Biodiversity Habitat Audit
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is one of only two National Parks in Scotland. Its location within the central belt of Scotland, and straddling many upland, lowland, freshwater and coastal habitats makes it important, not only to species and habitats, but also to many of Scotland’s human population – c.70% of whom live within one hour drive of the park. The park became fully operational in 2002, with a State of the Park Report based on the interim committee area being produced in 2005. However, the data were collated prior to the final park boundary being set, and so did not include large areas of Cowal, Strathfillan and Glen Dochart, Loch Earn and Lake of Menteith. Therefore, there is incomplete coverage of data for the Park in its current form.
In order to further develop the National Park Biodiversity Action Plan (NPBAP) for the park and for use in planning the Park Authority needed up-to-date, comprehensive biodiversity information and data. The following report describes an audit to establish a baseline and repeatable methodology for long term monitoring of UKBAP habitats that occur in the National Park. In addition a species checklist was also collated.
Main findings
- The audit identified 38 BAP priority habitats and 206 UK BAP priority species reported within the National Park
- In addition 307 Scottish Biodiversity List species, 59 Wildlife and Countryside Act species and 30 Habitats Directive species have been listed.
- BAP habitat maps were generated from earlier surveys that used different methods e.g. Birks and Ratcliffe; Phase 1 habitat mapping; and NVC.
- The conversion methodology described herein provides a prototype for future habitat audits.