Western Isles

| Introduction | Introduction cont...| Mink the species | Under threat | The European responsibility|
| Addressing the problem | News and updates | Links |

LINKS

NATURA:

The Natura 2000 network includes Special Protection Areas (SPAs), under the Wild Birds Directive, where they support significant numbers of wild birds and their habitats; and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), under the Habitats Directive, where they support rare, endangered or vulnerable natural habitats or species of plants or animals (other than birds). Some areas may become both SPA and SAC.

The term Natura 2000 comes from the 1992 EC Habitats Directive; it symbolises the conservation of precious natural resources for the year 2000 and beyond. The Habitats Directive stems from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. It is a major contribution by the EC to implementing the Biodiversity Convention agreed by more than 150 countries, and its implementation in Scotland is one of SNH's largest tasks. The Biodiversity Convention aims to protect the variety of wildlife which exists globally by focusing on Habitats and Species. Recognition of special areas, therefore, is a key element of local action towards the achievement of a global ideology.

SPAs go through two stages:

SACs go through three stages:

SSSIs(Sites of Special Scientific Interest)

Designation of SSSIs is a duty of SNH under the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. They are exemplary places in Scotland, special for their plants or animals or habitats, their rocks or landforms, or a combination of these. They exist to make sure that decision-makers - managers of land and those who advise them - are aware of the natural heritage interests when considering changes of land use. In the course of discussion with SNH, proposals likely to damage the special interest can usually be modified by mutual agreement so that the sites remain special. Although not all SSSIs form part of the Natura 2000 network, it is Scottish Executive policy that areas on land to be classified as SPA or proposed to the EC as SACs are normally notified as SSSIs so they can receive protection under the UK Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

SSSIs go through two stages:

Where a scientific objection is raised to a notification, SNH cannot confirm the site without first seeking the advice of the independent Advisory Committee on SSSIs, a body appointed by the Scottish Executive.

SSSI notification is accompanied by a list of operations likely to damage the important features, which informs land managers of all activities requiring prior consultation with SNH. Consultees are also supplied with a map and description of the scientific interests of the area.

CONSERVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

With SPA or SAC status comes a requirement for appropriate assessment of all future proposed developments on or affecting a Natura 2000 area. This is to determine the extent to which a proposed development would affect the nature conservation interests of the area. Proposals to create conservation areas have raised some concerns amongst developers and others about the possible economic implications this could have.

To mitigate these concerns, SNH pursues effective consultation with developers at the earliest possible stage about their proposals and provides detailed scientific advice. This is to assess whether or not any proposed development is likely to impinge on the natural heritage interests and what can be done about it. In most cases, plans can be modified early avoiding possible objections to the development.

SPECIAL PROTECTION AREAS:

---

MOINTEACH SCADABHAIGH SPA

---

This SPA covers 4148ha of the interior of North Uist, and is composed of blanket bog, wet heath, and freshwater lochs of various sizes. The site is home to a high density of breeding red-throated divers. The other SPA interest on the site is breeding black-throated divers. Both divers are present in nationally important numbers. Additionally, the SPA supports a diverse range of moorland breeding birds, including golden plover, dunlin, Arctic skua, merlin and short-eared owl. All of these species nest on the ground and would be susceptible to mink predation, and they are known to be present on this site.

 

---

NORTH UIST MACHAIR & ISLANDS

---

This SPA is composed of 5 areas of cultivated machair,croftland and islands around the west and north coasts of North Uist and all or part of 3 islands in the Sound of Harris. The SPA covers a total of 4876ha. The site is important for its breeding birds, namely ringed plover, dunlin and corncrake, and also for its internationally important wintering populations of barnacle geese, ringed plover and turnstone. In addition to these SPA interests, the site holds high densities of breeding waders, including, lapwing, oystercatcher, redshank and snipe, as well as gull and Arctic and little tern colonies. The high densities of ground nesting waders gulls and terns are at risk from mink predation. Some mink have been trapped within the SPA area.

 

---

AIRD & BORVE SPA

---

This SPA is located on the west side of Benbecula, and covers 361ha. It holds nationally important breeding population of corncrakes. The site is mainly composed of cultivated machair and croftland, with some sand dunes wetland, which also provide habitat for a number of breeding waders, gulls and terns. The adjacent West Benbecula Lochs SSSI has important populations of breeding wildfowl and waders. Currently, most mink records from Benbecula are from the east side of the island, but this site would be threatened by further spread.

