EAST AREA AFFRIC – CANNICH HILLS Fodderty Way Dingwall Business Park Site of Special Scientific Interest Dingwall IV15 9XB SITE MANAGEMENT STATEMENT Tel: 01349 865333 Site code: 18 Fax: 01349 865609 Email: [email protected]

Purpose This is a public statement prepared by SNH for owners and occupiers of the SSSI. It outlines the reasons it is designated as an SSSI and provides guidance on how its special natural features should be conserved or enhanced. This Statement does not affect or form part of the statutory notification and does not remove the need to apply for consent for operations requiring consent. We welcome your views on this statement.

Description of the site

The Affric - Cannich Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is located at the west end of glens Affric, Cannich and Strathfarrar, approximately 35 km west of Loch Ness. It is notified for geological interest and its upland habitat assemblage and native pinewood features.

This SSSI includes a rare example of primary bedding and slumping structures in Moine rocks. These are features which normally disappear in the periods of mountain building and upheaval that these rocks experience. Within the Abhain Gleann nam Fiadh there are stream-washed rock exposures that reveal a great deal about the geology of west -shire area and Northern generally. The rocks date from a geological era known as the Neoproterozoic and are around 900 million years ago. They form part of a rock sequence known as the Cannich Psammite Formation, which is part of Glenfinnan Group of the Moine Supergroup, which is the underlying rock of the Northern Highlands. They represent sands and sandy muds that were deposited in a shallow marine environment when northern Scotland represented the edge of the North American continent.

These rocks are particularly special because despite the fact they have been metamorphosed to metamorphic rock and intensely folded during periods of tectonic upheaval in the Earth’s crust (most recently during the period when Scotland and England came together between 470 and 430 million years ago) they contain evidence

1 of how they were formed originally. These ancient rocks contain ripple or dune-like structures that show the rock formed from sand that was shifted back and forth by water, possibly in a tidal setting, akin to a sand flat or estuary. There are also slump structures formed as the once soft sediment was shaken or disturbed, disrupting the layering. These sedimentary structures are amongst the finest developed in the Moine Supergroup and have proved essential in understanding how the Cannich Psammite was formed, the rock layer sequence (stratigraphy) of the Moine Supergroup and geological structure of Northern Scotland.

This is a large SSSI with some of the highest mountains north of the Great Glen and an exceptional diversity of upland vegetation. It supports a range of high altitude, montane communities, extensive species-poor Carex-Racomitrium moss heath on the high summits, areas of species-rich moss heath and well-developed snowbed communities. Prostrate Calluna heath is well represented on the lower summits and exposed ridges. At lower altitudes, dry and wet heaths are a major component of the vegetation and some areas of wet heath are lichen-rich. There is a significant presence of blanket bog, including high altitude forms, where heather is largely replaced by crowberry and bog blaeberry. High ledges, away from grazing, support a characteristic tall herb community with angelica and many other species. A few ledges also support remnants of montane willow scrub with woolly and whortle-leaved willows, both of which are rare in the Highlands.

At lower levels, there are two fragments of ancient native pinewood by Lochs Affric and Mullardoch. Though not as extensive as those elsewhere in and Strathfarrar, they are still significant remnants of this once extensive wood and an important link between these two larger pinewoods.

Affric - Cannich SSSI is part of Complex Special Area of Conservation (SAC) designated as being of European importance for its Caledonian forest, bog woodland, wet and dry heaths, nutrient poor lochs, other upland habitats and otters.

Affric - Cannich SSSI also forms part of the foraging range of breeding golden eagles within the Glen Affric to Strathconon Special Protection Area (SPA).

Affric - Cannich SSSI also overlaps part of West Inverness-shire Lochs SSSI and SPA along the northern shore of Loch Affric which is designated for its breeding black- throated diver and common scoter.

When monitored during 2001 the native pinewood feature was considered to be in unfavourable and declining condition. At that time the pinewood was showing signs of grazing and browsing damage by deer and this was suppressing the growth of young trees and saplings

When monitored in 2004 and 2009 several of the important European habitats in the Strathglass Complex SAC (including those within this SSSI) were also considered to be in unfavourable condition because of browsing and trampling by herbivores (mainly deer). When monitored during 2010, the features for which West Inverness-shire Lochs SPA is designated (black-throated diver and common scoter) were considered to be in favourable condition.

