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Special Areas of Conservation

Glen Shira

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Scotland
Unitary Authority Highlands and Islands
Centroid* NN138158
Latitude 56.29777778
Longitude -5.009444444
SAC EU Code UK0030346
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 65.24
* 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 Shira SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (4.6%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (11.1%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (84.1%)
  • Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (0.2%)

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 Shira is located at the northern end of a typical U-shaped valley on a south-east – north-west axis, rising from sea level to above 500 m. The site contains habitat representative of old sessile oak woods with Ilex and Blechnum. The site comprises two distinct blocks of oak wood, separated by the River Shira and associated areas of open and grazed ground which are excluded from the site. The orientation of the valley means that the woodland is situated on both north-west and south-east facing slopes, which has encouraged the development of greater diversity. The qualifying oakwood habitat in the western part of the site is interspersed with areas of non-qualifying alder–ash woodland and patches of open ground where regeneration is occurring. The eastern block consists almost entirely of qualifying old sessile oak wood, mainly oak-dominated, with alder Alnus glutinosa, ash Fraxinus excelsior and hazel Corylus avellana also present. The main NVC types representing old sessile oak woods across the site are W11 and W17. The woods support an outstanding assemblage of bryophytes, including both oceanic ‘Atlantic’ types and calcicolous species. Glen Shira as a whole is considered to be one of the richest woodland bryophyte sites in Scotland, with 128 species recorded within the western block alone, of which 27 are Atlantic species.

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.