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June 2006 - NATURALLY SCOTTISH


‘Some of our rarest species and habitats are continuing to decline in status, a few are beginning to recover, thanks to conservation action and investment; but half show no sign of significant improvement ….’ (Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, 2004).

Scotland is richly blessed with an amazing and varied biodiversity. We have a special responsibility for rare and threatened habitats such as blanket bog, maerl beds and serpulid reefs. Some 30 species are found only in Scotland: the Scottish primrose, confined to maritime heaths
of northern Scotland, and the Scottish crossbill, found only in Highland pinewoods, are but two. Scotland also holds large proportions of the world populations of some species such as the northern gannet, breeding annually in their tens of thousands at the Bass Rock, Ailsa Craig and St Kilda.

The best of Scotland’s habitats and species are protected in our National Nature Reserves.

When you think about Scotland it is the mountains, the islands and the wonderful coastline that often first springs to mind. And, indeed, these are some of the best areas where you can watch wildlife and also enjoy the fresh, unpolluted air. If we widen our perspective and think in European terms, and even on a global scale, then we begin to realise that Scotland has some of the best examples of habitats and species that we hold in trust for our global partners.

The mountains and especially the Munros, hills over 960 metres (3,000 feet), are what many Scots and vsitors really appreciate, whether they are actively climbing them or simply enjoying the view from the roadside. The mountains support rare plants such as the alpine saxifrages and also the smaller plants that are lichens, mosses and liverworts and which thrive in the pure air in the Highlands. These lower plants may appear insignificant when you see them, but they, and the fungi, which are in a kingdom of their own, play crucial roles in the health of the whole ecosystem. Without them we would be submerged in leaf litter and the atmosphere would be much drier, with water at a premium. It is not only the plants which are of interest though. Birds such as the ptarmigan and the iconic golden eagle, are perfectly adapted to the higher altitudes. What may appear an inhospitable environment to us is home to them, as it is to the mountain hare, with its thick, white winter fur coat in to keep it warm. Even the ground beneath your feet shows wonderful patterns resulting from the ‘freeze-thaw’ cycle in the most exposed spots.

If you’re a hillwalker, participate in the British Trust for Ornithology’s Project Ptarmigan (April to August 2006)

When we drop down from the heights, we often cross open moorland and heather-clad slopes, where there are springs and flushes that have their own special plants, and juniper, a species decreasing throughout much of Britain and Europe, often grows on the rocky outcrops. We might assume that heathland is just part of our scenery but in fact Scotland has some of the best and most extensive examples of this habitat, which is very restructed on a worldwide scale. Because Scotland is near the edge of the Western Atlantic fringe, the heathland it supports is more diverse than that in other parts of Europe.

It is, of course, also wetter on the Atlantic coast, and this influences the types of vegetation and associated animals that are found here. There are superb areas of oak woodlands in the far west, often ‘dripping’ with lichens, as well as being full of colourful redstarts and the dreaded midges!

>>> Visit the Sunart Oakwoods Initiative

Lochs are an abundant feature of the landscape and rare aquatic plants, fish, beetles and dragonflies all occur within these set amidst the peatlands, which are especially extensive in the Flow Country of Caithness and Sutherland.


>>> Visit the LIFE Peatlands Project

When we finally reach the coast, which has spectacular cliffs often moulded from the eroding action of the sea, there are amazing colonies of seabirds - some of the largest in the world, sand dune systems and rich grasslands where butterflies and bumblebees, declining in other parts of Britain, still maintain their populations.

>>> Visit the Scottish Seabird Centre

Then there is the sea itself, where dolphins, whales and porpoises thrive in the relatively undisturbed and unpolluted coastal waters. Scotland even has coral reefs and the serpulid reefs formed by a marine worm, which are extremely limited in their distribution. Although both the common and the grey seal can be regularly seen around our coasts, it is noteworthy that Scotland supports the best populations of these mammals in the world.

The Marine Conservation Society promotes conservation of the marine environment

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society concentrates on marine mammals, such as the minke whale (pictured above)

Read SNH’s advice to the Environment and Rural Affairs Minister on potential opportunities for coastal and marine National Parks in Scotland

Maerl (below) and serpulid reef (right)

If you want to find out more about some of the fantastic habitats and species that we have then the SNH publications series Naturally Scottish, Scotland’s Living Landscapes, and Landscapes fashioned by Geology are all available to help inform and delight you. Details are available on our website
Most of the publications are available as glossy brochures but the more recent ones are web-based e.g. Conserving Scotland’s Water Voles.

Whilst we have a good knowledge of these special places, we also need to ensure that they continue to survive so that others can enjoy them, but more importantly because they are part of the overall global ecosystem, which sustains life throughout the world. We simply cannot continue to survive ourselves if we disrupt the complex web of life. So there are international and national initiatives which exist to help to protect the natural species and habitats, and help landowners, land managers, and people who depend on the sea to continue to care for them. The Convention on Biological Diversity itself sets the overall scene, the UK Biodiversity Action Plans outline projects for each special habitat and species, and the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy provides our national priorities.

There are schemes which provide financial assistance for conservation of these natural resources. The Natural Care scheme is particularly concerned with sites of European importance and SSSIs. It is aimed at improving and maintaining the condition of SSSIs using the skills and knowledge of land managers. Agri-environment schemes, run by the Scottish Executive, encourage farmers and land managers to undertake best practice on agricultural land.
See the April Calendar section on lowland agriculture

Forthcoming Biodiversity related events:

Links to some partner organisations working with SNH to conserve Scotland’s wonderful habitats and species: