Herbivore Impact Assessment – Cairngorms Massif

Client – Scottish Natural Heritage

Key Services – Habitat Assessment

Duration – Summer 2015

Project Overview – Herbivore Impact Assessment of Caenlochan SAC, Glen Callater SSSI  and Cairnwell SSSI within the Cairngorms National Park, Scotland

Ecological Input – Haycock and Jay Associates were commissioned to undertake a repeat Herbivore Impact Assessment at 718 plots across 6,763ha of land encompassing the Caenlochan SAC and Cairnwell & Glen Callater SSSIs in the Cairngorms Massif.

The surveys assessed the herbivore activity within a selection of the key habitat features present in each protected site, including blanket bog, heath, calcareous grassland, tall herb communities, flushes and rare montane willow scrub. Within each of these habitats herbivore impacts, such as grazing and trampling, were carefully assessed and then compared with those of previous surveys to determine any trends. Prognoses were made for each habitat to help inform decisions on how the herbivores are managed across the three sites.

In the absence of natural large predators such as wolves, Scotland’s red deer population in the highlands has reached unsustainably high levels, putting intense browsing pressures on some of the country’s rarest alpine and sub-alpine plants and habitats. SNH works with land managers and Estates to manage deer populations to reduce their impacts on these sensitive sites.

Outcomes – The work will enabled SNH and land managers to make important decisions on the conservation activities within the protected sites, and make a positive difference to the management of some of the issues that threaten these rare and valuable species and habitats in the Cairngorms National Park.