Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve

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Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) [1]
Inshriach Forest - geograph.org.uk - 319239.jpg
Scots pines below the crags of Creag Mhigeachaidh
Highland UK relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
A map showing the location of Invereshie and Inshriach within the Highland council area.
Location Highland, Scotland
Coordinates 57°05′51″N3°51′08″W / 57.097400°N 3.852229°W / 57.097400; -3.852229
Area37.3 km2 (14.4 sq mi) [2]
Designation NatureScot
Established2007 [1]
OwnerNatureScot & Forestry and Land Scotland
Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve

Invereshie and Inshriach (Scottish Gaelic : Inbhir Fheisidh agus Na h-Innse Riabhaich) [3] is a national nature reserve on the western flank of the Cairngorms in the Highland council area of Scotland. The reserve covers habitats at a range of different altitudes, ranging from Caledonian Forest beside the River Feshie in the west, via bog and open moorland, to an arctic-alpine environment on the Cairngorm plateau. The Munro summit of Sgòr Gaoith (1118 m) lies on the eastern boundary of the reserve. The forested areas of the reserve form part of an expanse of Caledonian pinewood that stretches from Glen Feshie to Abernethy, and which as a whole forms the largest single area of this habitat remaining in Scotland. [4] The reserve is owned and managed jointly by NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS): NatureScot own the Invereshie portion of the reserve and FLS the Inshriach area. [5]

Contents

There are no waymarked trails at the reserve; however, several paths do run through it, starting from Coire Ruadh or Achlean in Glen Feshie. The paths through the reserve are regularly used by hillwalkers to access the summit of Sgòr Gaoith. [3] [6]

Flora and fauna

Probably the most significant habitat at the reserve is the Caledonian Forest, which covers the landscape between about 250-630 m above sea level. [7] Invereshie is often considered to be one of the best examples of this habitat, with the montane scrub zone at Creag Fhiaclach being perhaps the only example of a truly natural tree line in Scotland. [8] The forest consists chiefly of Scots pine, with scattered examples of rowan, birch, aspen, alder, juniper and holly. Some areas of Inshriach were planted with non-native species for commercial reasons, however these trees have largely been removed, and these areas are now developing into a semi-natural pineforest. The forest floor hosts a wide array of plants, including heather, blaeberry and cowberry, and many species of mosses, lichens and fungi. There are also areas of bog woodland, where wet conditions inhibit tree growth. Here, plant species like cross-leaved heath, cotton grass and various species of sphagnum moss thrive. At the upper edge of Invereshie the climate causes pines and juniper to grow into twisted, stunted forms known as krummholz. Above the krummholz the landscape is more open, and consists of wet and dry heaths and blanket bog. These open mountain habitats host plants that are specially adapted to harsh conditions, with species such as twinflower, cloudberry, bladderwort, yellow saxifrage, alpine lady’s mantle, trailing azalea and purple saxifrage all present. [9] [10]

Wood ants form an important part of the ecosystem of the Caledonian Forest, which also supports a wide range of other invertebrate life. Many of the species found here are otherwise scarce in Britain, with the green hairstreak butterfly being one example. The large heath, dingy skipper and pearl-bordered fritillary have also been found at Invereshie and Inshriach. Other rare invertebrates include Chamaesyrphus scaevoides (a hoverfly) and Hybomitra lurida (a horsefly). The bog woodlands attract dragonflies and damselflies, including the northern damselfly (Scotland’s rarest damselfly), the northern emerald and the white-faced darter. On the mountain plateau the black mountain moth has been found. [11]

The woodland is home to many species of bird which are otherwise rare or uncommon, such as Scottish crossbill (Scotland's only endemic bird species), crested tit, capercaillie and black grouse. The forested parts of Invereshie and Inshriach supports Scotland's most successful breeding population of capercaillie, whilst the montane areas support ptarmigan and snow bunting, these being complemented by the arrival of summer breeders such as dotterel. Raptors such as golden eagle, merlin and osprey can also be sighted. [12] [13]

The streams and lochs of the forest are ideal for otters. Red squirrels and pine martens are widespread in the pineforest, and pipistrelle and brown long-eared bats are also present. The montane areas support a population of mountain hare. [13]

History

Regeneration of the forest is now leading to the re-establishment of a natural treeline The head of the Allt Nam Bo (burn of the cattle) - geograph.org.uk - 386879.jpg
Regeneration of the forest is now leading to the re-establishment of a natural treeline

