Application: UK
Designating authority: Scottish Natural Heritage
Legislative context:
i) National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949: section 16: agreement that land shall be managed as a nature reserve. Sections 17,18: compulsory acquisition of land for establishment or management as a nature reserve. Section 19: declaration that land is being managed as a nature reserve. Section 20: byelaws for the protection of a nature reserve.
ii) Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981: Section 35: Declaration of land which is managed as a nature reserve under an agreement with SNH, held by an approved body and being managed by that body as a nature reserve.
Criteria:
'Nature reserves,' are areas of 'land managed for the purpose: a) of providing, under suitable conditions and control, special opportunities for the study of, and research into, matters relating to the fauna and flora of Great Britain and the physical conditions in which they live, and for the study of geological and physiographical features of special interest in the area; or b) of preserving flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features of special interest in the area, or for both those purposes.' [1949 Act, section 15]
Background
Genesis
The first NNR in the UK was established in 1951 at Beinn Eighe. Scotland's portfolio now includes NNRs of very widely differing size, from 5 hectares (Corrieshalloch Gorge, and Tynron Juniper Wood) to 25,949 hectares (Cairngorms).
Under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, SSSIs and NNRs were mutually exclusive, the latter designation being applied only where the Nature Conservancy (later NCC) considered it merited the accolade, or where active management for nature conservation purposes was considered essential, or where NC/NCC had acquired an interest to avert a threat or damaging proposal, or where the site was particularly important for interpretive purposes. Since 1981, when the two designations ceased to be mutually exclusive under the terms of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, all NNRs have been notified as SSSIs on the grounds that (especially for NNRs held by Nature Reserve Agreements) this is a more effective tool for protecting the nature conservation interest.
Procedures
The country agencies are directly responsible for the designation of NNRs and do not have to prepare a case for submission to the Secretary of State. Once an NNR is designated, SNH may make byelaws for the protection of the reserve; these can be a useful management tool where third party activities impinge greatly on sites. Access is sometimes by permit only. Within the limits of the objectives for setting up the NNRs, public access is encouraged and actively promoted, with the inclusion of some nature trails and guided walks. In some cases visiting is restricted in certain areas or seasons to minimise disturbance to wildlife or research in progress; but public rights are always maintained. "Areas chosen as NNRs include some of the most important natural and semi-natural ecosystems in Great Britain. Since 1977 only sites listed in the Nature Conservation Review (NCR) have been considered for NNR designation. NNRs are selected from the list of the best; however, not all the best sites for nature conservation in the UK are (nor ever will be) NNRs; they have been declared either because SNH owns or leases the land, or because owners or occupiers are prepared to enter into agreements (Nature Reserve Agreements - NRAs), which are also binding on future owners.
Number of reserves: 71 - SNH owns all or parts of 7 NNRs.
Total area: 114,769 hectares (1.46% of Scotland).
Listing (Scotland)
Abernethy Forest (Badenoch & Strathspey District)
Achanarras Quarry (Caithness)
Allt nan Carnan (Ross & Cromarty)
Ariundle Oakwood (Lochaber)
Beinn Eighe (Ross & Cromarty)
Ben Lawers (Perth & Kinross/Stirling)
Ben Lui (Argyll & Bute/Stirling)
Ben Wyvis (Ross & Cromarty)
Blar nam Faoileag (Caithness)
Blawthorn Moss (West Lothian)
Braehead Moss (Clydesdale)
Caenlochan (Angus/Perth &
Kinross/Kincardine & Deeside)
Caerlaverock (Annandale & Eskdale/Nithsdale/Stewartry)
Cairngorms (Badenoch & Strathspey/Kincardine & Deeside)
Cairnsmore of Fleet (Wigtown/Stewartry)
Claish Moss (Lochaber)
Clyde Valley Woodlands (Clydesdale)
Coille Thocabhaig (Skye and Lochalsh)
Corrieshalloch Gorge (Ross & Cromarty)
Cragbank Wood (Roxburgh)
Craigellachie (Badenoch & Strathspey)
Creag Meagaidh (Badenoch & Strathspey/Lochaber)
Den of Airlie (Perth & Kinross/Angus)
Dinnet Oakwood (Kincardine & Deeside)
Dunnet Links (Caithness)
Eilean na Muice Duibhe [Duich Moss], Islay.(Argyll & Bute)
Flanders Moss (Stirling)
Forvie (Gordon)
Glasdrum Wood (Argyll & Bute)
Glen Diomhan (Cunninghame)
Glen Nant (Argyll & Bute)
Glen Roy (Lochaber)
Glen Tanar (Kincardine & Deeside)
Glencripesdale (Lochaber)
Gualin (Sutherland)
Hermaness (Shetland)
Inchnadamph (Sutherland)
Invernaver (Sutherland)
Inverpolly (Ross & Cromarty/Sutherland)
Isle of May (North East Fife)
Keen of Hamar (Shetland)
Kirkconnell Flow (Nithsdale)
Loch a'Mhuilinn Wood (Sutherland)
Loch Druidibeg (Western Isles)
Loch Leven (Perth & Kinross)
Loch Lomond (Dumbarton/Stirling)
Loch Maree Islands (Ross & Cromarty)
Mealdarroch (Argyll & Bute)
Milton Wood (Perth & Kinross)
Moine Mhor (Argyll & Bute)
Monach Isles (Western Isles)
Morrone Birkwood (Kincardine & Deeside)
Morton Lochs (North East Fife)
Mound Alderwoods (Sutherland)
Muir of Dinnet (Kincardine & Deeside)
Nigg and Udale Bays (Ross & Cromarty)
North Rona and Sula Sgeir (Western Isles)
Noss (Shetland)
Rannoch Moor (Perth & Kinross/Argyll & Bute/Lochaber)
Rassal Ashwood (Ross & Cromarty)
Rum (Lochaber)
St Abbls Head (Berwickshire)*
St Cyrus (Kincardine & Deeside/Angus)
St Kilda (Western Isles)
Silver Flowe (Wigtown)
Strathfarrar (Inverness)
Strathy Bogs (Sutherland)
Taynish (Argyll & Bute)
Tentsmuir Point (North East Fife)
Tynron Juniper Wood (Nithsdale)
Whitlaw Mosses (Ettrick & Lauderdale)
St Abb's Head is also a Voluntary Marine Nature Reserve: see Marine Nature Reserve]