2

Natural features of Condition of feature Other relevant Affric - Cannich Hills SSSI (and date monitored) designations Moine Not yet assessed Native pinewood Unfavourable, declining SAC (June 2001) (Caledonian forest) Upland assemblage Favourable, maintained SAC (September 2004)

Features of overlapping Natura Condition of feature SPA or SAC sites that are not notified as (date monitored) SSSI natural features Acidic scree Favourable, maintained SAC (July 2009) Alpine and subalpine heaths Unfavourable, no change SAC (July 2009) Blanket bog Unfavourable, no change SAC (June 2009) Bog woodland Favourable, maintained SAC (June 2003) Caledonian forest Unfavourable, no change SAC (May 2003) Clear-water lakes or lochs with Favourable, maintained SAC aquatic vegetation and poor to (July 2004) moderate nutrient levels Dry heaths Unfavourable, no change SAC (July 2009) Montane acid grasslands Favourable, maintained SAC (July 2009) Mountain willow scrub Unfavourable, no change SAC (September 2004) Plants in crevices on acid rocks Favourable, maintained SAC (August 2009) Plants in crevices on base-rich Favourable, maintained SAC rocks (July 2009) Tall herb communities Unfavourable, no change SAC (July 2009)

3 Wet heathland with cross-leaved Unfavourable, no change SAC heath (June 2009) Otter Favourable, maintained SAC (September 2004) Golden eagle, breeding Not yet assessed Glen Affric to Strathconon SPA Black-throated diver, breeding Favourable, maintained West Inverness-shire (June 2010) Lochs SSSI and SPA Common scoter, breeding Favourable, maintained West Inverness-shire (December 2010) Lochs SSSI and SPA

Past and present management

In the last century the area has been used primarily for red deer stalking. There has also been some grazing by sheep and cattle. Scottish Hydro-Electric developed hydro generation in the area in the first half of the last century and impoundment of Loch Mullardoch resulted in significant loss of pinewood.

In 1947 this, and some ground in Glen Affric, formed a large part of a proposed National Park but this was not progressed. Part of Affric-Cannich Hills SSSI owned by FCS is also part of Glen Affric National Nature Reserve (NNR) declared in 2001. The NNR as a whole is promoted as a key site for visitors wishing to experience the natural

The majority of the site is still managed for sporting purposes and all owners carry out deer stalking. The last sheep were removed recently. The area is popular with walkers because of the extensive high ground and number of Munros.

An experimental project took place in the north of the site in the late 1990s to safeguard and expand the montane willow scrub – this had limited success. A number of areas of pinewood have also been fenced off to encourage woodland regeneration.

More recently, collaboration between owners, managers and relevant public agencies has been addressing overall deer management of the Strathglass SAC to bring the qualifying habitats of the site into favourable condition. This has involved changes to deer management and improved access for stalking and extraction in some areas. This collaboration is ongoing.

Objectives for Management (and key factors influencing the condition of natural features)

We wish to work with the owner to protect the site and to maintain and where necessary enhance its features of special interest. SNH aims carry out site survey, monitoring and research as appropriate to increase our knowledge and understanding of the site and its natural features and monitor the effectiveness of the management agreements.

4

The EU Habitats and Birds Directives oblige Government to avoid, in SACs and SPAs, the deterioration of natural habitats and the habitats of species, as well as disturbance of the species for which the areas have been designated, in so far as such disturbance could be significant in relation to the objectives of these Directives. The objectives below have been assessed against these requirements. All authorities proposing to carry out or permit to be carried out operations likely to have a significant effect on the European interests of this SSSI must assess those operations against the relevant Natura conservation objectives (which are listed on our website through the SNHi - SiteLink facility).

1. To improve the condition and increase the extent of the native pinewood and montane willow habitats by, for example: • Ensuring that levels of grazing and trampling are not preventing natural regeneration.

2. To maintain the extent and distribution of the upland assemblage habitats and ensure their favourable condition by, for example: • Managing to avoid grazing and trampling damage by deer. • Appropriate use of vehicles (including ATVs) to avoid damage to sensitive habitats.

3. To maintain and improve the condition of the European habitats and species. • Ensure levels of grazing and trampling by herbivores are appropriate. • Maintain suitable otter habitat across the site and avoid activities that might disturb otters. • Maintain habitat suitable for breeding golden eagles and avoid activities which may disturb breeding golden eagle. • Maintain suitable habitat, and avoid activities which may disturb breeding divers and scoters on or around Loch Affric.

4. To maintain the extent, visibility and accessibility of the geological exposures

Other factors affecting the natural features of the site Montane features on this site may be adversely affected by future climate change.

Date last reviewed: 23 March 2011

5