Caledonian Forest first became established in Invereshie and Inshriach at the end of the last ice age. Although humans are known to have lived in the area since at least the Bronze Age, until around the mid-18th century the forest remained largely intact, with only small-scale felling of trees for domestic use and localised rough grazing. [14]

As the population of Scotland grew during the second half of the 18th century more people began to move into the glens of the Cairngorms, including Glen Feshie. Land began to be cleared for agriculture, and this process accelerated during the Napoleonic wars, when there was increased demand for timber. Several water-driven sawmills were built along the River Feshie and its tributaries during this period. Demand for timber continued throughout the 19th century, especially with the coming of the railways, as timber was required for sleepers, bridges and buildings. [14] In 1850 Invereshie became a deer forest, as deer stalking and grouse shooting became popular amongst Britain's upper classes. The subsequent increase in deer numbers, alongside management practices such as muirburn (the burning of patches of heather to create habitats for grouse) led to a reduction in natural regeneration of the native woodland. [15]

Demand for timber increased again during the First and Second World Wars, and by the end of the Second World War only woods in the most remote parts of Scotland were still intact. [15] Following this period, interest in preserving the remaining woodlands grew, and the Nature Conservancy (NC) purchased Invereshie in 1954, making area was made part of the Cairngorms National Nature Reserve. The NC, and its successor bodies, the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), and NatureScot, made efforts to encourage regrowth of the woodland, reducing deer numbers, erecting fences to exclude deer, and planting native tree species. [16] During this period the Inshriach Estate, to the west of Invereshie, came under the ownership of the Forestry Commission. During the 1960s and 70s Inshriach was managed mainly for commercial forestry, and non-native species such as sitka spruce and lodgepole pine were planted in the area. Since the 1990s the emphasis has changed, and the Commission began work aimed at restoring the native forest. [17]

Following a review of the Cairngorms NNR in 2006 it was decided that the NNR should be broken up into separate, smaller reserves that reflected existing management units. [14] The new Invereshie and Inshriach NNR was declared in September 2007, combining the SNH-owned Invereshie estate with part of the neighbouring Inshriach Forest, which had been previously outwith the Cairngorms NNR. [18]

Conservation designations

In addition to being a national nature reserve (NNR), Invereshie and Inshriach lies within a number of other protected areas of Scotland. It forms part of the Cairngorms Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), [19] the Cairngorms Special Protection Area (SPA), [20] and the Cairngorms Special Area of Conservation (SAC). [21] It also lies within the Cairngorms National Park. [22] The Invereshie and Inshriach NNR is classified as a Category IV protected area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. [1]

Related Research Articles

NatureScot, which was formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, is the public body responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e. national nature reserves, local nature reserves, national parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas and the national scenic areas. The protected areas in Scotland account for 20% of the total area, SSSIs alone 13%. NatureScot receives annual funding from the Government in the form of Grant in Aid to deliver Government priorities for the natural heritage.

National nature reserve (Scotland)

The national nature reserves (NNRs) of Scotland are areas of land or water designated under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as containing habitats and species of national importance. National nature reserves can be owned by public, private, community or voluntary organisations but must be managed to conserve their important habitats and species, as well as providing opportunities for the public to enjoy and engage with nature. There are currently 43 NNRs in Scotland, which cover 154,250 hectares (1,542.5 km2), or less than 1.5% of the land area of Scotland. They range in size from Corrieshalloch Gorge at 7 ha to Mar Lodge Estate, which covers 29,324 ha.

Cairngorms Mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland

The Cairngorms are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland closely associated with the mountain of the Cairn Gorm. The Cairngorms became part of Scotland's second national park on 1 September 2003. Although the Cairngorms give their name to, and are at the heart of, the Cairngorms National Park, they only form one part of the national park, alongside other hill ranges such as the Angus Glens and the Monadhliath, and lower areas like Strathspey.

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is a national park in Scotland centred on Loch Lomond and the hills and glens of the Trossachs, along with several other ranges of hills. It was the first of the two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament in 2002, the second being the Cairngorms National Park. The park extends to cover much of the western part of the southern highlands, lying to the north of the Glasgow conurbation, and contains many mountains and lochs. It is the fourth largest national park in the British Isles, with a total area of 1,865 km2 (720 sq mi) and a boundary of some 350 km (220 mi) in length. It includes 21 Munros and 20 Corbetts.

Caledonian Forest

The Caledonian Forest is the name given to the former temperate rainforest of Scotland.

