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Special Areas of Conservation

Broubster Leans

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Scotland
Unitary Authority Highlands and Islands
Centroid* ND038611
Latitude 58.52777778
Longitude -3.652777778
SAC EU Code UK0030099
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 172.19
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
Location of Broubster Leans SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (10%)
  • Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (70%)
  • Dry grassland, Steppes (2%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (15%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (3%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

Note When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • 7140 Transition mires and quaking bogs

    Broubster Leans has developed on a floodplain beside the River Forss in northern Caithness. The Leans support a diversity of plant communities from open water through to willow carr, rush-pasture and blanket bog. The main transition mire communities are S27 Carex rostrata – Potentilla palustris tall-herb and fen, S11 Carex vesicaria swamp (with water sedge Carex aquatilis replacing bladder sedge C. vesicaria, which has not been recorded at this site) and S10 Equisetum fluviatile swamp. These mire communities are notable for the abundance of water sedge C. aquatilis which replaces, or is frequently dominant over, other Carex species more typical of the habitat. A range of additional communities also occur including M9 Carex rostrata – Calliergon cuspidatum mire, S9 Carex rostrata swamp and M27 Filipendula ulmaria – Angelica sylvestris mire. Small areas of open water occur along the former bed of the River Forss.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

  • Not Applicable

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

  • Not Applicable

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.