1 Compilation date October 2001

2 Country UK (Scotland)

3 Name of wetland Sleibhtean agus Cladach Thiriodh (Tiree Wetlands and Coast)

4 Site centre location: Latitude: 56 30 00 N Longitude: 006 52 00 W

5 Altitude (m) Min: 0 Max: 20 Mean 0

6 Area (ha) 1938.59

7 Overview

The site is comprised of 2 sectors, an intertidal sector comprising of rocky shore, sandy bays and shingle shore. A second, inland sector consists of machair plain, marsh, and wet moorland with several small lochs and numerous pools, and also one large freshwater loch. The inland areas provide roost sites for internationally important numbers of wintering geese from Greenland and breeding sites for a variety of wader species, while the intertidal sectors support internationally important numbers of wintering wader populations. Several of the lochs are of international importance for their rich aquatic plant communities which include a range of nationally scarce and nationally rare species, while the site provides excellent representation of dune and machair habitats, also of international importance.

8 Wetland type Inland wetland, Marine/coastal wetland

Code	Name	% Area
D	Rocky shores	19
E	Sand / shingle shores (including dune systems)	29
O	Freshwater lakes: permanent	11
Tp	Freshwater marshes / pools: permanent	41

9 Ramsar Criteria 1, 6

10 Map of the site yes

11 Compiler

Joint Nature Conservation Committee Monkstone House City Road Peterborough Cambridgeshire PE1 1JY UK Telephone/Fax : +44(0) 1733 562626 / +44(0) 1733 555948

12 Justification of criteria

Criterion 1. The site supports substantial areas of freshwater loch, freshwater marsh, wet machair and maritime grassland all of which are in near-natural condition. One of the lochs is of international importance as an example of a eutrophic machair loch; this and several other lochs are of international importance for their rich aquatic plant communities which include the nationally rare Shetland pondweed Potamogeton rutilis and a range of nationally scarce aquatic vascular plants and charaphytes. The site provides one of the best examples in Britain of machair habitat (including the associated machair loch) which has a very restricted world distribution.

Ramsar criterion 6 During the Breeding Season the site regularly supports internationally important populations of: Dunlin Calidris alpina schinzii. Over winter the site regularly supports internationally important populations of: Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis, Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula, Turnstone Arenaria interpres, White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons  

13 General location

On the Island of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides Administrative Region: Strathclyde

14 Physical Features

Soil & Geology	acidic, alluvium, basic, cobble, gravel, metamorphic, mud, nutrient-poor, nutrient-rich, sand, shingle
Geomorphology and Landscape	intertidal rock, intertidal sediments (including sandflat/mudflat), open coast (including bay), pools
Nutrient status	eutrophic, oligotrophic
pH	acidic, alkaline, strongly alkaline
Salinity	fresh, saline / euhaline
Soil	mainly organic
Water permanence	usually permanent
Summary of main climatic features	"Rainy, temperate climate with a mild winter and periodic frost. Mean minimum temperature approximately 5.8°C. Mean maximum temperature approximately 13.6°C. Mean annual precipitation approximately 961.6mm, with a winter maximum. "

15 Hydrological values

Recharge and discharge of groundwater

16 Ecological features

The intertidal sector comprises of rocky shore, shingle shore and sandy shore. The inland sector is largely moorland with frequent pools and lochans. The predominant vegetation is wet heathland with abundant Calluna vulgaris, Erica tetralix and Scirpus caespitosus; there are also areas of marsh and fen. The substrate is generally wet and locally boggy. There is also an area of machair plain grading from low dune into wet machair. There is one large eutrophic freshwater loch (Loch a’Phuill) with high pH levels, and several smaller lochs. Several of the lochs support diverse communities of aquatic plants including a variety of Potamogeton species.

