Forvie National Nature Reserve

The Forvie National Nature Reserve, also called the Sands of Forvie, is a nature reserve managed by Scottish Natural Heritage that is north of Newburgh in Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland. Forvie National Nature Reserve has the fifth largest sand dune system in Britain, and the least disturbed by human activity. The dune system is an integral part of the Ythan Estuary and separated by the estuary from Balmedie beach. The reserve contains large areas of sandy foreshore, mobile and fixed dunes, dune pasture and lowland heath and the successional development of vegetation. The sand dunes are of various stages of evolution and contain marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), red fescue, (Festuca rubra), crowberry, (Empetrum nigrum), the cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix), common sedge, (Carex nigra), marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris) and the invasive creeping willow (Salix repens ssp. argentea). The reserve contains the largest breeding colony of eider duck in Britain and an internationally important ternery. The area is designated as a Special Protection Area for wildlife conservation purposes. The reserve is managed by Scottish Natural Heritage. Stevenson Forvie Centre near Collieston provides information on the reserve.

The Forvie National Nature Reserve, also called the Sands of Forvie, is a nature reserve managed by Scottish Natural Heritage that is north of Newburgh in Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland. Forvie National Nature Reserve has the fifth largest sand dune system in Britain, and the least disturbed by human activity. The dune system is an integral part of the Ythan Estuary and separated by the estuary from Balmedie beach. The reserve contains large areas of sandy foreshore, mobile and fixed dunes, dune pasture and lowland heath and the successional development of vegetation. The sand dunes are of various stages of evolution and contain marram grass (Ammophila arenaria), red fescue, (Festuca rubra), crowberry, (Empetrum nigrum), the cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix), common sedge, (Carex nigra), marsh pennywort (Hydrocotyle vulgaris) and the invasive creeping willow (Salix repens ssp. argentea). The reserve contains the largest breeding colony of eider duck in Britain and an internationally important ternery. The area is designated as a Special Protection Area for wildlife conservation purposes. The reserve is managed by Scottish Natural Heritage. Stevenson Forvie Centre near Collieston provides information on the reserve.