for education,biodiversity and enjoyment.

Dedicated to researching andpromoting organic gardening,farming and food.

Responsible for the preparationand implementation of LocalBiodiversity Action Plans inHighland.

Record biological informationindividually and through co-ordinated atlas projects, surveys,field trips and events.

Works through a partnership todeliver: local economic,environmental and social benefits;integrated forest management andproduct innovation; new resourceinformation to support strategicrural development.

Run a programme ofenvironmental education eventsand guided walks, run practicalconservation projects, and giveadvice on access and conservationissues.

Provides advice on sustainabilityissues and appropriatecommunity action.

Provides information on thecorrect disposal of waste andhazardous substances.

Sandra Bardwell, SecretaryTel: 01456 450609

www.ltl.org.uk/scot.html

Ryton Organic Gardens, Coventry,Warwickshire CV8 3LGwww.hdra.org.uk

Highland Biodiversity Officer, TheHighland Council, GlenurquhartRoad, Inverness IV3 5NXTel: 01463 702274

c/o Inverness Museum & ArtGallery, Castle Wynd, InvernessIV2 3EBEmail: [email protected]

Littleburn, Munlochy, Ross-shireIV8 8NNTel: 01463 811606www.highlandbirchwoods.co.uk

• The Highland CouncilCountryside Ranger Inverness,Planning & DevelopmentService, Town House,Inverness IV1 1JJTel: 01463 724312Email:[email protected] [email protected]

• Great Glen Way RangerService, Auchterawe, FortAugustus PH32 4BATel: 01320 366633Email:[email protected]

Una Lee, The Highland Council,Glenurquhart Road, InvernessTel: 01463 702543

Ross House, High Street, DingwallIV15 9RYTel: 01349 868583

Glen Urquhart Rural CommunityAssociation

Grounds for Learning

Henry Doubleday ResearchAssociation

Highland Biodiversity Project

Highland Biological RecordingGroup

Highland Birchwoods

Highland Council Ranger Service

Highland Council SustainableDevelopment Officer

Highland Council Waste Strategy& Management Team



Contact details:

Regional environmental educationforum for the Highland Councilarea. Exists to promote andsupport environmental educationand awareness raising.

Membership is free and is open toofficial agencies and the public.A large club dedicated to off-roadcycling in all its forms, equalaccess to the countryside, andsustainable trail building.

Comprises volunteers in the innerMoray Firth area who monitorbird populations in the area. Mostof the monitoring work is done viabird ringing on behalf of theBritish Trust for Ornithology.Shorebirds, seabirds, raptors andfarmland species are currently allmonitored by the group.

Provides, for visitors, details ofplaces to go, activities, events,maps, guides to areas with theScottish Highlands, the definitivelisting of accommodation in thearea, and travel, transport and carhire information.

Provide advice and support forenvironmental projects andcommunity-led works.

The group aims to promoteinterest, investigate and protectthese remarkable, but endangered,mammals through survey andeducational work and runs aprogramme of bat walks, talks andother activities throughout theyear, membership is free and opento anyone fascinated by bats.

The study and enjoyment of thelocal flora and botany in generalthrough meetings and outdoorexcursions.

Interests include natural history,geology, archaeology and localhistory. These are reflected inextensive lecture and excursionprogrammes.

Education Centre, Castle Street,Dingwall IV15 9XB

Steve BrownTel: 01463 811587 (evenings) orSteve MacDonald at SquareWheels in StrathpefferTel: 01997 421000 (days)www.himba.org.uk

Secretary: Bob Swann, 14 StVincent Road, Tain, Ross-shireIV19 1JREmail: [email protected]

Peffery House, Strathpeffer IV149HATel: 01997 421160www.visithighlands.com

The Green House, BeechwoodBusiness Park North, InvernessIV2 3BLwww.hie.co.uk/ine

Jonathan Watt, c/o InvernessMuseum and Are Gallery, CastleWynd, Inverness IV2 3EBEmail:[email protected]

Margaret BarronTel: 01463 236440

Tel: 01463 831057Email:[email protected]

Highland Environmental Network

Highland Mountain BikingAssociation

Highland Ringing Group

Highlands of Scotland TouristBoard

Inverness & Nairn Enterprise

Inverness Bat Group

Inverness Botany Group

Inverness Field Club



Contact details:

Holds a wide range of data onHighland wildlife, with particularemphasis on mammals andinvertebrates. The survey work ofthe Highland BiologicalRecording Group is the source ofthe bulk of centre’s records. Thecentre offers: an enquiry service,an extensive library, referencecollections and access to anetwork of local expertise.

