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Special Areas of Conservation

Fair Isle

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Scotland
Unitary Authority Highlands and Islands
Centroid* HZ264720
Latitude 59.53333333
Longitude -1.533333333
SAC EU Code UK0030149
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 561.05
* 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 Fair Isle SAC

General site character

  • Shingle, Sea cliffs, Islets (24%)
  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (1%)
  • Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (5%)
  • Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (55%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (14%)
  • Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (1%)

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

  • 1230 Vegetated sea cliffs of the Atlantic and Baltic Coasts

    The sea cliff vegetation of Fair Isle is principally oceanic and varies from spray-influenced maritime grassland swards to sub-maritime heather Calluna vulgaris moorland. Prostrate juniper Juniperus communis ssp. nana, now rare throughout the rest of Shetland, remains common over extensive areas of the moorland.

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

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.