National Nature Reserve
The northern side of Beinn Eighe is a National Nature Reserve managed by Scottish Natural Heritage. Formed in 1951 it was the first such area in Great Britain. Based around a visitor centre located two miles north-west of Kinlochewe the reserve covers 4,800 hectares. It has extensive marked trails through woodland on the lower slopes of Beinn Eighe, picnic areas and viewpoints.
The reserve covers a mixture of open moorland, woodland and bogs, and is home to a number of protected species, including red deer, golden eagles and pine martens. Many rare plants, including two variants of dwarf shrub heath and a western variant of moss heath, are also to be found on the reserve.
In addition to the National Nature Reserve facilities the area is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve. This provides a field station with full laboratory facilities for up to fourteen people. The station is used by scientists and researchers to co-ordinate field data recording and also provides a base for undergraduate fieldwork.
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