Kirkhill and BunchrewCommunity Trust is a registeredcharity and Company Limited byGuarantee set up to carry out,promote and encourageeducational, environmental,economic and recreationalactivities within the area ofKirkhill and Bunchrew.

Run a number of volunteer coastaland marine projects includingbeachwatch and seasearch.

Provide advice on management ofmarine and coastal habitats in theMoray Firth, and run a smallenvironmental scheme.

Provide information onagricultural matters andrepresentation on behalf ofmembers.

A conservation charity thatprotects and promotes Scotland’snatural and cultural heritage forpresent and future generations toenjoy.

Responsible for enforcement ofwildlife conservation legislationand combating wildlife crime. Allconcerns regarding wildlife crimeshould be reported to the localpolice station first.

Acts to stop common wild plantsbecoming rare in the wild, torescue wild plants on the brink ofextinction, and to protect sites ofexceptional botanical importanceby practical conservation work,and influencing policy andlegislation.

Inverness Museum Records Centre

Kirkhill & Bunchrew CommunityTrust

Marine Conservation Society

Moray Firth Partnership

National Farmers Union ofScotland

National Trust for Scotland

Northern Constabulary

Plantlife

Jonathan Watt, Inverness Museum& Art Gallery, Castle Wynd,Inverness IV2 3EBTel: 01463 237114

Erik Lundberg, Pilgrim Cottage,Wardlaw Road, InvernessIV5 7BNEmail: [email protected]

Calum Duncan, 3 Coates Place,Edinburgh EH3 7AATel: 0131 2266360www.mcsuk.org

27 Ardconnel Terrace, InvernessIV2 3AETel: 01463 226495www.morayfirth-partnership.org

www.nfus.org.uk

Balnain House, 40 Huntley Street,Inverness IV3 5URTel: 01463 732628www.nts.org.uk

Wildlife Crime Officer, InvernessArea Command, Burnett Road,Inverness IV1 1RLTel: 01463 715555

www.plantlife.org.uk


The partnership brings localpeople, agencies, the voluntarysector, private and public bodiestogether to promote and co-ordinate the sustainabledevelopment of rural Invernessand Nairn.

An Initiative to create local pathnetworks throughout Scotland forthe enjoyment of local people andvisitors, to achieve a significantincrease in well-managed andwelcoming paths close to wherepeople live, and to promote theiruse.

Provides advice and assistance onthe conservation of wild birds andtheir habitats, especiallydeclining, threatened or rarespecies.

Provide advice to farmers, croftersand land owners on wildlifehabitat improvement, and helpprepare and submit RuralStewardship Scheme applications.

Energy company involved in thegeneration, transmission,distribution and supply ofelectricity to industrial,commercial and domesticcustomers; energy trading; gasmarketing; electrical and utilitycontracting andtelecommunications.

Promotes the benefits that Croftingbrings to its communities, as wellas to the wider public.

Regularly monitor and classifycoastal waters, rivers and lochs,deal with pollution incidents andprovide advice and, through itsHabitat Enhancement Initiative,provides guidance and support onthe creation and best managementof wildlife habitats.

Advises on and implements policyrelating to agriculture, ruraldevelopment, food, theenvironment and fisheries.

Partnership for Rural Inverness &Nairn (PRIN)

Paths for All

Royal Society for the Protection ofBirds

Scottish Agricultural College

Scottish & Southern Energy

Scottish Crofting Foundation

Scottish Environment ProtectionAgency

Scottish Executive Environment &Rural Affairs Department


Contact details:

Bill Forrest, c/o Planning &Development Service, TheHighland Council, Town House,Inverness IV1 1JJTel: 01463 724213Email:[email protected]

Paths for All Partnership, TheGreen House, BeechwoodBusiness Park North, InvernessIV2 3DLTel: 01463 667232www.pathsforall.org.uk

Etive House, Beechwood Park,InvernessTel: 01463 715000www.rspb.org.uk

Gillian McKnight, Drummondhill,Stratherrick Road, InvernessTel: 01463 233266www.sac.ac.uk