Ben Wyvis

Ben Wyvis is a mountain located in Easter Ross, north-west of Dingwall in northern Scotland. It lies in the council area of Highland, and the county of Ross and Cromarty. The mountain is prominent in views of the area, presenting a whale-back shape above the farmland of Strathconon. Geologically, the ridge is composed of Moine pelitic gneiss.

Creag Meagaidh

Creag Meagaidh is a mountain on the northern side of Glen Spean in the Highlands of Scotland. It is a complex mountain, taking the form of a flat summit plateau from which five ridges radiate, and is most famed for the cliffs surrounding the corrie of Coire Ardair on the north-eastern face. These crags are a renowned venue for winter and ice climbing, although being somewhat vegetated they are less suited to summer climbing.

Glen Affric

Glen Affric is a glen south-west of the village of Cannich in the Highland region of Scotland, some 15 miles (24 km) to the west of Loch Ness. The River Affric runs along its length, passing through Loch Affric and Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin. A minor public road reaches as far as the end of Loch Beinn a' Mheadhoin, but beyond that point only rough tracks and footpaths continue along the glen.

Glenmore Forest Park

Glenmore Forest Park is a remnant of the Caledonian Forest near Aviemore in the Badenoch and Strathspey district of Highland, Scotland. Owned and managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, it lies within the Cairngorms National Park, and is one of six forest parks in the country. The forest park, which was established in 1948, covers 35.7 km2, of which 21.1 km2 is designated as a national nature reserve (NNR). Glenmore surrounds Loch Morlich, and is below the rise of the Cairngorms to the south; to the north the park extends to the summit of Meall a' Bhuachaille. The forest forms part of an expanse of Caledonian Forest that stretches from Glen Feshie to Abernethy, and which as a whole forms the largest single area of this habitat remaining in Scotland. It is home to much wildlife including Scottish crossbills, crested tits, capercaillie, narrow-headed ants, red squirrels and red deer.

Abernethy Forest

Abernethy Forest is a remnant of the Caledonian Forest in Strathspey, in the Highland council area of Scotland. It lies within the Cairngorms National Park, close to the villages of Nethy Bridge, Boat of Garten, and Aviemore. The forest is an RSPB reserve, close to Loch Garten Osprey Centre, which is also owned by the RSPB. It is popular with walkers, as there are various trails throughout the reserve. The forest forms part of the wider Abernethy National Nature Reserve.

Flanders Moss Area of raised bog lying in the Carse of Stirling, Scotland.

Flanders Moss is an area of raised bog lying in the Carse of Forth in west Stirlingshire, Scotland. The villages of Thornhill and Port of Menteith lie to the north with the villages of Kippen and Buchlyvie lying to the south. The moss is a National Nature Reserve, managed by NatureScot. Formed on the Carse of Stirling over 8000 years ago, it is an internationally important habitat currently undergoing active restoration. The eastern part of Flanders Moss is the largest raised bog in Europe to remain in a predominantly near-natural state.

Corrie Fee Corrie and national nature reserve in Angus, Scotland

Corrie Fee is a glacier-carved corrie situated at the head of Glen Clova in the Angus Glens of Scotland. It forms part of Corrie Fee National Nature Reserve (NNR), which is managed by NatureScot and lies within the Cairngorms National Park. The adjoining Corrie Sharroch and the slopes of Craig Rennet are also included in the NNR.

Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve

The Clyde Valley Woodlands National Nature Reserve (NNR) comprises six separate woodland sites in the Clyde Valley region of South Lanarkshire, Scotland. These six sites are located along a 12 km section of the River Clyde and its tributaries, and lie close to built-up areas such as Hamilton and Lanark on the southern outskirts of Greater Glasgow. The sites can be easily accessed by about two million people living in the surrounding urban areas, making the reserve unique amongst Scotland's NNRs, most of which tend to be located in more remote areas. The six sites are:

Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve

Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve (NNR) is located southeast of Tayport in Fife, Scotland. The reserve is made up of three parts, encompassing Morton Lochs, Tentsmuir Point and Tayport Heath, and is managed by NatureScot. The different sections of Tentsmuir NNR were originally designated as separate national nature reserves at different times: the Morton Lochs section was designated in 1952; Tentsmuir Point in 1954; and Tayport Heath in 1988. While these discrete sections are distant from one another, they form part of the extensive dune system at Tentsmuir, and in 2003 SNH combined the three sites to form Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve. The adjoining Tentsmuir Forest is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland and covers most of the land between the three portions of the NNR.

