Quoys of Garth
Also within
Condition (NatureScot)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Quaternary of Scotland | Favourable | — | 2024-08-13 |
Climate exposure
This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.
Peat habitats store centuries of carbon and depend on a stable, waterlogged water table. Warmer, drier summers dry out peat, making it far more vulnerable to wildfire and to carbon release — a pressure that can undo years of restoration work regardless of how well the site is otherwise managed.
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Quaternary
Landscape processes: Peatland / Mire
Description
Quoys of Garth Quoys of Garth Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is located in the north-east of Garths Voe in the North Mainland of Shetland, by the side of the road leading to Sullom Voe terminal. It comprises a small area of peat exposed along a drainage ditch on the east of the site. It is notified for its importance in the study of the Quaternary, the most recent period of geological time. Quoys of Garth SSSI is a key reference site for understanding vegetation successions and environmental history during the Flandrian (Holocene interglacial extending from about 11,700 years ago to the present) in Shetland. It is one of only a few sites in Shetland at which postglacial vegetation development has been examined using pollen and plant macrofossil analysis together with radiocarbon dating. The results indicate the past status of trees and shrubs in the northernmost part of the British Isles and provide the most detailed evidence for optimal vegetation development between about 7,800 and 5,000 years before present. In addition, the deposits at Quoys of Garths include a sand layer formed just after 6000 years ago.