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Preliminary Site Management Plan The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 For further information about Taynish National Nature Reserve please contact: The Reserve Manager Scottish Natural Heritage 1 Kilmory Industrial Estate Kilmory Lochgilphead Argyll PA31 8RR Tel: 01546 603611 Email: [email protected] The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 Foreword Taynish National Nature Reserve (NNR) is on the west coast of Scotland, 20 km west of Lochgilphead near the village of Tayvallich. Situated on a scenic peninsula in the heart of Knapdale, Taynish is one of the finest examples of ancient Atlantic oak woodland in Europe. With its parallel wooded ridges ("knaps") and waterlogged valley mires ("dales"), Taynish forms a core area of mixed deciduous woodland, a microcosm of the former Knapdale landscape. Having survived here for over 7000 years, this "temperate rainforest" is home to a wealth of wildlife. Mosses, lichens and ferns thrive in the mild, humid climate of the west coast. A wide range of insect life including butterflies, moths and dragonflies flourish in flower rich grasslands and water-logged mires. The marsh fritillary, one of Europe's most threatened butterflies, is one of Taynish's special attractions. Coastal communities around the Taynish and Loch Sween foreshore add further interest to this special place and it is here that you also have a good chance of seeing one of the reserve's other star attractions - the otter. As well as being a brilliant site for wildlife Taynish has a rich human history. Man has had a profound influence on these woods, with people having been present at least as far back as the Iron Age. People have used the land for a variety of farming purposes and, in more recent history, the trees have been used to make charcoal and for tanning leather. This has shaped some of the fine habitats found on the reserve today. Taynish is one of a suite of NNRs in Scotland. Scotland’s NNRs are special places for nature, where some of the best examples of Scotland’s wildlife are managed. Every NNR is carefully managed both for nature and for people, giving visitors the opportunity to experience our rich natural heritage. ‘The Story of Taynish National Nature Reserve’ is a companion publication which has more information about Taynish NNR and its history. The Story provides the foundation for managing the site and is recommended reading for those wishing to understand more about the management of this very special place. In 2015, we carried out a review of our last Plan for Taynish NNR (2008-2014). This, together with management plan workshops and specialist advice, helped us to develop our future management proposals and informed the preparation of a draft Management Plan for 2015-2025, which we opened for public consultation. Your 1 The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 feedback was collated in a Consultation Report which was used to inform the completion of this Management Plan. The first section of this Plan gives our vision for Taynish describing how we would like to see the Reserve in 2040. It specifies our objectives for management and outlines projects planned to deliver these objectives. During the final year of the plan, we will review our progress against this plan to determine the future direction of our management on the reserve. 2 The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 Contents 1 Maps of Taynish NNR 2 2 Our Vision for Taynish NNR 4 3 Protected areas and features 5 4 Natural Heritage Management 6 3 Management for People 11 4 Property Management 17 5 Document properties 18 1 The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 1 Maps of Taynish NNR Location map 2 The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 Reserve map 3 The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 2 Our Vision for Taynish NNR Taynish National Nature Reserve is special; the aim is to keep it that way. The Management Plan 2015-2025 sets out our vision for the reserve describing how we would like the reserve to be in 2040. The management we plan to carry out over the next 10 years has been framed with this vision in mind. Vision Taynish is renowned as a special place to see and experience a rich environment, produced by thousands of years of interaction between people and nature across the distinctive wooded ridges and valley mires of the Knapdale landscape. The intimate mix of woodland, open and coastal habitats continues to sustain a rich diversity of flora and fauna including butterflies, dragonflies, lichens and mosses. The reserve is a Scottish stronghold for marsh fritillary, with them having spread into the restored fen meadow. All our work contributes to the wider resource of these rare species in mid-Argyll. The woodland has benefited from periods of natural regeneration and is now more diverse in structure and species composition. Grazing