Lochaber Local Biodiversity Group

Highland Biodiversity - The Variety of Life

Lochaber Local Biodiversity Group

Important Habitats in Lochaber

Lochaber is an area of great natural variety, covering over 5,180 square kilometres in the West Highlands of Scotland. Lochaber holds many of the Highlands' best known landmarks: from the UK's highest mountain, Ben Nevis to its deepest freshwater body, Loch Morar, and the most westerly mainland point at Ardnamurchan.

Sea and Coast
Lochaber's marine and coastal environments contain a rich variety of habitat structures and species: in the seas surrounding the Small Isles and the exposed peninsulas of Ardnamurchan, Morvern, Morar and Knoydart; in the coastal cliffs and heaths on the Small Isles; and in the singing sands on Eigg and the dunes and silver sands of Morar.

River, Loch and Wetland
Freshwater rivers and lochs are home to rare animals such as fresh-water pearl mussels and breeding sites for black-throated divers, as well as typical West Highland species like Atlantic salmon, sea trout and brown trout, which live in nutrient poor lochs, lochans, spate rivers and burns.

In-bye Croft and Farmed Land
In-bye croft and farmed land support a wide range of grasslands, from the calcareous shell-sand machair by the coast to the acid grasslands on the hills. Although dwindling in extent, we still have some fields containing species-rich grasslands which, in biodiversity terms, are very important for the flowering plants, invertebrates and birds that live there. Some crofts and farms also have wetland habitats such as ditches, where the range of species is maintained by agricultural practices.

Woodlands
Our Atlantic coastal oakwoods are of international importance, particularly for the abundant species rich communities of mosses, liverworts and lichens that they contain. Examples can be found growing by the shores of Loch Sunart and in Glen Beasdale. Pinewoods such as those in Glen Loy and Glen Garry show specific characteristics related to their westerly positions; and the remnants of many birchwoods are scattered throughout much of Lochaber.

Mountain and Moorland
Species reflect the local conditions of climate and geology. Hardy arctic and alpine plants grow on the higher hills. Lower down, many of our less common plants are associated with outcrops of calcareous rocks. Our moorlands and bogs, some of which are extensive, include the internationally important peatlands of Rannoch Moor, Claish Moss and Kentra Moss.