GUID­ANCE

Cairngorms Nation­al Park

Pàirc Nàiseanta a’ Mhon­aidh Ruaidh

Cairngorms Nation­al Park Forest Strategy 2018

Annexes

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Cairngorms Nation­al Park Forest Strategy 2018

Annexes

Pub­lished by:

Cairngorms Nation­al Park Authority

14 The Square

Grant­own-on-Spey

PH26 3HG

forest@​cairngorms.​co.​uk

01479 873535

www​.cairngorms​.co​.uk

Photo cred­it: Mark Hamblin/​2020VISION/​CNPA

CNPA 2018. All rights reserved.

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Cairngorms Nation­al Park Forest Strategy 2018

Annexes

1. Policy fit with stra­tegic objectives

Stra­tegic objectives

Policy state­ments	Wood­land cre­ation	Enhance exist­ing woods	Restore lost woods	Encour­age nat­ur­al regen­er­a­tion	Pro­duct­ive forests	Dis­ease and invas­ive spe­cies	Employ­ment	Innov­a­tion and mar­ket­ing	Access and enjoy­ment	Com­munity involvement
Man­aged moorland	•	•	•		•	•			•
In-bye agri­cul­tur­al land		•					•		•	•
Peat­lands			•	•			•
Deer man­age­ment	•	•	•	•					•
Deer fen­cing	•	•	•	•	•				•
Land­scape and wild land	•	•	•		•
Des­ig­nated sites	•	•	•	•	•				•
Forest hab­it­at networks	•	•	•	•	•	•			•
Mont­ane woodland		•	•		•				•
Ripari­an woodland	•	•	•				•		•
Aspen		•	•				•
Wood­land remnants	•	•	•		•		•	•
Ancient and semi-nat­ur­al woodland		•	•
Felling				•	•				•
Bio­se­c­ur­ity, invas­ive spe­cies and wildfire	•	•				•	•		•
Employ­ment	•	•	•	•	•		•
Pro­duct­ive woodland					•
Nat­ur­al flood management	•	•	•				•		•
Low car­bon and car­bon trading			•		•		•	•	•
Respons­ible access	•	•	•						•
Health	•	•	•		•		•		•
***
## 2. Scot­tish Nat­ur­al Her­it­age assess­ment of suit­ab­il­ity for wood­land expansion
## or cre­ation on des­ig­nated sites
## (Spe­cial Areas of Con­ser­va­tion and Spe­cial Pro­tec­tion Areas)

NAME	SAC or SPA	Scot­tish Nat­ur­al Her­it­age assess­ment of suit­ab­il­ity for wood­land expan­sion or creation
Aber­nethy Forest	SPA	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Anagach Woods	SPA	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Bal­loch­buie	SAC	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided. NOTE: This is caveated by the fact that Scot­tish Gov­ern­ment has agreed favour­ing the expan­sion of a spe­cified area of Annex I pri­or­ity qual­i­fy­ing hab­it­at Cale­do­ni­an forest at the expense of two non-pri­or­ity qual­i­fy­ing hab­it­ats (wet heath­lands with cross-leaved­heath, and European dry heaths) with­in the SAC. There­fore fur­ther wood­land expan­sion would require par­tic­u­larly care­ful con­sid­er­a­tion, as the impacts on these reduced hab­it­ats could (depend­ing on loc­a­tion) be pro­por­tion­ally great­er for future wood­land pro­pos­als, poten­tially lim­it­ing the scope for fur­ther wood­lands (unless anoth­er case for favour­ing Cale­do­ni­an forest was approved).
Bal­loch­buie	SPA	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.

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NAME	SAC or SPA	Scot­tish Nat­ur­al Her­it­age assess­ment of suit­ab­il­ity for wood­land expan­sion or creation
Beinn a’ Ghlo	SAC	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Caen­lochan	SAC	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Caen­lochan	SPA	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Cairngorms	SAC	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or small scale expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land, and some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided. NOTE: This is caveated by the fact that Scot­tish Gov­ern­ment has agreed favour­ing the expan­sion of a spe­cified area of Annex I pri­or­ity qual­i­fy­ing hab­it­at Cale­do­ni­an forest at the expense of two non-pri­or­ity qual­i­fy­ing hab­it­ats (wet heath­lands with cross-leaved heath, and European dry heaths) with­in the SAC. There­fore fur­ther wood­land expan­sion would require par­tic­u­larly care­ful con­sid­er­a­tion, as the impacts on these reduced hab­it­ats could (depend­ing on loc­a­tion) be pro­por­tion­ally great­er for future wood­land pro­pos­als, poten­tially lim­it­ing the scope for fur­ther wood­lands (unless anoth­er case for favour­ing Cale­do­ni­an forest was approved).
Cairngorms	SPA	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or small scale expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land, and some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.

