Wildlife & Conservation
Biodiversity
(short for biological diversity) means the variety of life. In the Cairngorms
it includes all living things and the environment of which they are part,
from the magnificent Golden eagle on the mountain to the tiny ant
in the forest. Biodiversity is the basis of everything we regard as special
in the Cairngorms and is at the heart of the reason the area is a National
Park.
The extensive Cairngorms mountains support tundra and arctic alpine plant and animal communities over a larger continuous area than anywhere else in Britain. The burns, rivers, lochs and wetlands are in good condition and have a higher degree of 'naturalness' than almost anywhere else in the EU. Our freshwaters are used as a bench mark of high water quality against which other areas are judged. The plateaux is dissected by straths where the largest remnants of native woodland in Britain, as well as important examples of heathland are set in cultural landscape of great beauty. The local farmland and grasslands have been managed in a less intensive manner than other areas so are still important for many plants and animals.
As a consequence of this variety in a relatively small geographical area, a large proportion of the UK's most threatened, localised and endangered species occur in the Cairngorms, including a quarter of the Government's top 'Priority' species. For a considerable number of these, the Cairngorms hold a significant proportion of the UK population and range, and in a few cases, the entire population. For these reasons, the Cairngorms merit the description as the jewel in the crown on Scotland's natural heritage.
The Cairngorms has an important and unique range of natural heritage resources in a local, national and international context and consequently deserves special attention. 39% (147,194 ha) of the Cairngorms are covered in national and international conservation designations, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), Special Protections Areas (SPAs), candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSAC), Ramsar sites, National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and National Scenic Areas (NSAs). The Cairngorms is also a candidate World Heritage Site for Earth Heritage containing the finest collection of different glacial landforms in the UK.
These designations or accolades are designed to help conserve specific areas of the Cairngorms where landscape, geology, wildlife and historical interest are of particular or exceptional importance. Whilst designated sites have an important role to play in nature conservation, they are inadequate in isolation and should not be seen as 'refuges' in an otherwise hostile environment. The National Park Authority is committed to the protection and enhancement of wildlife across the whole Park and not just in important places where it is specifically protected by nature conservation designations.
Cairngorms Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP)
The Cairngorms LBAP is a long-term initiative that seeks to initiate actions for biodiversity across the whole Cairngorms area - raising awareness of protecting, enhancing and appreciating the biodiversity of this fantastic area of Scotland. For further information on the Cairngorms LBAP project, please click here.
360° Panoramas
Click on one of the following links to view a 360° panoramic image in QuickTime VR format of an area in the Park.
