Moine Mhòr

Moine Mhòr ("Great Moss" in Scottish Gaelic) encompasses a large area of raised bog in the Kilmartin Glen area of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. As well as raised bog there are areas of saltmarsh, brackish grassland, alder carr, fen and woodland, and the variety of habitats at Moine Mhòr provide important habitats for a variety of animal and plant species. The area was declared a national nature reserve (NNR) in 1987, and is now owned and managed by NatureScot. According to NatureScot lowland raised bogs like Moine Mhòr are some of the rarest and most threatened natural wildlife habitats in Europe, due to removal of peat, afforestation and reclamation of farmland. Around 8,000 people visit the Moine Mhòr NNR every year, with the reserve being popular with local people and school groups, as well as tourists visiting the nearby attractions of Kilmartin Glen and the Crinan Canal. A 600 m nature trail has been constructed at the northern edge of the reserve; other visitor facilities include a car park and picnic area.