St Cyrus NNR - The Management Plan
1 Introduction
St Cyrus National Nature Reserve (NNR) is on the Aberdeenshire coast approximately 7 kilometres (km) north of Montrose. The reserve is a 2.5 kilometre sweep of extensive sand dunes and species rich grassland, sandwiched between the North Sea and towering inland cliffs. Within its narrow confines nature has combined one of the most beautiful coastlines of north eastern Scotland with an extraordinary wealth of wildlife. On a clear day, the view from the top of the cliffs looking over the reserve is stunning.
The ridge of sand dunes and the cliffs provide shelter creating an unusually warm climate for this part of Scotland. These warm conditions mean St Cyrus is one of the richest botanical sites on the northeast coast of Scotland. A rich insect fauna parallels the diversity of plants. The reserve is home to several rare plant and insect species, some of which are at their northern limit in Britain. The reserve also supports a variety of breeding birds and a wide range of birds use the North Esk estuary. Gulls and terns are particularly vocal in the summer months, and large numbers of wintering wildfowl and waders use the area to feed and roost.
St Cyrus is one of a suite of NNRs in Scotland. Scotland’s NNRs are special places for nature, where some of the best examples of Scotland’s wildlife are managed. Every NNR is carefully managed both for nature and for people, giving visitors the opportunity to experience our rich natural heritage. St Cyrus NNR is managed by NatureScot. Nearly 45 hectares at the heart of the reserve are managed through a Nature Reserve Agreement with an individual owner. The remaining land within the NNR is owned by NatureScot.
Our management plan sets out the overall direction and our aspirations for managing St Cyrus for the next ten years. It builds on work delivered in the last management plan. The plan sets out our vision and objectives, and the tasks we have identified as being needed to deliver those. We will review progress with the plan after 5-years to ensure our management is delivering the right outcomes and will complete a final review before producing our next plan.
2 Our Vision for St Cyrus NNR
St Cyrus National Nature Reserve is a unique site; a long sweep of coastal habitats sheltered by volcanic cliffs. The long expanse of golden beach, dunes and species rich grassland attract high numbers of visitors. People value and appreciate this unique and special place. They come here to experience nature at first hand visiting with family and friends, for an event or outdoor learning visit.
The reserve has a reputation as an excellent educational resource. It has strong links with learning institutions across Aberdeenshire and Angus and caters for students of all ages. The reserve provides opportunities for people to be actively involved developing their skills through placements and volunteering.
The reserve is a popular destination for local people and holiday-makers as well as a valued resource for walking, naturalist and health groups. Current and relevant interpretation and a network of trails enable people to enjoy the best of what St Cyrus NNR has to offer. The reserve offers events open to all visitors.
Strong links with the local community are established and continue to develop and improve. The community are engaged and involved with the running of the reserve. They are proud of the reserve and understand the importance of the management work carried out by Scottish Natural Heritage.
The rich mosaic of coastal grassland, dune and estuarine habitats that lie nestled between the natural barriers of inland volcanic cliffs and a seaward ridge of sand dunes are in excellent condition. The breath-taking displays of wildflowers and amazing variety of insects and birds, on one of the richest coastal National Nature Reserves in Britain, are all thriving.
Excellent grassland management protects and enhances the botanical diversity. The success of this management is reflected in monitoring results. Some gorse and bracken are controlled to provide optimal conditions for botanical and bird interests. The reserve is a sanctuary for breeding and wintering birds.
3 Natural heritage management
Protected Areas and special features
The 92 hectares (ha) of St Cyrus NNR were first designated as a NNR in 1962. Today, NatureScot owns 15 ha at the northern end of the reserve and 33 ha at the southern end. The central 44 ha remains under private ownership, but are managed by NatureScot under a Nature Reserve Agreement, in place until 2038. A further 5 ha are declared as part of the NNR but are not under an official agreement or managed as part of the reserve. We will look to resolve this issue over the course of the plan.
We are also interested in extending the NNR to include the foreshore areas managed by the Crown Estate Scotland. We will work with them to see if there is potential for this and if possible extend the NNR to include these areas.
The reserve is part of the larger St Cyrus and Kinnaber Links Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which is divided by the North Esk River, with St Cyrus to the north of the river and Kinnaber Links to the south. Lichen rich dune heath, saltmarsh and shingle communities on Kinnaber Links complement the diversity of habitats at St Cyrus. The management of the reserve is legally obliged to take particular account of the features of national importance for which the SSSI is notified and which occur on the reserve. These are summarised below.