 

 

---

SOUTH UIST MACHAIR & LOCHS SPA

---

This SPA is composed of 6 areas of cultivated machair, croftland, wetland and moor on the west side of South Uist, and covers 3352ha. The site is important for its breeding little tern, ringed plover, dunlin and corncrake, and also internationally important wintering populations of sanderling and ringed plover. Like the North Uist site, this one also has high densities of breeding waders, gulls and terns. It also has a diverse range of breeding wildfowl, all of which could be threatened by mink.

 

 

---

KILPHEDER & SMERCLATE SPA

---

This SPA is situated just inland of the coast at the south end of South Uist, and covers 380ha. Like Aird & Borve this site is an area of cultivated machair, croftland and wetland, which is important for its nationally important population of breeding corncrakes. As with the other sites there are good numbers of breeding waders, such as lawing and redshank also present.

---

Red-throated Diver

---

Red-throated divers are goose-sized birds which breed on small freshwater lochs and feed on the sea. Around 900 pairs breed in Scotland, with the Western Isles, along with Shetland and Orkney being their strongholds. They are very poor walkers on land and therefore nest close to the shore of lochans which makes their nests prone to predation or flooding. This species is specially protected during the breeding season.

 

 

---

Black-throated Diver

---

Black-throated divers are a little larger than Red-throated divers, and breed on larger freshwater lochs where they also feed most of the time. They are much rarer in Scotland with around 150-180 pairs, with strongholds in the north-west highlands and the Western Isles. Like red-throated divers they too are prone to predation and flooding of nests due to nesting close to the shore or on islands. This species is specially protected during the breeding season.

 

 

 

---

Corncrake

---

The 'crek-crek' call of this bird was a familiar sound across Britain less than 100 years ago, however it has now declined due to more intensive farming methods. The less intensive farming of the Outer and Inner Hebrides of Scotland are now the strongholds for this small secretive, chicken-like cousin of the coot. It is a summer visitor, wintering in Africa, and nests in tall vegetation, especially hay and grass meadows. Currently there are around 600-650 calling males in the UK, over half in the Western Isles. This species is specially protected during the breeding season.

 

---

Ringed Plover

---

Ringed Plovers, are small waders with a short bill and striking black head pattern which nest in the open of sandy beaches, short grassland, and bare ground. They form large flocks in winter and feed on sandy and muddy shores. The UK population of 10 000 pairs breeds mainly on or near the coast, however, high numbers are found in the Western Isles, particularly on the cultivated machair of the Uists and Benbecula.

 

 

---

Dunlin

---

Dunlin are small waders with a long bill and black belly which breed across northern and western Britain, mostly on moors and bogs, with some also on coastal marshes and grassland. The UK population of 9150 pairs has strongholds on the bogs of the Flow country and Lewis, and on the wet machair of the Uists and Benbecula. The Uist machairs had the highest density of nests/sq km in the World, however, this population, has declined markedly in recent years due to predation from introduced hedgehogs. The Uist Wader Project is currently looking at the issue of hedgehogs. The threat from mink would compound the recent decline in breeding numbers.

 

---

Arctic Tern

---

Arctic terns perform one of the longest migrations of any bird, travelling annually between the Arctic and Antarctic. In the UK they breed in mainly in the north and west, especially in Scotland. The strongholds are in Shetland and Orkney. In the Western Isles, it is the commonest breeding tern, and forms tight colonies on islands, coasts and on cultivated machair, often with hundreds of nests. There is some evidence of mink predation affecting the colonies in Lewis & Harris, and research on the Inner Hebrides has shown mink to be serious predator of tern colonies. This species is specially protected during the breeding season.

 

 

---

Common Tern

---

Common Terns are very similar to Arctic terns, but are slightly larger with a black tipped red bill. They have a more southerly distribution in the UK although, there are still several hundred pairs in the Western Isles. They breed in colonies, mainly on small islands and in the Uists are found mainly in the east coat sea-lochs. This species is specially protected during the breeding season.

---

Little Tern

---

Little terns are small, being about thrush-sized, and have a black tipped yellow bill. It is one of the rarer terns in the UK, and breeds mainly on sandy beaches. In the Western Isles, a high proportion of the population of 120-130 pairs nest on the cultivated machair of the Uists and Benbecula. This species is specially protected during the breeding season.