BERRIEDALE CLIFFS Site of Special Scientific Interest

SITE MANAGEMENT STATEMENT

Site code: 200

The Links, Business Park, Golspie, , KW10 6UB. Tel 01408 634063 [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.

This statement is available in Gaelic on request.

Natural features of Condition of feature Other relevant designations Berriedale Cliffs SSSI (and date monitored) Maritime cliff (vegetation) Favourable, maintained East Cliffs Special (June 2004) Area of Conservation (SAC) Seabird colony Favourable, maintained East Caithness Cliffs Special (June 1999) Protection Area (SPA) Fulmar Favourable, maintained East Caithness Cliffs Special (June 1999) Protection Area (SPA) Guillemot Favourable, maintained East Caithness Cliffs Special (June 1999) Protection Area (SPA) Kittiwake Favourable, maintained East Caithness Cliffs Special (June 1999) Protection Area (SPA) Razorbill Favourable maintained East Caithness Cliffs Special (June 1999) Protection Area (SPA) Shag Unfavourable, declining East Caithness Cliffs Special (June 1999) Protection Area (SPA)

Features of overlapping Feature condition SPA or SAC Natura sites that are (date monitored) not notified as SSSI natural features Cormorant Unfavourable, declining East Caithness Cliffs Special (July 1999) Protection Area (SPA) Great black-backed gull Unfavourable, declining East Caithness Cliffs Special (July 1999) Protection Area (SPA) Herring gull Unfavourable, declining East Caithness Cliffs Special (July 1999) Protection Area (SPA) Peregrine Favourable, maintained East Caithness Cliffs Special (May-June 2006) Protection Area (SPA) Puffin Favourable, maintained East Caithness Cliffs Special (July 1999) Protection Area (SPA)

See the Site Management Statements for Coast SSSI and Ousdale Burn SSSI for more details of the overlapping features of these two SSSIs.

Description of the site Berriedale Cliffs Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) includes a 13km section of coastal cliff and cliff-top stretching approximately from Ord Point just north of Helmsdale in Sutherland to just south of Castle in Caithness. The cliffs are generally quite steep with some areas as high as 120 metres above sea level. Berriedale Cliffs SSSI is internationally important for the maritime cliff vegetation and seabird colonies. There are particularly large numbers of breeding razorbill, guillemot, kittiwake, fulmar and shag.

Maritime cliff (vegetation) Berriedale Cliffs SSSI is designated for the maritime cliff vegetation (Figure 1) which is found above the cliffs in a narrow strip, typically about 100m wide, as a mosaic of grassland and maritime heath.

The grasslands support characteristic plants such as thrift, wild angelica, bluebells and sea plantain. The maritime heath thrives on the steep slopes and supports plant species such as heather, crowberry, tormentil and sheep’s fescue. Maritime heath often merges with cliff-top vegetation communities to give species-rich slopes with plants such as creeping willow, sea campion and primrose. On cliff ledges species such as Scots lovage, common scurvygrass, sea mayweed and roseroot can be found.

Results of monitoring the maritime cliff vegetation in June 2004 showed that it was in favourable condition. The plants identified included key species for this habitat such as thrift, sea plantain, primrose and wild angelica. No significant changes were identified since surveys began in 1982.

Seabird colony The seabird colony on this site is internationally important for its range of species and for the large number of seabirds breeding on the cliffs. The geology of this site – with horizontal bands of rock that have eroded to produce numerous ledges - provides ideal nest sites for large numbers of seabirds. The remote undisturbed nature of the coast and proximity to feeding grounds also help to make this one of the largest colonies of seabirds on the Scottish mainland. Seabirds breeding on the cliffs during the summer months include razorbill (Figure 2), guillemot, kittiwake, fulmar and shag. Cormorant, herring gull, great black-backed gull, puffin and black guillemot breed on Berriedale Cliffs SSSI in smaller numbers.

The seabird colony was monitored in June 1999 and the cliffs were found to have plenty available nesting habitat and the population of the whole colony was found to have increased by 16% since the survey in 1986. There were more than 100,000 pairs of breeding seabirds on this site in 1999. The seabird colony was assessed as being maintained in favourable condition.

Berriedale Cliffs forms part of East Caithness Cliffs SPA. The cormorant, herring gull and great black-backed gull features on are in unfavourable condition on East Caithness Cliffs SPA. This is because numbers have declined elsewhere on the site due to factors such as changes in the availability of live fish (in the case of cormorant) and fishery discards (in the case of herring gull and great black-backed gull). Large colonies of these species have not been recorded on Berriedale Cliffs SSSI.

Razorbill, guillemot, kittiwake, fulmar and shag The site is also designated for five individual seabird species which qualify as SSSI features in their own right. The site holds more than 1% of the British populations of 2 breeding razorbill (Figure 2), guillemot, kittiwake, fulmar and shag. This site is particularly important for guillemot and razorbill as around 10% of the British population of both these species breed on this site.

The population of razorbill, guillemot, kittiwake and fulmar were all monitored in June 1999 and found to be in favourable condition. Numbers were observed to have increased since the baseline survey in 1986. Shag were also monitored in June 1999 but they were found to have decreased in numbers since 1986, although more than 2% of the UK population was still breeding here. Shag are currently classed as being in unfavourable condition. Shags had probably declined due to changes in their food supply at sea.

Other interests As well as its designated features, Berriedale Cliffs SSSI is also of interest for other wildlife and geology. A small part of the centre of the site overlaps with part of Ousdale Burn SSSI which is designated for upland birch woodland. Peregrine nest on the cliffs and feed on seabirds and rock doves.

The southern end of Berriedale Cliffs SSSI overlaps Helmsdale Coast SSSI, which is designated for the ‘Kimmeridgian Stratigraphy’ geological feature. There is some impressive geology here as this is where a fault line (the Helmsdale fault) meets the east coast. Some of the geology at Berriedale Cliffs SSSI shows processes which occur on submarine slopes because this area used to be under a deep sea. Boulder beds formed from middle red sandstone suggest there were avalanches of coastal debris into deep water at this site about 150 million years ago.

Grey and common seals can be seen hauled out at various stretches along the bottom of the cliffs. The caves and beaches, such as the one at Ousdale, also form the breeding grounds of a large colony of grey seals in autumn. Rafts of eider duck and dolphins can be seen out at sea and peregrines are known to hunt the cliff-tops. Parts of the site, for example around Ousdale, are a good habitat for slow worms.

Figure 1. Maritime vegetation Figure 2. Razorbills nesting on the cliffs

Past and present management The site is not intensively managed due to the steep and dangerous nature of the cliffs for people and livestock. There is currently one Management Agreement between SNH and the landowner over 113.4 hectares of the site to maintain a fence in a stock proof condition to prevent overgrazing and poaching of the vegetation. Maritime cliff habitats benefit from a low grazing pressure.

3 Despite being a very impressive seabird colony, and relatively close to the busy main A9 , few people visit most of the site at present due to the remote and steep nature of the ground. Most people probably see the site from the popular visitor attraction at the historic village of , which is close to the site boundary.

Objectives for Management (and key factors influencing the condition of natural features) We wish to work with land managers to protect the site and to maintain and where necessary enhance its features of special interest. SNH aims to carry out site survey, monitoring and research as appropriate to increase our knowledge and understanding of the site and its natural features and to monitor the effectiveness of the management agreement. 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, where 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). The list of Operations Requiring Consent, and the discussions on land management involved in the issuing of formal consents, are intended to minimise the threat of any damage to the natural features.

1. To maintain the condition and extent of the maritime cliff vegetation Most of the site is currently fenced, preventing any grazing by livestock. The ideal level of grazing is one that maintains a short sward but which also enables plants to seed into gaps to maintain the characteristic mixture of species. Many of these plants only grow a few centimetres tall and their tiny seeds require small patches of bare ground in which to germinate. Light grazing maintains a short sward and ensures that the grassland does not become rank, out-competing the typical maritime species. Complete lack of grazing can be undesirable because it leads to the loss of some species and allows dense stands of bracken to become established. In the absence of any stock grazing, rabbits can help to maintain a healthy sward height.

Burning is not a good way to manage the conservation interests of the coastal habitats and, if practised, should be restricted to areas of long heather in the parts of the site that are furthest from the coast. Coastal heath, such as is found at Berriedale Cliffs SSSI, grows slowly in the harsh climatic conditions and rarely achieves any significant height. Therefore where the heath is grazed, it seldom requires burning. Any burning should be at long intervals and much less frequent than the minimum interval given in the Muirburn Code. Burning of the cliff vegetation can cause serious damage and is contrary to The Muirburn Code.

Most of the site is not suited to vehicle use or stock feeding since the site forms a narrow band of sloping ground at the top of large cliffs. However in areas where vehicles could be used, wet areas should be avoided and the same route should not be used too frequently if it creates bare ground. Stock feeding would not be desirable on the maritime heath or grassland because this can bring large numbers of livestock to one place causing localised trampling that could lead to formation of bare ground, followed by erosion of fragile soils. Concentrating livestock around feeding sites can also cause large amounts of dung to be left in one place. These conditions can allow 4 the seeds of vigorous plants that are often found within hay to germinate, which would be undesirable because these plants are not typical of coastal habitats and might out- compete the slow-growing plants that grow here at present.

2. To maintain the size and distribution of the populations of breeding seabirds and to avoid significant disturbance to these birds during the breeding season Seabirds depend on the sea for their food supply and spend most of their time at sea, other than when they need to come to cliffs, such as those at Berriedale Cliffs SSSI, to breed. Changes in the food supply can cause fluctuations in seabird numbers. The following advice only relates to management of the land where seabirds nest.

Best practice management for the breeding seabirds includes avoiding activities that might prevent the birds from nesting on the cliffs and avoiding disturbance to the nesting birds themselves. The current management practices achieve these aims. Activities close to the edge of the cliff that might create significant disturbance to nesting birds should be undertaken outwith the nesting season. The most sensitive period is April and May when seabirds are selecting their nest sites and laying or incubating their eggs. Chicks are present during June and early July. Most seabirds have left the colonies by the end of July.

3. To maintain the size and distribution of the populations of breeding peregrine and to avoid significant disturbance to these birds during the breeding season Peregrine is a qualifying feature of the overlapping East Caithness Cliffs Special Protection Area. Management of Berriedale Cliffs SSSI that will benefit the breeding population of peregrine should include avoiding activities that might prevent the birds from nesting on the cliffs and avoiding disturbance to the nesting birds themselves. Continuation of the existing management (of minimal intervention) should achieve these aims. Activities close to the edge of the cliff that might cause significant disturbance to nesting birds should be carried out outwith the nesting season. The nesting season for peregrine starts in February and the young birds will have left the nest by the end of June. Management for breeding seabirds will benefit peregrines because seabirds are potential prey for coastal peregrines. Rock doves are also a preferred prey for coastal peregrines.

Other factors affecting the natural features of the site • Egg/chick collecting: The peregrines that sometimes nest on Berriedale Cliffs are potential targets for illegal egg collecting or for illegal taking of young birds for falconry. Any suspicious activity and details of any vehicles should be reported to the police as soon as possible.

• Sand eels: The breeding seabirds are largely dependent on the sand eel population for feeding. Any significant decline of the sand eel population is likely to have a detrimental effect on the breeding success of the seabird colonies.

Date last reviewed: 25 June 2009

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