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Special Areas of Conservation

Glen Beasdale

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Scotland
Unitary Authority Highlands and Islands
Centroid* NM721843
Latitude 56.896
Longitude -5.743
SAC EU Code UK0030154
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 546.37
* 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 Glen Beasdale SAC

General site character

  • Marine areas, Sea inlets (4.8%)
  • Coastal sand dunes, Sand beaches, Machair (1.3%)
  • Shingle, Sea cliffs, Islets (4.3%)
  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (0.5%)
  • Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (2%)
  • Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (23.2%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (3.1%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (60%)
  • Mixed woodland (0.3%)
  • Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (0.5%)

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

  • 91A0 Old sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum in the British Isles

    Glen Beasdale is one of the largest oakwoods in Lochaber. It is an extensive area of coastal old sessile oak wood on acid soils, derived from Moine rocks, and has a healthy ground cover with heather Calluna vulgaris and purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea. Moving inland, there are transitions to more birch-dominated areas at higher altitude. The bryophyte flora is rich and includes several species with an Atlantic distribution. A diverse lichen flora is also present. The woodland at Glen Beasdale is ecologically distinct from comparable oakwoods at Loch Moidart (within the Loch Moidart and Shiel Woods site), where the vegetation is influenced by base-rich rock outcrops.

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

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