cattle play an important role in getting the balance right between woodland regeneration and maintaining woodland openings for important lichen populations. Our monitoring continues to inform how we adapt our management and we've shared the lessons we've learned with other nature conservationists and land managers, benefiting also from their thoughts and perspectives on the issues involved. Taynish is a vibrant place for people to come to enjoy and be inspired by nature. The Mill and Piggery are focal points for interpretation, where visitors can learn about the ways man's historic influence throughout Argyll can still be seen in the habitats of Taynish today. They also provide unique and popular venues for various activities, such as art workshops and exhibitions which engage and provoke thoughts about nature and people. Other parts of Taynish offer quiet experiences to explore and discover nature by seeing wildlife, or simply by taking in the views and absorbing the remote, almost island, feel of the reserve. There is a close relationship between the reserve and the local community, who continue to value Taynish as a special place on their doorstep where they are involved in the way it is managed. Local schools use the reserve as place for learning and for play, while tourism businesses across Argyll see it as a notable ingredient of the region's visitor appeal. Taynish is also a place that has a high profile for volunteers, offering opportunities to learn new skills, study and help look after a place they care about and often develop a long term relationship with the reserve. 4 The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 3 Protected areas and features Taynish became an NNR in 1977. With the addition of Taynish Mill in 2000, the reserve now includes an area of approximately 330 hectares (ha). It is part of the Taynish Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Taynish and Knapdale Woods Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a European site of international significance for the oak woodland community, Lochan Taynish, marsh fritillary and otter populations. The reserve also lies within the Knapdale National Scenic Area (NSA). Whilst managing Taynish NNR we also have to take account of our legal obligations and Government policy to manage the features that are listed as important in a European or international context. Where a project may effect one or more of the qualifying interests of the SAC, we will carry out an ‘appropriate assessment’. This includes all projects, whether they are direct habitat management or providing a new visitor facility on the reserve. We will only proceed with projects that do not adversely affect the integrity of the SAC. Likewise, we will also ensure we take care of features that are important in a British context, as well as features that are locally important. Protected Areas and special features Protected Area Feature Taynish Woods SSSI Saltmarsh Taynish and Knapdale Woods SAC Clear-water lakes or lochs with aquatic vegetation and poor to moderate nutrient levels Taynish and Knapdale Woods SAC Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) Taynish Woods SSSI Taynish Woods SSSI Dragonfly assemblage Taynish Woods SSSI Beetle assemblage Taynish Woods SSSI Fly assemblage Taynish Woods SSSI Moth assemblage Taynish Woods SSSI Fen meadow Taynish and Knapdale Woods SAC Otter (Lutra lutra) Taynish Woods SSSI Rocky shore Taynish Woods SSSI Bryophyte assemblage Taynish Woods SSSI Lichen assemblage Taynish Woods SSSI Upland oak woodland Taynish and Knapdale Woods SAC Western acidic oak woodland 5 The Management Plan for Taynish National Nature Reserve 2015-2025 4 Natural Heritage Management Objective NH1: Maintain and enhance at least 250ha of woodland in favourable condition, improving the age structure and tree species diversity whilst maintaining suitable habitat conditions for important lichen, bryophyte and invertebrate woodland communities. Woodlands The ancient oak woodland at Taynish is undoubtedly one of the most impressive features of the reserve. A rich mosaic of woodland habitats covers about 75% of the reserve (255ha). The woodland is dominated by oak but also comprises birch woodland and alder carr. There are also small areas of ash and wych elm on steep rocky slopes in the North East corner of the reserve. The woodland glades at Taynish are renowned for their rich lichen, bryophyte and invertebrate communities. In managing the woodland we need to strike a delicate balance between ensuring diverse woodland regeneration and structural development, and keeping the glades open to reduce the risk of shading to sensitive lichen and bryophyte communities. Although an important part of the woodland deer continue to damage regenerating trees and shrubs of certain species, particularly hazel and holly, and are limiting natural regeneration in some parts of the wood.
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