- Breeding bird assemblage St Cyrus and Kinnaber Links SSSI
- Sand dunes St Cyrus and Kinnaber Links SSSI
- Small blue (Cupido minimus) St Cyrus and Kinnaber Links SSSI
- Moths St Cyrus and Kinnaber Links SSSI
- Lowland neutral grassland St Cyrus and Kinnaber Links SSSI
- Vascular plant assemblage St Cyrus and Kinnaber Links SSSI
Objective NH1: To manage the cliff habitats by controlling the spread of invasive species.
The western boundary of St Cyrus is mostly steep volcanic andesite cliffs forming a sweeping curve round the species-rich dune grassland. The upper sections of the cliffs are exposed rock and rough grass. As the cliffs descend to the beach the lower slopes are less vertical and a more mixed habitat occurs. Nearly 200 species of flowering plants have been recorded from the cliffs and slopes of which many are at or close to the northern limit of their range in Great Britain. The volcanic basalts and andesites of the cliffs weather easily, releasing base rich minerals into the soils below. These mineral rich soils, together with the sheltered aspect, encourage a diverse flora.
Generally we leave the upper areas of the cliffs alone and do no active management of the habitats. However on the lower areas the grasslands are at risk of being lost to a dense cover of bracken and gorse. In these areas we are controlling the spread of these species to protect the diversity of plants found in the ground layer. Both bracken and gorse create a dense cover, shading out any other plants which cannot compete. We control these species through a combination of bruising and cutting.
During the early years of this plan we will explore the option of introducing cattle grazing into areas below the cliffs. We will need to take into consideration whether cattle are the most appropriate method for managing this area, whether we can provide adequate animal husbandry and also how we manage them in an area with higher visitor numbers.
Across the lower slopes we also contain the spread of sycamore, an introduced species in this area. We remove saplings as early as possible to prevent them establishing.
The cliff is home to breeding fulmars, peregrine, buzzard, kestrel and in recent years ravens. We do no direct management for these species but do manage some sports to minimise disturbance. We are in regular contact with the national paragliding association and have a code of conduct to prevent disturbance; this is particularly important for the peregrines, a protected species.
| Task No. | Task description |
|---|---|
|
NH1.1 |
Contain the spread of sycamore as necessary. |
|
NH1.2 |
Control areas of bracken on lower slopes. |
|
NH1.3 |
Trial the introduction of cattle grazing. |
Objective NH2: Allow the dunes and their vegetation to evolve naturally, only intervening if necessary to prevent human related damage and remove invasive species.
St Cyrus is a dynamic coastal system. It is moved and shaped by constant wave action and wind. Sand is moved along the beach from the south and blown towards the cliffs at the north end of the beach where these reach down to the sea. Generally this is a steady process unless there are major storms or exceptional tides which can cause a very rapid change. Whilst this historical pattern has occurred for thousands of years, recent mapping suggests the build-up of the coast at the north may be slowing down. This is consistent with climate change expectations and if it continues erosion will become more common-place within the NNR.
As well as being one of the main attractions to the site the beach is an integral part of the dune system and is a valuable habitat in its own right, We are exploring the possibility of including the foreshore within the NNR.
The dune ridge between the beach and the dune grassland behind is stabilised by marram grass. This holds moisture in the dunes with the roots binding sand in place. Along the beach and the dune ridge we leave natural process to shape the landscape.
However on occasions we may take steps to reduce the impact of visitors in this area. We are keen to ensure that visitors access the beach at a small number of locations along the dune ridge and therefore try to point people to specific access points. Over the years a number of informal routes have developed and with use these create eroded routes across the dune ridge. These are then vulnerable to wind erosion and can create weaknesses in the ridge which very high tides can break through opening the whole area to increased erosion and damage to the more sheltered habitats protected by the dune ridge. We will continue to manage this and try to find solution to prevent further damage. If routes are not used over time the marram will recover and reclaim these areas. Erosion is not necessarily a bad thing and we will review and if necessary change our management to maintain or provide a range of habitats and landforms. Building resilience to climate change and awareness of this issue will be an important part of this work.
Directly behind the visitor centre is an area of relict saltmarsh and an old river channel. We will allow the area of relict saltmarsh to evolve naturally and only intervene to remove invasive and non-native species as necessary. If the saltmarsh returns through natural process we will allow this to occur. Alder trees have established in this area and we will control their spread if they are having a negative impact on the notified features of the site. We are also considering whether to remove some alder to open the vista from the upstairs of the visitor centre.