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NAME	SAC or SPA	Scot­tish Nat­ur­al Her­it­age assess­ment of suit­ab­il­ity for wood­land expan­sion or creation
Cairngorms Mas­sif	SPA	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or small scale expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land, and some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Coyles of Muick	SAC	Grass­land hab­it­at unlikely to be suit­able for wood­land cre­ation or expan­sion as it is likely to have a sig­ni­fic­ant effect on qual­i­fy­ing interest, which is reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­at, res­ult­ing in an adverse effect on site integrity.
Craigmore Wood	SPA	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Cre­ag Meagaidh	SAC	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Cre­ag Meagaidh	SPA	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided
Cre­ag nan Gamhainn	SAC	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Din­net Oakwood	SAC	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Drumochter Hills	SAC	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.

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NAME	SAC or SPA	Scot­tish Nat­ur­al Her­it­age assess­ment of suit­ab­il­ity for wood­land expan­sion or creation
Drumochter Hills	SPA	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Forest of Clunie	SPA	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Glen Tanar	SAC	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Glen Tanar	SPA	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Green Hill of Strathdon	SAC	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Insh Marshes	SAC	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of wet woodland/​riparian hab­it­at sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on such hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment demon­strat­ing that there would be no det­ri­ment­al impacts on qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) and that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Kin­veachy Forest	SPA	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Lad­der Hills	SAC	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.

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NAME	SAC or SPA	Scot­tish Nat­ur­al Her­it­age assess­ment of suit­ab­il­ity for wood­land expan­sion or creation
Loch Vaa	SPA	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Loch­nagar	SPA	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Mon­adh­liath	SAC	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Mor­rone Birkwood	SAC	Poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of nat­ive wood­land sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on wood­land hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Muir of Dinnet	SAC	Unlikely to be suit­able for wood­land cre­ation or expan­sion as it is likely to have a sig­ni­fic­ant effect on qual­i­fy­ing interests, which are reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­at, res­ult­ing in an adverse effect on site integ­rity. (The site is being man­aged to reduce the level of exist­ing wood­land encroach­ment due to sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the European dry heath qual­i­fy­ing interest in particular.)
Muir of Dinnet	SPA	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of wet woodland/​riparian hab­it­at sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on such hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment demon­strat­ing that there would be no det­ri­ment­al impacts on qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) and that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
River Dee	SAC	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of wet woodland/​riparian hab­it­at sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on such hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment demon­strat­ing that there would be no det­ri­ment­al impacts on qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) and that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
River South Esk	SAC	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of wet woodland/​riparian hab­it­at sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on such hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment demon­strat­ing that there would be no det­ri­ment­al impacts on qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) and that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.

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NAME	SAC or SPA	Scot­tish Nat­ur­al Her­it­age assess­ment of suit­ab­il­ity for wood­land expan­sion or creation
River Spey	SAC	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of wet woodland/​riparian hab­it­at sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on such hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment demon­strat­ing that there would be no det­ri­ment­al impacts on qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) and that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
River Spey — Insh Marshes	SPA	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of wet woodland/​riparian hab­it­at sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on such hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment demon­strat­ing that there would be no det­ri­ment­al impacts on qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) and that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
River Tay	SAC	Some poten­tial for sens­it­ive enhance­ment or expan­sion of exist­ing areas of wet woodland/​riparian hab­it­at sup­port­ing qual­i­fy­ing interests that rely on such hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment demon­strat­ing that there would be no det­ri­ment­al impacts on qual­i­fy­ing interest(s) and that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
The Maim	SAC	Area with qual­i­fy­ing interests reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­ats but with some poten­tial for small scale mont­ane scrub/​riparian hab­it­at, sub­ject to assess­ment identi­fy­ing suit­able areas that min­im­ise likely sig­ni­fic­ant effects on the qual­i­fy­ing interests to demon­strate that an adverse effect on site integ­rity can be avoided.
Tulach Hill and Glen Fend­er Meadows	SAC	The only part of the SAC in the Nation­al Park is Glen Fend­ers Mead­ows, which is unlikely to be suit­able for wood­land cre­ation or expan­sion as this is likely to have a sig­ni­fic­ant effect on qual­i­fy­ing interests, which are reli­ant on non-wood­land hab­it­at, res­ult­ing in an adverse effect on site integrity.