COMMUNITY groups and national wildlife organisations have called on the Scottish Government to take urgent action to protect the Garnock Estuary.

Comprising the Ardeer Peninsula in Stevenston and Garnock East in Irvine, the site is a unique mosaic of dunes, grassland, woodlands, scrub and wetlands.

Campaigners say that although it has been altered by the site's complex industrial past, it remains an incomparable haven for wildlife, including species that have been lost across much of the landscape.

It is home to more than 1,000 invertebrate species, including at least 99 of conservation concern and some found nowhere else in Scotland.

The estuary is also one of the most important breeding bird populations on the Lower Clyde coast and supports at least 46 rare plants, including endemic sub-species and those for which Scotland has an international responsibility.

Campaigners say the site should be a wildlife haven(Image: Iain Hamlin)

However, its rich diversity of life is under threat from a special development order dating back to 1953, when the Nobel Explosives ICI site covered much of the landscape.

This means that planning permission is not required for development and activities which would require consent almost anywhere else in Scotland.

The site is already suffering from ongoing sand extraction which is damaging its unique dune habitats. With a number of large and potentially damaging developments proposed in recent years, time is running out to save one of Scotland's most fascinating wildlife sites.

The campaign has been backed by Buglife, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Central Scotland, RSPB, Plantlife Scotland, Nature Recovery Scotland and the Butterfly Conservation Glasgow and Scotland branch.

Three years ago the groups asked for the Garnock Estuary to be urgently designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - but despite the ongoing efforts of the Scottish Government's NatureScot to gather evidence necessary to assess the site's value, the threat of development continues to hang over it.

A letter has now been sent to the chief executive of NatureScot highlighting the urgent need to act to preserve the Garnock Estuary.

NatureScot has previously confirmed that parts of the Garnock Estuary are likely to be of SSSI quality, and has been reaching out to landowners to visit the site and propose a boundary for the area that would be protected.

However, there have been repeated delays and unsuccessful attempts to access sites, leaving wildlife groups concerned that the site's future remains insecure.

A grayling at the Garnock Estuary site(Image: Iain H Leach)

Craig Macadam, Buglife co-leader and director of conservation, said: "This is an incredible opportunity to make progress towards meeting the Scottish Government's commitment to reversing biodiversity loss and NatureScot's strategic goal of protecting 30 per cent of Scotland's land for nature by 2030.

"We have identified a unique and special wildlife site worthy of SSSI notification. If we cannot give the Garnock Estuary the protection that it deserves, what hope do we have of rising to the 2030 challenge?"

Iain Hamlin from the Ardeer Action Group said: "Three years ago, we provided NatureScot with all the evidence available to us to demonstrate the national importance of the Garnock Estuary. Since then, the site has continued to suffer from large-scale habitat destruction.

"We appreciate all of NatureScot's effort to date, but the urgency to protect the site remains."

David Hill, butterfly conservation interim head of Nature Recovery Scotland, added: "We are experiencing a climate and nature emergency. With one in nine Scottish species at risk of extinction, this is a clear chance for NatureScot to use the best tools at its disposal to protect our best wildlife sites. We urge NatureScot to not drag their feet any longer."

A report by the Ardeer Action Group (a coalition of wildlife organisations and representatives from the local community) produced in 2022 shows that the Garnock Estuary is of national importance for nature and home to:

* More than 1,000 invertebrate species, including 99 species of conservation concern, and some found nowhere else in Scotland.

* One of the best breeding bird sites on the Lower Clyde coast.

* Dozens of rare flowering plants.

* A unique mosaic of high-quality wildlife habitats which are listed on the Scottish Biodiversity List.

NatureScot has been approached for comment.