We have been pulling together a wide range of environmental datasets using Geographic Information System (GIS) software to identify potential landscape scale corridors for the central and western side of the county. We have also been engaged in on-going discussions with East Lothian Council who have a statutory duty to define a set of nature networks across the whole county.
Our Catchment Area
We are proposing to define our Muir to Forth area of interest based on the physical unit of the river catchment, in this case the catchments of the River Tyne, the East Peffer Burn and the Pilmuir Burn. The catchment areas are well defined in data available from SEPA. We have made minor amendments to include sites of higher biodiversity value near the catchment boundary edge. We have also considered key barriers for wildlife movement in particular the A1 carriageway and East Coast Mainline railtrack both of which create significant obstacles for north-south movement. Our approach recognises the major ‘nature opportunity’ presented by the road and rail bridges at East Linton.
Biodiversity Stepping Stones
Our network of nature corridors is largely, although not completely, based on the river network. Rivers and the associated land on either bank already provide valuable semi-natural corridors across our main landscape types. Not only do they support a vital freshwater habitat, for reasons of flood risk or steep terrain they often provide the link between existing high biodiversity ‘stepping stone’ sites termed ‘deans’ or ‘cleughs’. As such our rivers and river banks already act, to a greater extent, as East Lothian’s nature corridors connecting Sites of Special Scientific Interest like Lammer Law and Fala Flow in the Lammermuir Hills to local biodiversity ‘hotspots’ and reserves.
Examples include the Scottish Wildlife Trust sites around Gifford and Haddington such as Lennoxlove Woodlands, Bolton Muir and Fawn and Speedy Woods. Important sites of relic ancient woodland are also typically located in proximity to our rivers.
Our network boundaries have been adjusted to accommodate these sites including developing extensions that propose connectivity between native woodlands rather than via rivers.
At the current time our map presents boundaries in a draft form. We are meeting various stakeholders to discuss these ideas. We also want to take into account additional datasets together with knowledge of local experts and stakeholders before publishing a more detailed, interactive online map.
Engaging Landowners
To date we have not sought to make contact with the jigsaw pattern of landowners and land managers that manage the areas we have identified in our priority corridors. We do intend to do so although this is likely to take a considerable time given the number of parties involved and the lack of land title information for many of these areas.
The areas we define are not ‘designated’ in any way and there is no obligation on landowners to take action as a result. Our wish is to work with landowners collaboratively to explore options for managing these areas in a way that takes nature into account in their decision-making.
