Farmland and croftland

Farmland and farming is very important in shaping the landscape known to many of us, flower rich grasslands and hedges full of berries.  Farmland provides somewhere for a range of species to live, from the familiar hedgehog, to fields of cornflowers.

Croftland with the traditional management is an important cultural and ecological landscape and has helped form some of our most unusual habitats which make Scotland so special.

Hedgerows and field margins

There are about 46,000 km of hedgerows in Scotland - approximately the circumference of the earth but these are under threat.

Lowland grasslands

Lowland grasslands are rare in Scotland now, as many areas suitable for agriculture have been 'improved' to increase the yield,

Lowland heaths

Lowland heaths support a huge range of species, although they are a habitat maintained by management they are very important for biodiversity.

Traditional orchards and wood pasture

More than 90% of orchards in the UK have disappeared in the last 30 years. A number of factors are important including economic viability.

Plants of arable fields

Red poppies and blue cornflowers are part of our cultural heritage, threatened by intensive farming.

Related Links

Machair

This is one of Scotland's most remarkable living landscapes. Machair is one of the rarest habitats in Europe.