East Highland
Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve
Few
people can follow the A86 road that skirts Loch Laggan without taking in the
magnificent landscape. A scene of steep slopes, wild coires and brooding,
dark crags. The dominant player is Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve,
a place of once ancient woodland, bogs and heath, boulder scree, dramatic
rock faces and gulleys. At its summit, 1130 metres above sea level,
specialised communities of mountain sedges, rushes, lichens and mosses grow
on the thin, often snow covered, stony soils.
Nearly 4000 hectares in extent, the Reserve was purchased in 1985 for the nation, following public concern over plans to aforest the lower ground in the vicinity of and around Aberarder.
Since then the main management aim has been to encourage the regeneration and expansion of the moribund broad-leaf woodland, notably birch, willow and rowan.
Following
years of heavy grazing by sheep and deer, a programme of practical management
has improved conditions sufficiently to stimulate regrowth of the once expansive
woodland. Regeneration from existing, heavily browsed trees and more
recently, self seeding, has brought striking changes to the woodland.
Associated with these habitat improvements have come benefits to the animal
and plant communities which are now being recorded. Where once, species
were rare, there has been a significant change in status and even distribution.
Management of the Reserve is long term. Results come slowly set against monitoring programmes.
The links from this page provide resumes and where possible, details of the management findings and monitoring results achieved over the years. The subject matter is wide ranging from deer management, a key component of habitat management, through tree growth monitoring, visitor surveys, invertebrates and organisational infrastructure to conservation designations and the woodland grant scheme.
Conservation management is not an exact science. Much relies on experience and a practical approach to the challenges of achieving the key aims. It is in that spirit that this page has been produced, a collection of information on management and monitoring projects to be available for as wide an audience as possible.
We hope you will find this section instructive. Should you wish to discuss any particular aspects concerning the management of the Reserve, local staff can be contacted at Scottish Natural Heritage.
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Introduction
- The Background Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Monitoring
- Invertebrates Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Management
- To Fence or Not to Fence Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Monitoring
- Visitor Surveys Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Management
- Red, Roe and Sika Deer Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Woodland
Grant Scheme Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Management
- Deer Live Capture Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Conservation
Designations at Creag Meagaidh Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Management
- Sheep Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Black
Grouse Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Management
- Visitors Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Analysis
of Data Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Management
- Infrastructure Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Community
Involvement Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Monitoring
- Deer Counts Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Scottish Avalanche
Information Service Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Monitoring
- Deer Cull Data Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Strategic
Review of Asset Management - Dossier Summary Format: PDF Size: kb |
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Monitoring
- Tree Transects Format: PDF Size: kb |
Public consultation on our proposals for the management of Creag Meagaidh NNR
- Proposals document - The Reserve Proposals for Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve describe how we propose to manage the NNR for the next 6 years. It sets out key projects under three headings: Heritage Management, Management for People and Property Management. We are currently consulting on our proposals. You can send feedback to us at the address in the document. The consulation closes on 8th August 2008. (1.45Mb)
- Story document - The Reserve Story has background information on Creag Meagaidh National Nature Reserve and its history. It briefly describes the wildlife on the Reserve, the history of the land use before it became a Reserve, and past management of wildlife, people and property on the Reserve. (845Kb)
