BULLERS OF BUCHAN COAST Site of Special Scientific Interest SITE MANAGEMENT STATEMENT Site code: 271 Address: 16/17 Rubislaw Terrace, Aberdeen AB10 1XE. Tel: 01224 642863. Email: [email protected]. Purpose This is a public statement prepared by SNH for owners and occupiers of the SSSI. It outlines the reasons Bullers of Buchan is notified 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 This site comprises the sea cliffs and coastal strip from Buchan Ness, near Peterhead, southwards to Slains Castle, near Cruden Bay, including the Bullers of Buchan. The cliffs, slopes, and inshore stacks are of special geological and biological interest. Natural features of Bullers Feature condition (date monitored) Other of Buchan Coast SSSI relevant designations Coastal geomorphology of Favourable Maintained (March 2001) Scotland Maritime cliff Favourable Maintained (June 1999) SAC Seabird colony, breeding Favourable Maintained (July 2007) SPA Guillemot Unfavourable Declining (July 2007) SPA Kittiwake Unfavourable No change (July 2007) SPA Shag Unfavourable No change (July 2007) SPA Features of overlapping Feature condition SPA or SAC Natura sites that are not (date monitored) notified as SSSI natural features Fulmar Unfavourable Declining (July 2007) SPA 1 A375706.doc Herring gull Unfavourable No change (July 2007) SPA Geological Bullers of Buchan is the most important site for rock coast geomorphology in north Aberdeenshire. The site demonstrates an excellent and impressive range of rocky coast landforms developed in a relatively uniform, massive granite bedrock. It thus provides an excellent opportunity for detailed research into the evolution of a rocky coastline since the last Ice Age 14 000 years ago. Several distinctive landforms occur and include: very fine examples different types of cliffs (angular, near vertical and triangular forms), inlets of variable width and complexity (long and narrow, e.g. Long Haven, wider and more complex, e.g. Robie’s Haven, North Haven and Twa Havens, or smaller indentation, (e.g. at Partans), sea caves (e.g. at North and South Seals), arches (on Dunbuy island, at Robie’s Haven and Long Haven), stacks (e.g. the Temptin’), intertidal platforms, stumps, skerries, linear reefs and blowholes (e.g. The Pot). Biological The breeding seabird colony is the largest in north-east Scotland and forms part of the Buchan Ness to Collieston Coast Special Protection Area (SPA). The overall colony is of international importance. Amongst this assemblage, the breeding population of kittiwake is of international importance in its own right (6% of British population, 1% of total subspecies population). Furthermore, the breeding populations of guillemot, shag, razorbill and herring gull are each of national importance in their own right (1%, 1%, 2% and 2% of British populations respectively). The assemblage also includes a large breeding population of fulmar, about 1000 pairs, and smaller numbers of puffin. An assessment of the seabird colony was carried out in 2001 in the first cycle of Site Condition Monitoring (SCM). This assessed the seabird colony, as a whole, to be in favourable condition, having increased in size since 1986, with another 14,183 individuals noted. A large increase in some species, in particular guillemot and also increases in fulmar, puffin and razorbill, more than made up for decreases in other species, namely shag, herring gull and kittiwake. Assessments were recently carried out for the second cycle of SCM, following a survey in 2007. This recorded decreases in the whole colony (-24% overall), and in guillemot, fulmar, shag and kittiwake in particular, down 40%, 22%, 19% and 13% respectively. The sea-cliffs and slopes support a wide range of maritime plant communities, with characteristic species such as thrift, Scots lovage (particularly in crevices), and roseroot (especially on ledges). The cliff top has some of the finest examples of coastal dwarf-shrub heath and brackish flushes on the coast of north-east Scotland. An assessment of the cliff and cliff slope habitats carried out in 1999 and 2000 found these to be generally in favourable condition, but noted small scale dumping, mainly of stones, from the adjacent fields. 2 A375706.doc Past and present management There is very little direct agricultural use of the site and no historical records of grazing but the composition and structure of the vegetation indicate that grazing took place in some areas in the past. Recently some grazing was introduced at the northern end of the site under the Scottish Executive’s (SEERAD) Countryside Premium Scheme (CPS). Much of the site has been fenced off by owners to control stock movements and in particular to keep stock safe from the hazardous cliff edge. Some field drains on the margins of the site and on adjacent agricultural land are maintained. Towards the northern end of the site, Blackhills Quarry is quarried for building stone. Drainage from the quarry is discharged to the sea, via a drain through the site. The long geos, such as Long Haven, may have been used as sheltered harbours for the castle at Slains. The site is important for its amenity. A coastal footpath is being developed and a nature reserve is present at Longhaven, managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), for its bird life and coastal heathland. These have encouraged access and recreational interest in the site. Information and interpretation boards are present at The Pot of Bullers of Buchan and the entrance to the SWT Reserve. Stones and building material are dumped at a few localities. Objectives for management (and key factors influencing the condition of natural features) We wish to work with the owners 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. 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. Ensure the continued natural evolution of the system The Bullers of Buchan coastline is evolving naturally in response to changes in local wind patterns, storminess and relative sea level, together with any associated changes in wave action or coastal retreat. In the long term, this could mean dramatic changes in the form of the rocky coastline. These processes are 3 A375706.doc important to the geomorphological interest of the site and should be allowed to continue to operate naturally. 2. Maintain the physical and visual integrity of the landforms for educational and research purposes Development such as quarrying, mineral extraction or baffling of offshore wave energies (for example by constructing offshore wave barriers), could affect the geomorphological interest (and also the biological interests and landscape). SNH, SWT, the Aberdeenshire Council and the Blackhills Quarry operators have established a Quarry Liaison Group. This Group regularly meets to discuss and review activities associated with the quarry, such as vehicular access and drainage, which are likely to have an impact upon the site. Once the quarrying has finished, works to re-instate it as part of the SWT reserve will need to consider implications for the bedrock geology of the cliff tops. 3. Maintain populations and overall assemblage of seabirds. 4. Maintain cliff habitats - crevice and ledge vegetation, heaths, brackish flushes, and maritime grasslands - in favourable condition Under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 damage to the site, including unconsented dumping of materials by third parties, is now an offence. It may be appropriate to provide additional signage advising of this. Further re-introductions of grazing at modest levels could be beneficial for cliff-top vegetation. Care should to be taken to ensure that increased public access to the coastal footpath does not lead to path erosion, and potential loss of habitat (particularly maritime heath). 5. Support appropriate public access and the development of interpretation for amenity, education and research purposes. Aberdeenshire Council are keen to further promote the coastal footpath. Increased use of the site should develop people’s appreciation of the site and help prevent fly-tipping. Path works may be required to counter erosion or to reduce the risk of landslips in sections that are close to the cliff edge. Other factors affecting the natural features of the site 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: 31 March 2010. 4 A375706.doc .