Inveralmond House, 200 DunkeldRoad, Perth PH1 3AQwww.scottish-southern.co.uk

Old Mill, Broadford, Isle of SkyeIV49 9AQTel: 01471 822529www.crofting.org

Graesser House, Fodderty Way,Dingwall IV15 9XBTel: 01349 86202124 hour pollution emergencynumber: 0800 806070www.sepa.org.uk

www.scotland.gov.uk


Scottish Native Woods

Scottish Natural Heritage

Scottish Ornithologists Club

Scottish Rural Property &Business Association

Scottish Water

Scottish Wildlife Trust

Strathnairn CommunityWoodland Project

Strathglass CommunityDevelopment Group

The Mammal Society

Dedicated to the conservation ofnative woodlands in Scotland.Key activities: securing thesustainable management of nativewoodlands; increasing awarenessand understanding of nativewoodlands; strengthening thecontribution made by nativewoodlands to the economy;advising and influencinggovernment policy.

Provide advice and assistance onprotected species and designatedareas, grant-aid practicalbiodiversity and awareness-raising projects.

Brings together amateurbirdwatchers, keen birders andresearch ornithologists with theaims of documenting, studyingand enjoying Scotland’s variedbirdlife.

Formerly Scottish LandownersFederation. Representative bodyfor rural property owners andland-based businesses inScotland.

Provides water and waste waterservices to household andbusiness customers acrossScotland.

Provide advice on habitatmanagement, identification ofareas of high biodiversity andconservation volunteer activities.

Aim to conserve, regenerate andpromote the restoration of theprodominatnly native woodlandof Strathnairn. Have purchasedthe School Wood at Farr andMilton Wood.

Aims to develop theenvironmental and economicpotential of the area for localpeople and visitors to the area.

Organise mammal surveys andwork to protect British mammals,to halt the decline of threatenedspecies.

Contact details:What they can help with /Interest :

Organisation / Group:

John Parrott, The Old School,Errogie, Inverness-shire IV2 6UHwww.scottishnativewoods.org.uk

Fodderty Way, Dingwall BusinessPark, Dingwall IV15 9XBTel: 01349 865333www.snh.org.uk

Harbour Point, Newhailes Road,Musselburgh EH21 6SJTel 0131 6530653www.the-soc.fsnet.co.uk

Stuart House, Eskmills BusinessPark, Musselburgh EH21 7PBTel: 0131 6535400Email:[email protected]

www.scottishwater.co.uk

Unit 4A, 3 Carsegate Road North,Inverness IV3 8DUTel: 01463 714746www.swt.org.uk

Duncan Scott, Pennyghael, Farr,By Inverness, IV2 6XJEmail: [email protected]

Maeve Ryan, Secretary, Mid Main,Struy, Strathglass, InvernessIV4 7JR

www.mammal.org.uk



Contact details:

The Whale & DolphinConservation Society

Tourism & The EnvironmentForum

Trees for Life

Woodland Trust Scotland

World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF)

Dedicated to the conservation andwelfare of all whales, dolphinsand porpoises. Run the MorayFirth adopt a dolphin project.

A partnership of public andprivate organisations set up topromote sustainable tourism inScotland.

A Scottish conservation charitydedicated to the regeneration andrestoration of the CaledonianForest in the Highlands ofScotland

Protect native woodlands byacquiring woodland sites,sympathetically managingwoodland for wildlife and publicenjoyment, replacing those woodsthat have been lost to landscapeand create more new nativewoodland and influencing otherswho are in a position to improvethe future of native woodland.

WWF’s mission in Scotland is tobuild long-term solutions toenvironmental problems for thebenefit of people and nature.

Brookfield House, 38 St PaulStreet, Chippenham, WiltshireSN15 1LYwww.wdcs.orgwww.adoptadolphin.com

Thistle House, Beechwood ParkNorth, InvernessTel: 01463 723 059www.greentourism.org.uk

The Park, Findhorn Bay, ForresIV36 3TZTel: 01309 691 292www.treesforlife.org.uk

Glenruthven Mill, Abbey Road,Auchterarder, Perthshire PH3 1DPTel: 01764 662554www.woodland-trust.org.uk

WWF Scotland, 8 The Square,Aberfeldy, Perthshire PH15 2DDTel: 01887 820449www.wwf.org.uk


Annex 2: References & Sources of Further Information

Scottish Executive (2004) ‘Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act’. The Stationary Office Bookshop, Edinburgh