17 Noteworthy flora

Species occurring at levels of International Importance: Habitat Type Embryonic shifting dunes Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (white dunes) Fixed dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes) Humid dune slacks Machairs Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition-type vegetation Species occurring at levels of National Importance: Higher Plants Potamogeton rutilis Potamogeton filiformis Potamogeton coloratus Dactylorhiza traunsteineri Elatine hexandra Isoetes echinospora Juncus balticus Deschampsia setacea Lower Plants Chara aspera (a stonewort) Tolypella glomerata (a stonewort)

18 Noteworthy fauna

Birds

Species occurring at levels of international importance (as identified at designation):
During the breeding season the area regularly supports:
Dunlin, Calidris alpina schinzii (Baltic/UK/Ireland)	114 pairs, representing an average of 1% of the breeding population (1994-1995)
Over winter the area regularly supports:
Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsis (Eastern Greenland/Scotland/Ireland)	1456 individuals, representing an average of 5% of the population (1995/96 - 1999/00)
Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula (Europe/Northern Africa (wintering))	653 individuals, representing an average of 1% of the population (1995, 1998, 1999)
Turnstone, Arenaria interpres (Western Palearctic (wintering))	873 individuals, representing an average of 1% of the population (1995, 1998, 1999)
White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons	1419 individuals, representing an average of 5% of the population (1995/96 - 1999/00)
Species currently occurring at levels of national importance:
During the breeding season the area regularly supports:
Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus (Europe & Northern/Western Africa)	151 pairs, representing an average of <1% of the GB population (1994 - 1995)
Redshank, Tringa totanus (Eastern Atlantic (wintering))	139 pairs, representing an average of <1% of the GB population (1994 - 1995)
Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula (Europe/Northern Africa (wintering))	96 pairs, representing an average of 1% of the GB population (1994 - 1995)

19 Social and Cultural Values

20 Land tenure/ownership

Ownership category	On-Site	Off-Site
Non-governmental organisation	+	+
Local authority, municipality etc.	.	+
Private	+	+

21 Current land use

Activity	On-Site	Off-Site	Scale
Nature conservation	+	+	Small-Scale
Tourism	+	+	Large-Scale
Recreation	+	+	Large-Scale
Collection of non-timber natural products: (unspecified)	+	+	Small-Scale
Fishing: recreational/sport	+	.	Small-Scale
Livestock watering hole/pond	+	.	Small-Scale
Rough or shifting grazing	+	+	Large-Scale
Permanent pastoral agriculture	+	+	Large-Scale
Hunting: recreational/sport	+	+	Small-Scale
Mineral exploration	.	+	Small-Scale
Domestic water supply	+	+	Small-Scale
Non-urbanised settlements	.	+	Small-Scale
Other	.	+	Small-Scale

22 Adverse factors affecting the ecological character of the site

Activity

On-Site

Off-Site

Scale

23 Conservation measures taken

Conservation measure	On-site	Off-site
SSSI	+	+
SPA	+	+
Land owned by a NGO for nature conservation	+	+
ESA	+	+
SAC	+	+

24 Conservation measures proposed but not yet implemented

see below

Site vulnerability and management statement. Sheep and/or cattle grazing is the main land use over most of the site; the continuation of low-intensity grazing regimes will help to maintain the special interest of the site. Crofters undertake occasional ditch creation or clearance on the wet moorland areas, and in some cases this is likely to affect the qualifying interests. However this will continue to be addressed through management agreements or agri-environment schemes as necessary. Groundwater extraction for public use takes place from Loch a’Phuill and its vicinity and could have a localised impact on the qualifying interests, this issue is addressed through discussion with the local water authority. Small-scale sand and gravel extraction takes place from intertidal and machair areas, and is locally impacting on the qualifying interest. However, this issue is being addressed through the development of an aggregates strategy by a partnership between SNH, the local authority and islanders. Much of the site is entered into an agri-environment scheme which promotes overall conservation management.

25 Current scientific research/survey/monitoring and facilities

- Monitoring of bird populations at the Reef sector of the site is undertaken by RSPB.
- Monitoring of qualifying features will be undertaken by SNH as part of its Site Condition Monitoring programme.

26 Current conservation education

27 Current recreation and tourism

Parts of the site used for informal recreation (walking, wildlife watching, etc) by locals and visitors, particularly in summer. Wind-surfing takes place on several of the beaches, mainly in autumn. There is occasional freshwater fishing on Loch a’Phuill. Wildfowling takes place in season.