As well as providing one of the major attractions of the site management of the foreshore is integral to the site. We will therefore explore the best mechanism to deliver this
| Task No. | Task description |
|---|---|
|
NH2.1 |
Remove invasive and non-native species. |
|
NH2.2 |
Manage access to the dunes to limit visitor induced erosion. |
|
NH2.3 |
Explore the possibility of extending the NNR onto the foreshore |
Objective NH3: Improve condition and increase the areas of species rich dune grassland
Between the dune ridge and the cliffs there is an extensive area of species rich dune grassland. This area is sheltered by the cliffs and ridge creating an unusual micro climate. The grassland is particularly rich in species as a result. Many species of both plant and invertebrates found in the grassland are at the northern extreme of their range.
We manage the grasslands to maintain the species diversity. In this area to the north of the visitor centre we manage the grasslands through a combination of bruising, cutting and removal of invasive species. We control gorse to a low density but leave some areas as it is good for smaller birds species providing shelter and nesting areas. We keep bracken in check and cut the grassland back in small areas once a year, removing material to maintain the low nutrient input the species prefer.
To the south of the visitor centre we fenced an area of the reserve during the last plan to trial cattle grazing. The introduction of cattle has had the desired effect of keeping the grassland in good condition, reducing the density and areas of rank grassland and encouraging species diversity. We plan to continue with grazing in this area. We also remove a large proportion of ragwort from this area as it is in close proximity to fields used for grazing horses. It is left on other areas of the reserve as it is beneficial for many invertebrate species. Currently this is done by hand but we are trialling the introduction of sheep in the early spring as an alternative way to control it.
| Task No. | Task description |
|---|---|
|
NH3.1 |
Continue to manage the dune grassland. |
|
NH3.2 |
Continue targeted control of gorse scrub and bracken. |
Objective NH4: Carry out direct management for key species where clear, targeted action will be beneficial.
We manage areas of the reserve to improve biodiversity through creating and maintaining suitable habitat to encourage breeding birds or invertebrates for example. We also contribute to wider biodiversity targets by providing monitoring and species records to a number of national programmes. These can be programmes about how well populations are doing or to track changes in where a species breeds or their geographic limits. This type of data informs our own management and also trend data for how the wider environment is changing.
Birds
The diverse habitats of St Cyrus support both breeding, migrant birds and overwintering birds. Over 65 species have been recorded breeding on the reserve. This includes; songbirds, ground nesting ducks, raptors and waders.
We will continue to monitor the breeding birds of the reserve, both to inform our management and to contribute to national recording schemes. We will continue to maintain a seasonal voluntary exclosure area at the south of the reserve to maintain an area free from disturbance for breeding birds. We will monitor the effectiveness of our visitor management including the exclosure area at the south of the reserve and if appropriate modify our approach.
We count the cliff nesting seabirds as part of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee’s National Seabird Monitoring Scheme and monitor the birds of prey on the reserve to contribute to the North East Raptor Study Groups annual records.
Plants
We will continue monitoring key plant species to detect changes, using a standard surveying method. Monitoring of these species allows us to judge whether our management is effective. The results also contribute to wider recording.
Nottingham catchfly and clustered bellflower are both on the Scottish Biodiversity List and are two of the species which benefit from the grassland management described above.
Butterflies and moths
We will continue to monitor butterflies as part of the United Kingdom Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS). Butterflies are particularly sensitive to climatic change and will be one of the first indicators of change so contributions to the UKBMS are particularly important. We will continue to support and if possible assist with moth monitoring on the reserve.
We will continue to carry out and support monitoring and management of the other key species on the site including Small Blue butterfly.
Invertebrates
We will encourage monitoring and management of other Invertebrate species of national importance for example the centipede Lithobius macilentus, the spiders, Evansia merens and Agroeca cuprea amoungst others. St. Cyrus NNR is the only known Scottish locality for Agroeca cuprea a Nationally Rare species.
| Task No. | Task description |
|---|---|
|
NH4.1 |
Continue management to benefit key bird species |
|
NH4.2 |
Carry out seasonal visitor management during bird breeding season. |
|
NH4.3 |
Continue current annual monitoring of target species. |
|
NH4.4 |
Continue annual monitoring as part of the national Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. |
|
NH4.5 |
Carry out management for key species |
4 Management for People
Objective VM1: Facilitate the enjoyment, appreciation and understanding of the natural heritage of St Cyrus.
St Cyrus is a popular reserve; it is easily accessible from many communities along the North East coast of Scotland. The reserve has interest throughout the year. The reserve provides a valuable opportunity to connect people with nature and to showcase our response to issues such as adaptation to climate change.
