06 Apr Critical habitat restoration work completed at the iconic Quiraing site
Key milestone sees path and habitat restoration work completed in response to the growing number of visitors to the Quiraing and Isle of Skye
As part of the Skye Iconic Sites Project (SISP), Scotland’s leading environmental charity Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland (OATS), continues to promote sustainable practices as they reach a key milestone at the iconic Quiraing site on the Isle of Skye.
The upgrade and creation of new paths followed by habitat restoration at the popular site have now been completed, in ongoing efforts to improve accessibility to an all abilities and more abilities standard and restore the surrounding land to its original status.
For the habitat restoration, extensive work was carried out over the course of a week to returf areas that had suffered vegetation loss due to recent increased visitor footfall damage.
With assistance from the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division (SGRPID), permission was given from the local Crofting Grazing Committee to use turfs from a ‘donor site’, half a mile from the Quiraing visitor site. These were then transported to the various locations that needed re-turfing, with each turf butted up and tamped in for both landscaping and to help establishment.
OATS will continue to closely monitor the turfing over the coming year to check the progress in establishment.
Dougie Baird, CEO of Outdoor Access Trust, said: “Sustainability and habitat restoration form the core values of the Skye Iconic Sites project, by implementing this approach we aim to develop and protect the incredible sites on Skye so the public can enjoy them for years to come.
We are pleased to have reached this key milestone at the Quiraing, as we move forward we will monitor the progress of the turf establishment over time. We would like to extend our thanks to the local Crofting Grazing Committee for their assistance with the use of donor turfs, which we greatly appreciate.
The completion of the path network is a significant achievement and will improve ease of access for visitors, as well as protecting vital ecosystems.”
The habitat restoration activity at the Quiraing site is part of extensive SISP work planned and managed by OATS and supported by the Skye Iconic Sites Partnership. SISP is part of an almost £9 million Scottish programme of projects to invest in the Highlands and Islands to provide more and better-quality opportunities for visitors to enjoy natural and cultural heritage assets. The Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund is led by NatureScot and is part-funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).