Enabling 100% favourable condition across a key subset of Scotlands Natura sites through enhanced vegetation management

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

A key challenge facing EU Member States in implementing the Birds Directive and Habitats Directive is securing favourable conditions of features for which Natura 2000 sites are designated. If this is not achieved, the sites are clearly not functioning effectively, and the Member States ability to meet its obligations under the directives is likely to be significantly compromised.

RSPB Scotland manages 18% of Natura 2000 sites in Scotland more than any other organisation. This project aims to secure favourable condition for 100% of the Natura 2000 sites for which it is responsible, to bring direct benefits to over 2 000 ha of habitat across 15 Natura 2000 sites.

OBJECTIVES

The main objective of the LIFE 100% favourable project is to secure favourable conditions of habitats and species which are designated features for all Natura 2000 sites managed by the RSPB.

The project will achieve this by implementing a series of best practice and novel management solutions, mostly related to herbivory; and show that a major landowner can achieve 100% favourable condition of designated features for Natura 2000 sites within its management thus providing an example for others to follow, and encourage and enable replication by sharing best practices and holding demonstration events.

Specifically, the project actions target four habitats (Sub-arctic Salix scrub, Old sessile oakwoods, Embryonic shifting dunes and Fixed coastal dunes) and two bird species (chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax and ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula) that are currently in an unfavourable conservation status within seven Natura 2000 sites. In addition, project actions will target five habitats and ten species, which are designated features on eight other Natura 2000 sites that are at risk from slipping from a favourable to unfavourable status.

The project, LIFE 100% favourable therefore contributes to the objectives of the EU Birds Directive and Habitats Directives, the Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 (targets 1, 2, 3 and 4), and the UK Prioritised Action Framework (PAF) for Natura 2000.

RESULTS

Expected results: The main expected result is that by the end of the project, 100% of Natura 2000 features on RSPB Scotland reserves will have measures in place to achieve favourable conservation status where on-site solutions exist. This will be achieved through 11 best practice and demonstration sub-projects, as listed below. In addition, it is expected that awareness of the project will be high and readiness to replicate it will be enhanced at both UK and EU levels. At least 11 land manager demonstration events and one policy-maker conference will be organised by the project.

a fully-stocked nursery established, supplying sub-arctic Salix to be planted out in the Cairngorms SAC;

reduced herbivore impacts (deer) allowing regeneration of old sessile oak wood within Loch Lomond Woods SAC;

60 ha scrub removed from Culbin Bar SAC, reinvigorating Shifting dunes habitat;

improved availability of food and nest sites for chough over several hundred hectares of the Oa, Oronsay, Gruinart Flats and Rinns of Islay SPAs. Increased invertebrate prey availability in sheep dung and three additional chough nesting sites created;

optimum grazing and water levels for 300 ha of machair, dune grassland and humid dune slack, and for Greenland white-fronted and barnacle geese, on the Tiree SAC and SPA. All artificial gravel areas ploughed to optimise breeding substrate for ringed plover, and restored humid dune slacks;

removal of scrub over 35 ha and introduction of conservation grazing over 27 ha to enable dune grassland on the Solway Firth SAC to move towards favourable conservation status;

a sustainable grazing infrastructure established to maintain 260 ha of Atlantic salt meadow on the Solway Firth SAC in favourable condition in the longterm and as a habitat for wintering barnacle and pink-footed geese;

reinvigorated ground flora over 400 ha at Abernethy Forest SPA through controlled burning and grazing to increase Capercaillie usage and productivity;

establishment of a herd of Konik ponies and associated infrastructure on the Insh Marshes SAC to secure the condition of 65 ha of transition mires and quaking bog habitat by reducing the extent of Phragmites and other competitive plants;

reversal of the spread of invasive Spartina over 500 ha of the Cromarty Firth SPA, with no further loss of mudflat or saltmarsh to this species and no reduction in foraging or roosting area for wintering birds (e.g. bar-tailed godwit). All gorse will have been removed from the upper saltmarsh in the RSPB's holding in the SPA; and

all 150 ha of the Loch Lomond SPA that are suitable for foraging white-fronted goose will have had a grazing, cutting and/or topping regime introduced to optimise conditions for foraging and roosting.