Dornoch Firth & Loch Fleet. 24/03/97; Scotland; 7,837 ha; 57°51'N 004°02'W. National Nature Reserve, SSSI, Special Protection Area EC Directive. The Dornoch Firth is a large complex estuary which has been relatively unaffected by industrial development, whilst Loch Fleet is an example of a shallow, bar-built estuary. Extensive sandflats and mudflats are backed by saltmarsh and sand dunes with transitions to alder Alnus glutinosa woodland. It supports nationally scarce aquatic plants and British Red Data Book invertebrates. Over the winter it provides habitat for Anser anser (1.1% of the population), Anas penelope (1.2% of the population), and Limosa lapponica (1.1% of the population). Human activities include tourism, forestry, fishing, grazing, and hunting. Ramsar site no. 897. Most recent RIS information: 2005.

Scotland