Firth of Forth Islands (2477)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1b, A1d, D1a
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Firth of Forth Islands
Central coordinates: Latitude: 56.1865, Longitude: -2.5562
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 76
Area of KBA (km2): 1.51617
Protected area coverage (%): 73.22
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A large group of islands situated in the Firth of Forth. The inner islands are generally low-lying, whilst those in the Outer Firth are higher, steeper and rockier. The islands support extensive maritime cliff-top grasslands. They are important for breeding seabirds and waterbirds.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Delineation rationale: First identified in 1989 as Forth Islands; renamed in 2007. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale. Additional area added on 1:50,000 maps.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research (100%) | tourism/recreation (80%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 50 | |
| Grassland | 50 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy production & mining | Renewable energy | Only in the future |