Factsheet for Uists IPA

Country Logo

Site Code

Country: United Kingdom

Central coordinates: 57.24117991o [57o 14' 28" North], -7.41690635o [7o 25' 0" West]

Administrative region: Scotland Western Isles (Outer Hebrides)

Area: 13420 ha

Altitude: 0 - 75

Site Description
From SSSI Citation and SAC Site Details -
The Uists are the central group of islands in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The Uists IPA has been identified for stonewort, bryophyte, vascular plant and habitat interest, including machair - one of the rarest habitats in Europe. Almost half of the Scottish machair occurs in the Outer Hebrides, with the best and most extensive in the Uists and Barra, and also Tiree. Machair sand has a high shell content, sometimes 80 or 90%. This helps distinguish it from the ‘links’ of eastern coasts, which are formed from more mineral-based sand.

Botanical Significance
Noted for: vascular, stonewort, bryophyte and habitat interest.

From SSSI Citation and SAC Site Details - The Uists are the central group of islands in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The Uists IPA has been identified for stonewort, bryophyte, vascular plant and habitat interest, including machair - one of the rarest habitats in Europe. Almost half of the Scottish machair occurs in the Outer Hebrides, with the best and most extensive in the Uists and Barra, and also Tiree. Machair sand has a high shell content, sometimes 80 or 90%. This helps distinguish it from the ‘links’ of eastern coasts, which are formed from more mineral-based sand.
The Uists support some of the richest tracts of machair, which is formed when wind-blown sand is deposited onto the naturally peaty soils. Over the years, a combination of the mild, wet climate and non-intensive crofting methods have shaped the machair that we see today: a diverse haven for an astonishing variety of wildlife. Up to 45 plant species can be found in one square metre. The machair in North Uist is different from that found on South Uist because of local differences in traditional methods of cultivation.
Loch nam Madadh (Loch Maddy) and Loch Euphort (Loch Eport) in North Uist are rock-bound silled lagoons and important sites for stonewort species. Rock-bound silled lagoons in Europe are virtually restricted to the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, where they are known as oban. These oban are areas of shallow coastal saltwater of varying salinity which are separated from the main body of the loch by rock sills.

Management guidance notes
None

Notes
Component sites: Ardmore Pool & Loch Bee, South Uist, Baleshare & Kirkiboost, Isle of Baleshare Lochs, Isle of Berneray, Loch Eport inlets, North Uist, Loch nam Madadh, Loch Ollay area, South Uist, Loch Stilligary and Loch Druidbeg, South Uist, North Uist Machair, South Uist Machair.

Noted for: vascular, stonewort, bryophyte and habitat interest.

Anagallis minima; Atriplex parecox; Baldellia ranunculoides Carex diandra; Circuta virosa; Dactylorhiza viridis; deschampsia setacea; Equisetum variegatum; Gentianella campestris; Juncus balticus; Oenanthe fistulosa; Ophioglossum azoricum; Orobanche alba; Platanthera bifolia; Polygonum boreale; Potamogeton filiformis; Potamogeton friesii; Potamogeton praelongus; viola tricolor; zostera marina