Glasdrum Wood

Glasdrum Wood is national nature reserve (NNR) at the head of Loch Creran in Argyll and Bute on the west coast of Scotland. Managed by NatureScot, the wood is renowned for its diverse flora and fauna, including sessile oak and ash trees, mosses, liverworts and rare invertebrates, like the chequered skipper butterfly. The NNR covers an area of around 169 hectares, encompassing woodland and hillside on the lower slopes of Beinn Churlain. A carpark and 1 km-long waymarked trail are provided for visitors. Since 2004 the reserve has received approximately 2800 visitors each year.

Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve

Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve (NNR) encompasses 430 hectares of land at the southeastern part of Loch Lomond in the council areas of Stirling and West Dunbartonshire, in Scotland. It covers the islands of Inchcailloch, Clairinsh, Torrinch, Creinch and Aber Isle, alongside areas of woodland and wetlands to either side of the mouth of the Endrick Water. NatureScot owns two parts of the reserve - the island of Inchcailloch and part of Gartfairn Wood - and the rest is privately owned. The reserve is managed by a partnership consisting of NatureScot, the RSPB Scotland and the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, along with the owners and tenants of the land under agreements. Within this framework NatureScot directly manage the islands of Clairinsh, Inchcailloch, Torrinch and Creinch, and land to the north of the Endrick Water. The RSPB manages the area to the south of the Endrick Water, and the national park manages visitor facilities on Inchcailloch.

Craigellachie National Nature Reserve

Craigellachie is a hill lying to the west of the village of Aviemore in Strathspey, in the central Highlands of Scotland. Craigellachie was declared a national nature reserve (NNR) in 1961, and is managed by NatureScot through a lease from Reidhaven Estate. The reserve covers 257 hectares on the eastern slopes of the Monadhliath range of hills, lying between 225 and 535 m above sea level. It is dominated by birkwood, being one of the largest remaining areas of this type of habitat on Speyside, and is also of national importance due to the variety of moths present on the reserve. In addition to the birkwoods, the reserve encompasses a variety of other habitats, such as rocky crags, lochans and open heath with blaeberry.

Glen Tanar Glen of the Water of Tanar and national nature reserve in northeast Scotland

Glen Tanar is a glen in Aberdeenshire, eastern Scotland, through which the Water of Tanar flows. Near the mouth of the glen, at Tower o' Ess, the Water of Tanar flows into the River Dee. This flows through Deeside into the North Sea at Aberdeen. Glen Tanar contains the third largest area of Caledonian Forest in Scotland, and is of national and European importance.

Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area

The Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area is a national scenic area (NSA) covering the area surrounding Loch Rannoch, Glen Lyon, and the Ben Lawers ranges of mountains in Scotland. It is one of 40 such areas in Scotland, which are defined so as to identify areas of exceptional scenery and to ensure its protection from inappropriate development by restricting certain forms of development. The Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon NSA covers 48,625 ha, most of which lies in the council area of Perth and Kinross, with a small portion lying in Stirling.

Glen Nant Woodland and nature reserve in Argyll and Bute, Scotland

Glen Nant is glen lying to the south of Taynuilt in the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. An area of woodland of 339 hectares on the western side of the River Nant is designated as national nature reserve (NNR), which is owned and managed by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS). It is an example of an Atlantic Oakwood, and is one of largest areas of upland oak woodland in north Argyll.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 "Invereshie and Inshriach". Protected Planet. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "Invereshie and Inshriach NNR". NatureScot. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Visit Invereshie and Inshriach NNR" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  4. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 1.
  5. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 29.
  6. ↑ Donald Bennet & Rab Anderson, ed. (2016). The Munros: Scottish Mountaineering Club Hillwalkers' Guide. Scottish Mountaineering Trust. p. 147. ISBN   9780907521945.
  7. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 7.
  8. ↑ Nick Kempe (2018-05-03). "SNH's plans for the Invereshie National Nature Reserve – gardening in the Cairngorms?". parkswatchscotland. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
  9. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p.p. 7-11.
  10. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 15.
  11. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 14.
  12. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 12.
  13. 1 2 The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 13.
  14. 1 2 3 The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 19.
  15. 1 2 The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 20.
  16. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 21.
  17. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 23.
  18. ↑ The Story of Invereshie and Inshriach National Nature Reserve. p. 26.
  19. ↑ "Cairngorms SSSI". NatureScot. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  20. ↑ "Cairngorms SPA". NatureScot. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  21. ↑ "Cairngorms SAC". NatureScot. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  22. ↑ "Cairngorms National Park". NatureScot. Retrieved 16 September 2020.

Bibliography

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