Scottish Executive (2004) ‘Scotland’s Biodiversity, It’s In Your Hands: A strategy for the conservation andenhancement of biodiversity in Scotland’. The Stationary Office Bookshop, Edinburgh

Scottish Biodiversity Forum (2004) ‘An Overview of the Implementation Plans, 2005-2008’. The StationaryOffice Bookshop, Edinburgh

Scottish Executive (2003) ‘Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture’. The Stationary Office Bookshop,Edinburgh

Scottish Executive (2003) ‘The Rural Stewardship Scheme’. The Stationary Office Bookshop, Edinburgh

Scottish Biodiversity Forum (2003) ‘Towards a Strategy for Scotland’s Biodiversity: Indicators for the Stateof Scotland’s Biodiversity’. The Stationary Office Bookshop, Edinburgh

Scottish Biodiversity Forum (2003) ‘Towards a Strategy for Scotland’s Biodiversity: Scotland’s Resource &Trends’. The Stationary Office Bookshop, Edinburgh

Scotland’s Moorland Forum (2003) ‘Principles of Moorland Management’. The Stationary Office Bookshop,Edinburgh

Preston, CD, Pearman, DA & Dines, TD (Eds) (2002) ‘New Atlas of the British & Irish Flora’. OxfordUniversity Press

Scottish Natural Heritage (2002) ‘Natural Heritage Futures’ documents

The Scottish Biodiversity Group (2001) ‘A Flying Start: Local Biodiversity Action in Scotland’. TheStationary Office Bookshop, Edinburgh

Scottish Executive (2001) ‘The Muirburn Code: A Guide to Best Practice’. The Stationary Office Bookshop,Edinburgh

The Scottish Biodiversity Group (2000) ‘Action for Scotland’s Biodiversity’. The Stationary Office Bookshop,Edinburgh

The Scottish Biodiversity Group (1999) ‘Local Biodiversity Action Plans: A Manual and Guidance Notes’.CoSLA, Edinburgh

The Scottish Biodiversity Group (1997) ‘Biodiversity in Scotland: The Way Forward’. The Stationary OfficeBookshop, Edinburgh

Joint Nature Conservation Committee (1996) ‘Coasts and Seas of the United Kingdom, Region 3 North-eastScotland: Cape Wrath to St Cyrus’. Coastal Directory Series

Joint Nature Conservation Committee ‘Directory of the Celtic Coasts and Seas’

The UK Government (1994) ‘Biodiversity: The UK Action Plan’. HMSO, London

The UK Government (1994) ‘Sustainable Development: The UK Strategy’. HMSO, London

The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute (1993) ‘The Land Cover of Scotland 1988’ (LCS88)

UK Biodiversity Action Plan ‘Tranche 2 Action Plans’. English Nature, PeterboroughIndex to the Tranche 2 Action PlansVolume I: Vertebrates and Vascular PlantsVolume II: Terrestrial and Freshwater HabitatsVolume III: Plants and FungiVolume IV: InvertebratesVolume VI: Terrestrial and Freshwater Species and Habitats


Annex 3: Glossary

Aacoustic of sound or hearingagri-environment linkage between the rearing of crops and livestock and the surrounding

environmentall-terrain vehicle light vehicle with many low pressure tyres or caterpillar tracks that spread

the weight and make it easier to cross boggy areasamphibian a vertebrate, such as a newt, frog or toad, that lives on land but breeds in

wateraquatic growing or living in waterarthropod a creature, such as an insect or spider, which has jointed legs and a hard case

on its bodyBbiodegradable capable of being decomposed by natural meansbiodiversity biological diversity, the variety of all living thingsbrackish slightly saltybryophyte a moss or liverwort

Ccalcareous of or containing calcium carbonatecatchment the area of land draining into a river, basin or reservoircetacean member of an order of aquatic mammals having no hind limbs, front limbs

modified into paddles, and a blowhole for breathing, includes whales,dolphins and porpoises

clearfell an area where all the trees have been felledcoarse fish any freshwater fish that is not of the salmon familycoastal defences natural or man-made barriers to slow down or halt erosion from the seacommon grazing piece of rough grazing land shared between two or more peoplecommunity a group of independent plants and animals inhabiting the same regionconifer a tree or shrub bearing cones and evergreen leaves, such as pine, spruce, fir

or larchcrustacean usually aquatic arthropod with a hard outer shell and several pairs of legs,

such as the lobster, crab or shrimpculvert a drain or covered channel that crosses under a road or railway

