SUSTAINABILITY

FEATURES
The pride of the Clyde
The Garelochead estate looking north to the mountains of Argyll © Crown
Situated on the confluence of Loch
Long, Gare Loch and the River Clyde
the defence landholding is regarded
by many as one of the premier sites for
wildlife in central Scotland.
The Garelochhead conservation group
comprises of four establishments,
HMNB Clyde, RNAD Coulport, DM
Glen Douglas and Garelochhead
Army Training Centre. They all have
their own character and range of
habitats. The well worn cliché of
‘Scotland in miniature’ can truly be
attributed to such an impressive range
of environments. From Munro sized
mountains, (hills over 3,000ft), through
moorland, extensive native woodland
to active industrial sites on the shores
of deep sea lochs, these habitats play
host to many of northern Britain’s classic
species. The following is an introduction
to each site, covering the species for
which they have become synonymous.
HMNB Clyde is the home of the nation’s
submarine fleet. A former Victorian
estate, it still has the remnants of its
policy woodlands. It has changed a
great deal since those days and the
high security infrastructure which
dominates the landscape protects not
only the naval assets but colonies of
breeding sea birds. One of the highest
densities of nesting eider Somateria
mollissima in the UK can be found here.
A remarkable sight amongst the naval
base machinery, the birds nest in the
most unlikely of places, from flower
planters, sea defences to busy car parks.
The first eider was recorded on the
Clyde in 1904 and created considerable
excitement within natural history
societies, especially one of our nation’s
oldest, Glasgow Natural History Society.
Most if not all of central Scotland’s
natural history societies have visited
the establishment to enjoy the 200
plus pairs of nesting eiders and other
species in the naval base. With a name
that belies its concerning conservation
status, common gull Larus canus have
taken to nesting too, in ever increasing
numbers. Ordinarily nesting around
isolated lochs and reservoirs in our
higher hills, the birds have found a
predator free environment within
HMNB Clyde. Proactive pest control
has reduced predation by the brown
rat Rattus norvegicus in particular and is
A female eider incubating a Faslane
nest site © John Simpson
thought to be the main reason for the
birds colonising and exploiting the site.
A nest with three eggs will invariably
produce a nest with three young. Whilst
a conservation success story, the birds
can come into conflict with on-going
strategic commitments and pragmatic,
imaginative solutions need to be
found. One such solution and only
employed if all other options have been
exhausted, is a collaborative initiative
to move, under licence from Scottish
Natural Heritage (SNH) any nest that
might be damaged by necessary naval
operations. With incubators supplied
by Glasgow University and care facilities
delivered by Hessilhead Wildlife Trust, a
local wildlife rescue and rehabilitation
centre, the birds are in good hands. This
process is managed by the Royal Navy’s
environmental health department and
monitored by the MOD Police. With
a supporting cast of black guillemot
Cepphus gr ylle, Eurasian oystercatcher
Haematopus ostralegus and ringed
plover Charadrius hiaticula the base
is a real contradiction in terms and
fascinating for visiting ornithologists.
The closely associated RNAD Coulport
is the storage and process facility for
the nation’s strategic nuclear deterrent.
Rising from sea level, its important
hilltop heather habitat provides nesting
for some of our most threatened
species, particularly hen harrier Circus
cyaneus. Coulport has become one of
the only regular breeding sites for this
species throughout central Scotland.
The MOD Police are pivotal in protecting
the 2-3 pairs which breed annually. Each
year, the fledglings are ringed and some
chicks are fitted with satellite trackers to
monitor their movements.
The results have been startling and
form the basis for conservation and law
enforcement strategies for a heavily
persecuted raptor. A partnership project
with Forestry Commission Scotland
(FCS), the RSPB and the Scottish Raptor
Study Group (SRSG) has been at the
forefront of research with this wonderful
and enigmatic species.
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Sanctuary 44 • 2015