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Hermaness NNR 2009 - 2015

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Hermaness NNR 2009 - 2015 The Reserve Plan Review for Hermaness NNR 2009 - 2015 Foreword Hermaness National Nature Reserve (NNR) stands at the most northerly point of Britain amidst the wild Shetland landscape and exposed to the harsh North Atlantic Ocean. Magnificent cliffs adorn most of the reserve coastline and are host to more than one hundred thousand breeding seabirds - one of the largest seabird colonies in Britain. The seabird colony is internationally important and supports particularly large numbers of gannet, puffin and the world’s third largest colony of great skua. Kittiwake, guillemot and fulmar also breed on the reserve in large numbers and during the summer the seascape is alive with streams of busy auks and gannets providing food for their offspring. Inland, blanket bog covers much of the terrain and secluded bog pools provide nesting habitat for breeding red-throated divers. Hermaness 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. In 2009, we carried out a public consultation on our proposals for management. Your feedback from the consultation informed the completion of the Reserve Plan 2009 – 2015, which set out our management of the reserve during that period. We have now come to the end of that plan and have started to think about the future direction of our management. This report reviews our achievements and progress against the management objectives set out in the reserve plan for Hermaness National Nature Reserve 2009 – 2015. Address - Scottish Natural Heritage, Stewart Building, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 0LL Telephone 01595 693345 Fax 01595 692565 The Reserve Plan Review for Hermaness NNR 2009 -2015 Contents 1 Our Vision for Hermaness NNR 1 2 Management of Natural and Cultural Heritage 2 3 Management for People 6 4 Property Management 9 5 Summary 10 6 The Way Ahead 10 2 The Reserve Plan Review for Hermaness NNR 2009 -2015 1 Our Vision for Hermaness NNR Our vision for Hermaness NNR describes how we would like the Reserve to be in 2030. The management we have carried out over the past 6 years has been framed with this vision in mind. Our Vision for Hermaness in 2030 Hermaness is an unspoilt wild landscape with magnificent sea cliffs that provide ideal nesting sites for a variety of internationally important seabird colonies, and support a unique maritime flora. The sea cliffs are teeming with more than 100 000 seabirds, including important populations of gannet, puffin, fulmar, guillemot, shag and kittiwake. The extensive moorland provides undisturbed nesting habitat for great skuas, red- throated divers and waders. The new durable and unobtrusive path across the reserve has proved successful in halting erosion damage to the blanket bog, whilst maintaining access for visitors. Hermaness is a popular destination for visitors to Shetland and families now make up a high proportion of the numbers. A programme of summer events includes many activities aimed at children and young people. A wide range of interpretation promotes greater understanding, and responsible enjoyment, of the reserve’s natural heritage. The reserve is actively managed to achieve a balance between crofting and conservation aims. Local people, especially school children, take pride in their association with Hermaness and are actively involved in reserve projects. 1 The Reserve Plan Review for Hermaness NNR 2009 -2015 2 Management of Natural and Cultural Heritage Objective 1: To maintain the nesting sites of the internationally and nationally important range of seabirds on Hermaness NNR. 1.1 Investigate scale of rat and cat predation and the most Partially appropriate methods of controlling rats and feral cats around the achieved and seabird colonies. ongoing 1.2 Design and commence, in partnership with stakeholders, an Not achieved appropriate programme of rat and cat control, based on the results of impact assessments. 1.3 Continue six-yearly census of important seabird populations Achieved and ongoing 1.4 Ensure visitors are made aware of sensitive nesting areas to Achieved and avoid during the breeding season ongoing 1.5 Continue annual productivity monitoring of important seabird Achieved and populations, where practicable. ongoing The breeding success of most seabird species is monitored annually and a whole- reserve count is made of the most important species (fulmar, gannet, kittiwake, great skua, puffin, guillemot and razorbill) on a six year cycle. In addition to this, the less numerous species – red-throated diver, Arctic skua and terns are counted and their productivity assessed every year. Most cliff-nesting birds, including fulmar, gannet, kittiwake, guillemot and razorbill, are safe from mammalian predators and human disturbance. They are predated by gulls and ravens and particularly by great skuas (bonxies), but this is accepted as part of the natural order, particularly given the bonxie’s relative rarity in global terms and importance of Hermaness for the species. 