Ddeciduous a tree or shrub which sheds its leaves annually, such as birch or oakDeer Management Plan a plan drawn up by the local Deer Management Group to agree culling

targets amongst neighbouring estatesdiffuse spread out over a wide area (diffuse pollution: no single point source)diurnal in or of day / daytimediversification to vary products or operations in order to spread risk or expanddredging the process of scooping or sucking up material from the seabed or a riverbed

Eecosystem a system involving the interactions between a community and its non-living

environmentelectrofishing method of surveying fish by stunning them with an electrical pulseenvironment the external surroundings in which a plant or animal lives, which influence

its developmentepiphyte a plant growing on another plant without gaining any nutrition from it (e.g.

lichens, mosses & liverworts growing on trees)eutrophic describes lochs with high nutrient levelsextensive (agricultural context) widespread, designed to spread impacts over a large

area

Ffauna all the animal life of a given place or timefen peatland that receives water and nutrients from the soil, rock and

groundwater as well as from rainfall


fence marking the act of making a fence more visible to avoid bird collisions from e.g. blackgrouse

fertiliser any substance, such as manure, added to soil to increase its productivityflora all the plant life of a given place or timeForest Habitat Network a concept to link forest habitats for the benefit of woodland speciesfry the young of various species of fish

Ggenetic purity where the internal characteristics of an organism come from one source

alonegenus a group into which a family of animals or plants is divided and which

contains one or more speciesgeomorphology the study of the shapes and processes of the earthGulf Stream a warm oceanic current originating in the gulf of Mexico that travels north-

east as the North Atlantic Drift to warm the west coast of ScotlandHhabitat the natural home of an animal or planthatchery place where fish eggs are hatched to produce fry or parr for restockingherbicide a chemical that destroys plants, especially weedshybrid an animal or plant resulting from a cross between two different types of

animal or plantIin-bye grazing or arable land, usually close to the croft or farm steadingIndicative Forest Strategy a planning tool used by local authorities and agencies to help site new

woodlands away from sensitive areasinsecticide a substance used to destroy insect pestsinshore in or on the water but close to the shore (inshore fisheries: within 12 miles of

the shore)intensive (agricultural context) designed to increase production from a particular areainterpretation explanation provided by the use of original objects, visual display material,

etc.invasive spreading uncontrollably, taking over, replacing natural communityinvertebrate any animal without a backbone, such as an insect, worm or mollusc

Lley land temporarily under grass

Mmammal any warm-blooded vertebrate animal, the female of which produces milk to

feed her youngmesotrophic describes lochs with intermediate nutrient levelsmollusc an invertebrate with a soft, unsegmented body and often a shell (group

includes snails, slugs, clams, mussels and squid)muirburning the controlled strip-burning of heather moorland to create new shoots for

grouse, deer or sheep to eat

Nnatural regeneration seeding of plants, especially trees, without direct interference by mannon-native a non-indigenous animal or plant, not of local originnutrient budgeting the allocation of nutrients (especially fertilisers) to particular areas for

particular purposes, to minimise wastage and environmental impactsnutrient enrichment an increase or improvement in the substances providing nourishment to a

water body, sometimes resulting in a change in the chemistry andcorresponding loss in naturally occurring species

Ooligotrophic describes lochs with low nutrient levels, such as the dubh lochans in the

peatlandsout-bye rough grazing land, usually far from the croft or farm steadingovergraze to graze land too intensely so that it is damaged and no longer provides

nourishment or (if an area is managed for woodland) so that trees cannotregenerate or grow


Pparasitic the process of one animal or plant living in or on another from which it

obtains its nourishmentparr the intermediate stage of a salmonid fish between fry and smoltpasserine a songbird or perching birdpest any organism that damages crops, or irritates livestock or manpesticide a chemical used for killing pests, especially insectsplankton organisms inhabiting the surface layer of a sea or loch, consisting of small

drifting animals or plantsplateau a wide mainly level area of elevated land

Rraptor a bird of preyrecreation refreshment of health or spirits by relaxation and enjoyment, or an activity

that promotes thisreedbed wetland dominated by stands of the common reed Phragmites australis,

where the water table is at or above ground level for most of the yearreseed a crop, especially grass, that has been sownriparian of or on the bank of a river or streamroost a place, such as a perch, where birds rest or sleep