Over the duration of the last management plan we saw a steady increase in the number of visitors to St Cyrus NNR. We have also seen a change in pattern with the reserve attracting visitors all year round and a more varied audience. During this plan as we develop and improve what is on offer at the reserve we will explore opportunities to make St Cyrus as accessible to as possible. We will take into account the varied needs of visitors and look to enhance provision for those from protected characteristic groups.
We want to continue to provide visitors with a high-quality visitor experience. With increasing numbers however there are pressures on the reserve and we need to manage these and balance this with the natural heritage interest of the site.
During the last plan we started a review of our facilities and began planning for improvements to the provision for visitors. We have installed some small scale projects including a bird hide overlooking the estuary and a new seasonal route, ‘The Floorie Meads Trail’, to help visitors to explore the flora of the dune grasslands.
Over the next 10-years we want to improve the sense of arrival and welcome for visitors. We are progressing with new signage and this will be delivered in the first year of the plan. This includes a new orientation area opposite the car park and signage at the viewpoint above the cliffs, accessible from St Cyrus village.
The next steps are to look at options for improving the external area outside the visitor centre to create a more welcoming space with better accessibility and facilities such as picnic areas.
We will also consider options for the displays in the visitor centre and to improve the information here and out on the reserve. This is likely to include some changes to the layout of the building to make it more efficient for example by improving the doors to reduce heat loss. But we also want to make the space more flexible in how it can be used. This would open up the building to be used more frequently for groups or events.
We will look at replacing and updating the information within the displays. There is potential for us to create capacity for displays which can be altered to reflect changes on site through the seasons but also to be flexible in providing space for exhibits or themed events.
We will continue to promote the reserve and to share information about what is happening and events including the broader messages we wish to promote. We will use a mixture of media including the Scotland’s NNR website, social media, newsletters, radio and other publications or media formats to keep people up to date about the reserve. We want to encourage people to visit but also to have a sense of being connected with the reserve.
We will provide an events programme each year. We will focus on events that reflect what makes St Cyrus special. Where resources allow we will also support initiatives that NatureScot adopts for example ‘Year of Young People’ and themed events such as ‘Mental Health Week’. We will encourage independent visits by groups and organisations.
We will continue to work with the varied user groups who come to St Cyrus to promote responsible access in line with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
Considerable effort has gone into working with people to manage issues with dogs on the reserve and over time problems have reduced. We do not want to see this issue return and will therefore continue with promotion of responsible access including keep dogs under control and clearing up after them.
| Task No. | Task description |
|---|---|
|
VM1.1 |
Review all interpretation including the visitor centre. |
|
VM1.2 |
Maintain and improve facilities and provision for visitors to create a positive visitor experience. |
|
VM1.3 |
Provide reserve leaflet. |
|
VM1.4 |
Provide an event programme. |
|
VM1.5 |
Promote the reserve and share up to date information. |
|
VM1.6 |
Monitor visitor numbers. |
|
VM1.7 |
Promote responsible access for all users. |
Objective VM2: Facilitate and encourage the use of the reserve for outdoor learning.
St Cyrus NNR is a popular site for outdoor learning for all ages from pre-school through to tertiary education. NatureScot supports teachers in developing skills to take classes out to green space through the ‘Teaching in Nature’ and other Continuous Professional Development course on outdoor learning. We do not have the capacity to provide staff support for the number of schools who wish to visit St Cyrus. We will therefore look at ways to support educational staff and to encourage them to bring students St Cyrus on self-led visits.
We will focus our support for outdoor learning on local cluster groups of schools; helping these pupils to have hands on outdoor experiences.
We will also continue to support local colleges visiting the reserve on study visits, in particular those who are studying subject areas that St Cyrus is well placed to deliver such as coastal habitats or geomorphology.
We will continue to provide teachers and lecturers with materials such as topic sheets and risk assessments to make visits easier.
Over the course of the last plan staff at St Cyrus supported a number of young people on personal development and skills programmes. Where possible we will continue to support a small number of these each year to help people gain hands on experience and learning in an outdoor environment.
We will enable specialist groups in particular those from disadvantaged backgrounds through supporting visits to St Cyrus for their summer schools.
| Task No. | Task description |
|---|---|
|
VM2.1 |
Continue to promote, facilitate and lead educational visits. |
|
VM2.2 |
Continue to support personal development and skills programmes for young people |
|
VM2.3 |
Continue to support summer schools for disadvantaged young people. |
Objective VM3: Encourage community engagement with the reserve.
St Cyrus NNR has built up good links with local communities and we want to continue to maintain these. We will continue to contribute to the local newsletter and if the community council is reinstated will work with them.
We have a liaison group who contribute ideas and suggestions on how the reserve is managed. We would welcome contributors from the local community and people with an interest in the reserve.
