| East Caithness Cliffs SPA | |
|---|---|
 The cliffs atMid Clyth | |
 Location and extent of the East Caithness Cliff SPA in northern Scotland | |
| Location | Caithness,Scotland |
| Area | 11,696.38 ha (45.1600 sq mi)[1] |
| Established | 1996[2] |
| Governing body | NatureScot |
The nameEast Caithness Cliffs refers to weatheredsandstone cliffs on the east coast ofCaithness inScotland. The cliffs, which rise to 150 m atBerriedale, provide ideal nesting conditions for breeding seabirds,[3] and are protected by several overlappingconservation designations:
The area is also protected by six separateSites of Special Scientific Interest SSSI, which overlap wholly or partly with the other designations:[6]
The cliffs are of particular importance for seabirds, hosting up to 300,000 individuals during the breeding season. This is the most important area on the east coast of Scotland forblack guillemot, with over 1,500 individuals breeding here each year.[3] There are also important populations ofcommon guillemot,razorbill,herring gull,black-legged kittiwake,shag,great black-backed gull,cormorant andnorthern fulmar.[6]
The cliffs are also important for the plant species they support. The cliffs provide a range of habitats that are typical of northern Scotland, although lacking the extreme exposure ofCape Wrath or island locations. Species of note found on the East Caithness Cliffs includeroseroot andScots lovage, whilstmeadowsweet is found in more sheltered areas. There are two small areas ofsaltmarsh in which can be foundsaltmarsh rush, and herb species are plentiful in ungrazed grassland and heathland areas on the cliff tops. In the southern parts of the area the climate is more moderate, and scrub has developed in gullies. Here can be found tree species such aswillow,juniper,hazel,hawthorn andaspen.[7]
The management strategy for the cliffs encourages light grazing of the grass and heathland in order to enable plants to flower and set seed whilst preventingbracken from becoming established.Muirburn is strongly discouraged.[8][9]
| Historic Marine Protected Areas | |
|---|---|
| Nature Conservation MPAs |
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| Demonstration and Research MPA | |