28 Functional jurisdiction

Scottish Office, Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department

29 Management authority

Scottish Natural Heritage Argyll and Stirling Area Office Glencruitten Road Barcaldine Oban Argyll PA34 4DN tel 01631 567228 fax 01631 567229

Anon. 1995. Biodiversity: the UK Steering Group report. Volume 2: action plans. London, HMSO.

Barne, J.H., Robson, C.F., Kaznowska, S.S., Doody, J.P., Davidson, N.C., & Buck, A.L. eds. 1996-1998. Coasts and seas if the United Kingdom. Regions 1-17. Peterborough Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Batten, L.A., Bibby, C.J., Elliott, G.D., & Porter, R.F., eds. 1990. Red Data birds in Britain: action for rare, threatened and important species. London, T & A. D. Poyser.

Bignal, E., Curtis, D., & Matthews, J. 1988. Islay: land types, bird habitats and nature conservation. Part 1. Land types and birds on Islay. CSD Reports, No. 809, Part 1.

Bratton, J.H., ed. 1991. British Red Data Books: 3. Invertebrates other than insects. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Brown, A.E., Burn, A.J., Hopkins, J.J., & Way, S.F., eds. 1997. The Habitats Directive: selection of Special Areas of Conservation in the UK. JNCC Reports, No. 270. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Buck, A.L. 1993, 1996, 1997. An inventory of UK estuaries. Volume 2-7. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Chandler, T.J., & Gregory, S., eds. 1976. The climate of the British Isles. London, Longman.

Cranswick, P.A., Waters, R.J., Musgrove, A.J. & Politt, M.S. 1997. The Wetland Bird Survey 1995-96: wildfowl and wader counts. Slimbridge, British Trust for Ornithology, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds & Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Dargie, T.C.D. 1993. Sand dune vegetation survey of Great Britain: a national inventory. Part 2. Scotland. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Department of the Environment. 1995. Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report. Volume 1: Meeting the Rio Challenge. London, HMSO.

Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. 1998. UK National Report to the 7th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Doody, J.P., Johnston, C., & Smith, B. 1993. Directory of the North Sea coastal margin. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee

Drury Hunt, I. & MacGuire, F., eds. 1996. High and Dry: The impacts of over-abstraction of water on wildlife. Biodiversity Challenge. Sandy, RSPB.

English Nature. Natural Areas; Nature Conservation in Context version 1.1. CD-ROM. English Nature, Peterborough.

English Nature. 1996. Impact of Water Abstraction on Wetland SSSIs. English Nature Freshwater Series Number 4. Peterborough, English Nature.

Perring, F.H., & Farrell, L. 1983. British Red Data Books: 1. Vascular plants. Nettleham, Lincoln, Royal Society for Nature Conservation.

Pritchard, D.E., Housden, S.D., Mudge, G.P., Galbraith, C.A. & Pienkowski, M.W., eds. 1992. Important Bird Areas in the United Kingdom including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Sandy, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Ratcliffe, D.A., ed. 1977. A nature conservation review: volumes 1 & 2. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Rodwell, J.S., ed. 1991. British plant communities. Volume 2. Mires and heaths. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Rodwell, J.S., ed. 1995. British plant communities. Volume 4. Aquatic communities, swamps and tall-herb fens. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

Rose, P.M. & Scott, D.A. 1997. Waterfowl Population Estimates Second edition. Wageningen, Wetlands International.

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. 1998. Land for Life. Sandy, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Shirt, D.B., ed. 1987. British Red Data Books: 2. Insects. Peterborough, Nature Conservancy Council.

Stewart, A., Pearman, D.A., & Preston, C.D., eds. 1994. Scarce plants in Britain. Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

Stroud, D.A., Mudge, G.P. and Pienkowski, M. W., eds. 1990. Protecting Internationally Important Bird Sites. Peterborough, Nature Conservancy Council.

Reference should also be made to Country Agencies Management Plans for sites that are within National Nature Reserves.