2 The Reserve Plan Review for Hermaness NNR 2009 -2015 Figure 1 – Recent changes in seabird populations Bonxies are occasionally disturbed by humans, but this is limited by most visitors keeping to the paths and to the birds’ own defensive behaviour. Red-throated divers on the other hand tend to fly off if disturbed, leaving eggs and young vulnerable to exposure and predation. To counter this, Sothers Brecks, where several nesting pools lie fairly close to the path, are highlighted on signs and leaflets as a sensitive area to be avoided in the nesting season. The Warden also keeps an eye out for photographers who get too close to nesting divers. Predation of puffins and of shags by rats and feral cats is a cause for concern and has been blamed in the past for the steep decline in the numbers of shags nesting on boulder beaches. In 2008, we used chew-baits to try to assess the potential 3 The Reserve Plan Review for Hermaness NNR 2009 -2015 significance of rat predation. We set out a hundred baits at various locations, mainly around the cliff top, but in the course of a week none of them was chewed by a rat. This suggests that rats are not likely to be a significant threat to puffins. Ideally we would like to have done a similar assessment on the shag beaches but this has not been possible because of the hazardous path to the bottom of the cliffs. Cats are regularly seen on the reserve and reported by visitors. Given the large pool of feral and semi-domestic cats on Unst, which could easily replace any animals that are removed, any control measures would need to cover the whole island and so would be difficult. For most of the plan period there appeared to be only two or three cats on the reserve and their impact was not thought to be sufficient to warrant the effort of control. In 2015 though, there were at least six cats on the reserve and there may have been as many as ten. If the number of cats remains high control measures will need to be reconsidered. A further potential problem for coming years also arose in the occurrence of nesting greylag geese on the reserve. Greylags may affect nesting red-throated divers, either directly by aggressive interaction or indirectly by trampling and pulling up the vegetation on the margins of the divers’ nesting pools. Breeding was first confirmed on the reserve in 2013, and in 2015 there were at least four nests. The population of nesting greylags in Shetland is increasing rapidly and there is potential for Hermaness to support a large number. The numbers and impact of nesting geese will need to be monitored and control measures introduced if they prove to be damaging to other species, particularly divers. Objective 2: To maintain and enhance the other internationally and nationally important habitats and species on Hermaness NNR. 2.1 Continue to monitor the grazing exclosures. Partially achieved 2.2 Continue to ensure that the best geological features on the Achieved reserve remain visible and accessible. 2.3 Continue to monitor the maritime cliff and geological features Partially of the whole reserve, at least once every six years. achieved and ongoing Three grazing exclosures were set up in 2005 to investigate the impact of sheep and rabbit grazing on the flowering of cliff-top plants. However in 2013 the cliff vegetation on Hermaness SSSI was reassessed and judged not to be of national importance, so there was no need to continue monitoring the feature. Hermaness remains important for the minerals in the cliffs and crags around the Ayre of Tonga as well as for its seabirds, and monitoring of the geological feature continues. The rock exposures remain in good condition and visible, but they rarely attract visitors because they are in a remote corner of the reserve and are of fairly specialist interest. 4 The Reserve Plan Review for Hermaness NNR 2009 -2015 Objective 3: To enhance the present variety of other important habitats and species on Hermaness, and contribute to national and local biodiversity targets. 3.1 Continue to take steps to halt erosion of the blanket bog Partially achieved and ongoing 3.2 Monitor Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) and other important Achieved and species, as required and in support of biodiversity initiatives. ongoing 3.3 Monitor hawkweed species and distribution. Not achieved 3.4 Continue to advise avoidance of sensitive moorland nesting Achieved and sites. ongoing 3.5 Explore the possibility of restoring some woody scrub to Partially Hermaness by planting native tree species in suitable areas achieved The interior of Hermaness is mainly blanket bog, which is easily damaged by repeated trampling.
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