Wildlife require a clean, healthy and well managed habitat to survive. We are fortunate to have a wide range of habitats from the shallow waters of the Solway to the tops of the Galloway Hills. The Dumfries & Galloway Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) includes Habitat Action Plans for all of these habitats, each of which describes their importance and outlines the actions required to conserve and enhance them. A total of 43 of the most important habitats in the region have been selected as Local Priority Habitats.

All Dumfries & Galloway habitats that are listed in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan have been selected as Local Priority Habitats. Note, however, that in some cases the local habitat is not directly equivalent to the UK definition.

Local Priority Habitats

Sea & Seashore Habitats

Subtidal Rock, Subtidal Sands and Gravels, Intertidal Sand and Mud Flats, Seagrass Beds, Intertidal Rocky Shores, Honeycomb Worm Reefs

 Section 3. Sea and Seashore Habitats [1Mb]

Coastal Habitats

Coastal Shingle Beaches, Coastal Sand Dunes, Coastal Saltmarshes (Merse), Coastal Cliffs and Slopes

 Section 4. Coastal Habitats [1Mb]

Wetland Habitats

River Headwaters, Lowland Rivers and Backwaters, Exposed River Shingle, Eutrophic Lochs, Mesotrophic Lochs, Oligotrophic Lochs, Reedbeds, Marshes, Upland Springs and Flushes

 Section 5. Wetland Habitats [1Mb]

Peatland Habitats

Fens, Raised Bogs, Blanket Bogs

 Section 6. Peatland Habitats [614kb]

Grassland & Heathland Habitats

Purple Moor-grass & Rush pastures, Calcareous Grasslands, Neutral Grasslands, Acid Grasslands, Inland Rock Outcrops, Montane Moss-heaths, Upland Heaths

 Section 7. Grassland & Heathland Habitats [828kb]

Native Woodland Habitats

Native Wet Woods, Native Ash Woods, Native Oak Woods, Native Birch Woods

 Section 8. Native Woodland Habitats [1Mb]

Forest Habitats

Forest Ponds

 Section 9. Forest Habitats [609kb]

Farmland habitats

Wood Pastures and Parklands, Arable Fields, Traditional Field Boundaries, Farm Ponds, Traditional Orchards

 Section 10. Farmland habitats [1Mb]

Built Habitats

Industrial and Post-industrial Sites, Urban Watercourses and Wetlands

 Section 11. Built Habitats [1Mb]