Loch Druidibeg

Loch Druidibeag is a freshwater loch situated on the island of South Uist, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The loch is near the northern end of the island, to the north-east of Howmore and to the east of the A865 road and south of the B890.

Designations

The Loch Druidibeg Biosphere Reserve was designated in 1976. It exhibits a cross-section of habitats from alkaline machair grassland through oligotrophic loch to acidic moorland. This highly diverse range of habitats is variously influenced by the oceanic exposure with high levels of salt spray and humidity, and the influence of settled agriculture on which the species-rich machair grassland depends. Loch Druidibeg is managed for strict conservation purposes, however traditional cultivation and cattle grazing practices are encouraged as an integral part of management for biodiversity. Numerous cooperative projects between conservation agencies and the local community in the Uists are carried out. The biosphere reserve also includes a Ramsar site.

Although no special research and education facilities are available, the biosphere reserve is frequently used for scientific and conservation-orientated research as well as for environmental education of schoolchildren.

Proposals made in the periodic review for extending this reserve to meet the Seville criteria are being considered.

Loch Druidibeg was withdrawn as a biosphere reserve in 2013.[1]

Loch Druidibeg was designated as a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1958. Following a review, it was de-declared as a National Nature Reserve in 2012. It is also part of the South Uist Machair Special Area of Conservation and the South Uist Machair and Lochs Special Protection Area.

Ownership

The area, in total, is 1,677 hectares (4,140 acres). 1,043 hectares (2,580 acres) of freshwater and moorland, with some croftland, is owned by Scottish Natural Heritage (bought in 1958); 643 hectares (1,590 acres) acquired in 1962 under a management agreement with the owners South Uist Estates and the crofters occupying and managing the croftland/grazings. The local planning authority is Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

There are buffer zones extending 10 miles (16 km) to 15 miles (24 km) north and south of the zone, under similar schemes.

References

This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC-BY-SA IGO 3.0 "UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory".  "Licensing page". 

To learn how to add open-license text to Wikipedia articles, please see Wikipedia:Adding open license text to Wikipedia.

Notes
  1. ↑ "Withdrawal of biosphere reserves". UNESCO. Retrieved 31 March 2017.

Coordinates: 57°18′56″N 7°19′31″W / 57.3155°N 7.3254°W / 57.3155; -7.3254

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