Action Plan Front Page

Caithness Biodiversity Index

Nature & Environment Index

Priority Habitats:
The habitats listed below have been identified by the UK Biodiversity Steering Group as ‘priority habitats’ and are present in Sutherland. Habitat Action Plans or Statements have been prepared for these habitats, and are available on the website www.ukbap.org.uk . Additional local priorities, which are not covered by the national categories but are nonetheless important habitats in their own right, have been identified and are distinguished by an (L).

Coastal saltmarsh Beaches, dunes & machair
Coastal sand dunes
Coastal vegetated shingle
Machair
Mudflats
Saline lagoons
Seagrass beds
Beaches (L)

Lowland heathland (inc maritime heath)
Maritime cliff and slopes

Eutrophic standing waters Rivers & lochs
Mesotrophic lakes
Rivers & burns (L)
Lochs (L)

Fens
Reedbeds

Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh
Lowland dry acid grassland
Lowland meadows
Purple moor grass and rush pasture
Upland hay meadows
Herb-rich grassland (L)

Cereal field margins
Arable crops (L)
Crofting mosaic (L)

Lowland wood pasture and parkland
Native pine woodlands
Upland mixed ashwoods
Upland oakwood
Wet woodland
Upland birch woodland (L)
Hazel woods (L)
Alder woods (L)
Upland scrub (L)

Coniferous plantations (L)
Policy woodland (L)

Limestone pavements
Upland calcareous grassland
Mountain (L)
Limestone areas (L)
Knock-and-lochan (L)

Blanket bog
Upland heathland

Parks & gardens (L)
Roadside verges (L)

Beaches, dunes and machair

Coastal clifs & heaths

Rivers and lochs

Wetlands
 

Rough grassland

Arable crops & field margins

Semi-natural woodland

Plantation forestry

Mountain

Moorland

Town & village