We have dedicated volunteers and wardens who support the reserve. Without their input some projects and monitoring would not be possible. We will continue to support volunteers and make opportunities available when we can.
There are a number of buildings at the centre of the reserve. These are old stores or bothies relating to the past fishing industry. These buildings are owned by private individuals and other bodies. Some of the buildings are currently semi-derelict and hazardous; they are also a magnet for anti-social behaviour. We would like to explore, along with the current owners, whether the community can see any potential use for the buildings and would be interested in developing them.
We will continue to take opportunities for engagement with partners and initiatives that are compatible with St Cyrus. For example we are working with a project to create a series of edible trails in the area one of which will end at St Cyrus.
| Task No. | Task description |
|---|---|
|
VM3.1 |
Continue St Cyrus NNR Liaison group meetings. |
|
VM3.2 |
Maintain links with community council. |
|
VM3.3 |
Support involvement of volunteer wardens. |
|
VM3.4 |
Work with community and owners to find a long-term solution for the bothies. |
|
VM3.5 |
Contribute to St Cyrus Newsletter. |
|
VM3.6 |
Support local events and initiatives where resources allow. |
5 Property Management
Objective PM1: To ensure property on the reserve is well managed
NatureScot is responsible for the management of the land and associated infrastructure – paths, fences etc. We own and maintain the visitor centre, office and storage in this area. The Council own and maintain the toilet block but NatureScot carries out day-to-day management to ensure the toilets remain open. The council also own and manage the car park.
We have an on-going maintenance programme for all infrastructure and repairs for general maintenance are carried out as required. We will carry out our work with due regard to our objectives regarding building resilience and climate change.
We carry out quarterly ‘Visitor Facility Inspections’ to ensure that all of the facilities we provide for our visitors are safe and in good working order. We have a rolling programme of maintenance work and also deal with issues as they arise carrying out maintenance as needed. We update the fire plan annually.
Over the course of this plan we will need to consider options for improving the storage at the reserve for equipment. The current storage around the visitor centre, a small garage and a container, is limited and the access is difficult making it awkward to manoeuvre some of the machinery needed for mowing. We need to find a solution to this.
We will also be looking at a redevelopment of the visitor centre and the area directly outside of it. This may involve landscaping or works to buildings. We will develop detailed requirements and plans for this during this management plan. As part of the process we will explore opportunities to improve accessibility for visitors to the reserve.
Private individuals and other bodies own some buildings in the centre of the reserve. They are responsible for maintenance and ensuring these buildings are kept in a safe condition. We manage a significant section of the reserve through a Nature Reserve Agreement and will continue this over the course of the plan.
|
Task No. |
Task description |
|---|---|
|
PM1.1 |
Maintain the reserve and all visitor infrastructure (trails, car park, toilets, viewpoint etc.) in good condition for visitors. |
|
PM1.2 |
Carry out quarterly safety and condition assessments of all visitor infrastructure and keep accurate records. |
|
PM1.3 |
Ensure the property is maintained and conforms to Health & Safety Regulations including risk assessment and fire plan reviews. |
|
PM1.4 |
Continue obligations relating to Nature Reserve Agreement. |
6 Planning and reporting
Objective PR1: Ensure management planning is adaptive and effective.
Ensure management planning is adaptive and effective.
The reserve plan provides valuable continuity however it is only part of the process and it will be monitored and reviewed on an on-going basis with formal milestones at regular intervals.
An interim review will be completed mid-plan unless there are significant changes that require an earlier review.
We will review the plan in the final year to inform preparation of the next management plan.
| Task No. | Task description |
|---|---|
|
PR1.1 |
Update annual budget for bidding. |
|
PR1.2 |
Report on finance and projects in corporate systems. |
|
PR1.3 |
Update annual report at least every quarter and finalise by end of Q1 of following financial year including objective evaluations. |
|
PR1.4 |
Do interim review of management plan |
|
PR1.5 |
Review current reserve plan and complete new management plan |
6 Document properties
Author: Therese Alampo, Reserve Manager
Editor: Susan Luurtsema, Operations Officer – Protected Areas
Signed off: Denise Reed, Area Manager
Date: March 2018
Links
For information about Scotland’s National Nature Reserves and further information about St Cyrus NNR please visit NatureScot website.
For information on the protected areas associated with St Cyrus NNR please go to SiteLink.
For further information on St Cyrus NNR please contact:
Reserve manager: Therese Alampo
Old Lifeboat Station
Nether Warburton
St Cyrus
Montrose
DD10 0AQ
Telephone: 01674 830736
Email: [email protected]
Last updated:
