BERRIEDALE CLIFFS Site of Special Scientific Interest
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BERRIEDALE CLIFFS Site of Special Scientific Interest SITE MANAGEMENT STATEMENT Site code: 200 The Links, Golspie Business Park, Golspie, Sutherland, 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 Caithness 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 Helmsdale 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 Dunbeath 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 road, 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 Badbea, 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.