Opportunities for biodiversity enhancements have been identified across the Site and will be presented in an Outline Biodiversity Enhancement and Habitat Management Plan (OBE-HMP).
The overall aim will be to conserve, enhance and restore important habitats and associated species. A series of objectives have been outlined, which will likely include:
- Reduced grazing pressure through deer management
- Peatland restoration including drainage ditch blocking
- Creating and strengthening nature networks though native tree
planting in riparian and wildlife corridors - Pond/lochan creation
- Targeted species actions, including installation of bird and bat
boxes and fence marking.
Peatland restoration, including drainage ditch blocking and hagg reprofiling, combined with reduced grazing pressure will have wider ecological benefits such as increasing the biodiversity and providing additional habitat for a wide range of species including invertebrates and birds.
Creating and strengthening nature networks, or wildlife corridors through native tree planting along riparian corridors will help provide resilience to biodiversity during the climate crisis.
Tackling the Nature Emergency – Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 (Scottish Government, 2023) has a commitment to “Ensure that every local authority area has a nature network of locally driven projects improving ecological connectivity across Scotland”. The overarching purpose of the ‘nature network’ commitment is connecting habitats and species at a landscape scale, improving ecological connectivity, creating functioning, healthy and robust ecosystems which mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change and provide multiple benefits for society.