Ssalmonid fish from the salmon family (includes salmon, trout & char)sea lice a fish parasitesecond rotation the second crop of trees grown on a plantationsessile a plant with flowers or leaves but no stalk / an animal fixed in one positionsheep dip a liquid disinfectant and insecticide in which sheep are immersedsiltation to fill or choke up with silt (a fine sediment of mud or clay deposited by

moving water)silviculture the cultivation of forest treesSite of Special Scientific an area designated under UK legislation for its nature conservation interestInterest (SSSI)

smolt young salmon at the stage when it migrates from freshwater to the seaspawning beds the location where fish, amphibians or molluscs lay eggsSpecial Area of Conservation an area designated under European legislation (the Habitats Directive) for its(SAC) nature conservation interest

Special Protection Area (SPA) an area designated under European legislation (the Birds Directive) for itswild bird interest

species any of the groups into which a genus is divided, the members of which areable to interbreed

standing deadwood dead trees left standing or lying to support fungi and invertebrates

Uupland an area of high or relatively high ground

Vvertebrate any animal with a backbone, such as a mammal, fish, bird or amphibian

Wwader a long-legged bird that lives near water or in a wetlandwaterfowl bird that lives on or near water, especially one that swims such as a duck or

swanweed any plant that grows wild and profusely, especially one that grows among

cultivated plantswildfire out-of-control fire started accidentally or through out-of-control

muirburning, which can rage over vast areas and threaten woodlands, roadsor even houses

wildfowl any game birdwoodland restructuring the process of changing the structure of a woodland to allow more internal

space and diversity of tree species


Annex 4: Designations Map

What You Can Do

Everyone can do their bit for biodiversity and the environment, whether it is in the garden or down at theshops! Here are some examples of how you can help:

Get involved:• Find out about your local environment and take part in local projects. (Contact: The Highland Council,

Forestry Commission Scotland or Cawdor Estate Ranger Service; Scottish Wildlife Trust Inner Moray FirthCentre; or your local community council or association) The Partnership for Rural Inverness & Nairn(PRIN) and Scottish Natural Heritage can help with grant assistance and provide further information.

• Become one of BTCV Scotland’s Highland Volunteers. (BTCV: British Trust for Conservation Volunteers)• Join your local Field or Bird Club, and take part in surveys or recording projects. (Contact: Inverness Botany

Group, Highland Branch Scottish Ornithologists Club, RSPB Highland Group, Highland BiologicalRecording Group)

• Send any interesting wildlife records or sightings to the Highland Biological Recording Group (including asix figure grid reference)

• Report any suspicious behaviour or suspected wildlife crimes to your local Wildlife Liaison Officer,Northern Constabulary, in Inverness.

• Keep biodiversity high on the political agenda by writing to your local councillor, MSP, MP or MEP.

Garden for wildlife:• Plant trees and shrubs that will provide food and shelter all year round for wildlife.• Leave a ‘wild corner’ – long grass, nettles and other weeds can be good for butterflies and log or stone piles

can benefit insects.• Put up nest boxes and bat boxes in suitable locations.• If you have space, dig a garden pond with gently sloping sides and shallow parts.• Grow to organic principles and compost all your garden and vegetable waste.• Buy alternatives to peat-based composts and other products from local garden centres.• Domestic and feral cats can prey on small birds and mammals. Cat owners can help by having their cats

neutered, by using collars with bells and be not releasing unwanted cats into the wild.

Shop locally:• Buy locally grown and / or organically produced meat and vegetables were possible.• Make sure any wood products you buy carry an accredited logo, such as the Forestry Stewardship Council

(FSC).

Reduce pollution:• Pick up litter and encourage people not to drop litter. Plastic containers, tin cans and discarded fishing line

& nets can cause particular damage as they are not biodegradable and can trap or suffocate birds andmammals.

• Use biodegradable cleaning products and washing powder, and use less bleach and harmful cleaningproducts at home and in the garden.

• Dispose of hazardous substances such as oil, turpentine and acid wisely, i.e. not down the plughole, anddon’t flush non-biodegradable items down the toilet.

• Don’t forget the larger, global issues such as reducing waste and using less energy.

See Annex 1 for contact details of the groups / organisations identified above.

Documents

Cover - Lochaber BAP