ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY AND CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT IN THE CAIRNGORM MOUNTAINS, SCOTLAND

The Cairngorm Mountains are outstanding for nature conservation and re cognized to be of national and international importance for geomorphol ogy, woodlands and montane (alpine) environments. The climate is uniqu e in the mix of oceanic and continental influences, and this is reflec ted in the arctic-like character of the high montane zone, notably in its arctic-alpine plant communities, species, geomorphological process es and soils. There is a range of near-natural and semi-natural habita ts from valley mire and pine wood, through a transition of dwarf-shrub heaths and alpine grasslands to stony fell-field. These habitats occu r within an assemblage of geomorphological features which are of excep tional value for research on the changes which have shaped the mountai ns of Britain. A range of human activities has produced locally signif icant impacts on the montane zone, as well as an overall reduction in environmental quality. Various statutory and voluntary measures are in place under a range of conservation designations to mitigate these im pacts and to provide for environmental protection and enhancement. Imp acts from global sources, notably atmospheric pollution and climate ch ange, may potentially have greater and more widespread effects on the montane zone, but lie outside local management controls. Research is i n place or planned to monitor future changes.