Have your say on Cairnsmore of Fleet reserve

The six-week public consultation exercise will run from 11 March to 22 April 2016 inviting comments on management proposals for the reserve over the next ten years.

National Nature Reserves are special places where people can enjoy the best of Scotland’s nature and Cairnsmore of Fleet is a nationally important upland site which forms part of the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire Biosphere.

Cairnsmore is an imposing granite hill which stands above Wigtown Bay and sits at the top of the Fleet Valley National Scenic Area. One of the most southerly of the Galloway Hills, it includes a large area of open ground stretching from the Big Water of Fleet to the summit.

The site features a range of upland habitats, with heather moorland, blanket bog and wind-clipped summit heath all providing a home to a variety of upland species. Brown hares are seen around the lower ground whilst red deer and wild goat prefer the hill. Hen harrier, peregrine falcon, skylark and merlin can all be seen or heard and the lucky might also catch a golden eagle soaring up above.

SNH owns and manages the reserve through an agreement with another local landowner, providing information, interpretation and facilities to help people value and enjoy this unique site.

Francois Chazel, SNH reserve manager for Cairnsmore of Fleet NNR, said: “This consultation is a great opportunity for people to tell us what they think about the reserve and its management. We are particularly keen to involve communities and individuals who feel passionate about the reserve and the local landscape. People’s views are valuable to us, so these will be taken into account when we write the final plan. We also hope this consultation will be the start for further engagement and involvement on the reserve under the banner of the Biosphere.”

Leaflets about the proposals are available in the local area. You can get further information from the NNR website, or from SNH’s Dumfries office (Greystone Park, 55/57 Moffat Road, Dumfries, DG1 1NP. Tel: 03000 673 200). Responses should be emailed to SOUTHERN_SCOTLAND_ADMIN@snh.gov.uk