Designated Sites in West Lothian

Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

A Special Area of Conservation protects, by law, one or more special habitats and/or species listed in the European Habitats Directive NatureScot - The Habitats Directive and Habitats Regulations (opens new window). Scotland has 243 designated SACs - two of these are in West Lothian. They are Blawhorn Moss near Blackridge (also a National Nature Reserve) and Craigengar in the Pentland Hills. Both contain habitats and/or species that are of international significance.

Blawhorn Moss National Nature Reserve (NNR)

There are 43 National Nature Reserves across Scotland, which are legally protected, and Blawhorn Moss is one of them. It is owned and managed by NatureScot. This wilderness has been designated as it is a rare survivor of the raised and blanket bogs that once covered much of central Scotland. There is over 8,000 years of history here, locked into the peat layers of the raised bog.

Why Peat Bogs are important 

About 18% of the world's peatlands are found in Scotland. They contain specialised species and are thought to hold over 3000 million tons of carbon. Unfortunately, Scotland has already lost approximately 80% of its peatlands through land reclamation, forestry, farming and peat extraction and many of those remaining are under threat. A healthy peat bog absorbs and stores carbon over time but an unhealthy, dry bog releases carbon, adding to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and contributing greatly to climate change.

Peat can also help prevent flooding as it acts like a giant sponge.  It soaks up and stores rainwater coming from the surrounding area, allowing it to be slowly released into the surrounding waterways. This helps to reduce the impacts of flooding further down the valley, as the moss helps reduce the force and speed of the water which in turn reduces the amount of erosion.

For directions and more information, see NatureScot's dedicated Blawhorn Moss Web Page (opens new window)

Pentland Hills Regional Park

A well-known leisure destination for the residents of Edinburgh and surrounds, the Pentland Hills Regional Park is also protected for its valuable habitats and landscape character. The park is a mixture of publicly-owned land (such as Hillend, Bonaly, and Harlaw), and private land. The publicly owned land falls within the councils of Edinburgh, Midlothian and West Lothian. Reservoirs dot the landscape, providing homes for many birds and mammals. Harperrig Reservoir is located within West Lothian and has been designated as a Local Nature Reserve (see below).

For more information, see the Pentland Hills Regional Park (opens new window)

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Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs)

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are areas of land and water that we consider best represent our natural heritage in terms of their flora (plants), fauna, (animals), geology (rocks), geomorphology (landforms), or a mixture of these natural features. They are designated by NatureScot under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, in order to protect the special interest of the site from damage or deterioration. It is an offence for anyone to intentionally or recklessly damage the protected natural features of an SSSI. We have 16 SSSI's in West Lothian - these are listed below.

	Name of Site	Location	Special features
1.	Blawhorn Moss	Blackridge	Raised bog
2.	Calder Wood	Mid Calder	Upland Oak woodland and valley fen
3.	Carribber Glen	nr. Linlithgow	Upland mixed Ash woodland
4.	Cobbinshaw Moss	nr. Harburn	Intermediate bog (blanket)
5.	Cobbinshaw Reservoir	nr. Harburn	Open water transition fen
6.	Craigengar	Pentland Hills	Blanket bog; Subalpine dry heath; Spring head, rill and flush; and rare marsh saxifrage
7.	East Kirkton Quarry	Bathgate	Geology (limestones)
8.	Firth of Forth	Blackness/ Hopetoun coast	Geology / landscape / habitats / species (esp birds); in this location species rich coastal and semi improved grassland
9.	Hermand Birchwood	West Calder	Upland birch woodland
10.	Linhouse Valley	Murieston	Habitat patchwork: lowland acid and neutral grasslands, species rich valley fen and upland mixed ash woodland
11.	Linlithgow Loch	Linlithgow	Largest natural freshwater loch in the Lothian area and lowland eutrophic loch
12.	Lochote Marsh	Torphichen	Basin fen and only known West Lothian site for rare mud snail
13.	Petershill	Bathgate	Limestones, Lowland neutral grassland and Lowland calcareous grassland
14.	Philpstoun Muir	Philpstoun	Upland mixed ash woodland
15.	Skolie Burn	Loganlea	Geology (limestones) and Lowland neutral grassland
16	Tailend Moss	between Livingston/ Bathgate	Raised bog

For more information on SSSI's and specific information for each of the above, see Nature Scot SSSI Webpages (opens new window).

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Local Nature Reserves (LNRs)

These can be all sorts of places - woodlands,  wetlands, meadows or coastal sand dunes. LNRs provide wild spaces where plants and  animals, both common and rare, can thrive. They offer a more natural environment than parks and gardens, but are still readily accessible to a wide range of people. LNRs are protected from development through the Local Development Plan.

Easter Inch Moss and Seafield Law 

This area of lowland peat bog and bing was designated an LNR as it is locally important. It was designated a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in 2007. The reserve is located between Blackburn and Seafield and gives people the chance to learn about and enjoy nature close to where they live.

As well as being a valuable green space for local residents, the moss is also home to over 140 different plant species, with 11 being recognised as rare in West Lothian.  The moss is home to a wide array of bird life, insects and mammals in the open areas, with toads and newts found in the damp wet areas. 

Like many peat bogs in the UK, Easter Inch Moss has been damaged by poor management over the years but is recognised as an important area for wildlife which should be protected for generations to come.  Although it is already a refuge for wildlife, Easter Inch Moss has the potential to return to its former glory as a lowland peat bog offering a diverse matrix of niche habitats for peatland flora and fauna. This restoration process has been started through NatureScot's Peatland Restoration Fund and volunteers - helping to dam ditches and remove encroaching scrub. The council continues to actively manage Easter Inch Moss, with assistance from various volunteer groups, and continues to work towards the long-term management objectives. 

If you'd like to get involved with this site contact the Ecology and Biodiversity Team - Ecology&Biodiversity@westlothian.gov.uk (opens new window)

For more information visit Easter Inch Moss & Seafield Law

Harperrig Reservoir LNR 

Harperrig Reservoir lies to the north of the Pentland Hills within the West Lothian boundary and within the boundary of the Pentland Hills Regional Park. It is owned by City of Edinburgh Council and managed as part of the Water of Leith flood prevention scheme.

Around the reservoir is intensively grazed neutral grassland, along with large areas of marshy grassland. Harperrig Reservoir is in the process of being designated as a local nature reserve due to its flora and fauna, landscape, social and economic factors and cultural heritage, as well as recreation and access.

Find out more from the  Harperrig Reservoir 2nd Management Plan 2016-2021 [1MB]

Local Biodiversity Sites (LBSs) or Local Nature Conservation Sites (LNCSs)

Local Biodiversity Sites aim to ensure the conservation, maintenance and enhancement of species and habitats of fundamental nature conservation value. They are not legally protected, but local planning policies may be used to protect them from inappropriate development. Some sites are on land owned by West Lothian Council and some are on land owned by others. There are approximately 130 LBS's throughout West Lothian. They are listed and mapped in the council's Planning Guidance document Planning for Nature (opens new window).

These were designated by the Local Biodiversity Site group using strict criteria, including habitat, species present, abundance, size, and surrounding landscape. The LBS group is responsible for managing the LBS system, overseeing selection criteria, selection of sites, review and monitoring of sites and development of projects to ensure the conservation of sites. The West Lothian group currently includes representatives from West Lothian Council (WLC), The Wildlife Information Centre (TWIC), Butterfly Conservation, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT).

For more information on Local Biodiversity Sites, what they are and site selection processes, see  The Wildlife Information Centre Leaflet [670KB] .