Machair

Machair is a Gaelic word, and means a very fertile coastal soil mixed type, which can be found in Scotland and Ireland.

Essential components of the soil are a high proportion of mineral-rich shell sediments, as well as a share of organic substrate, often peat. The basic effect of the mussel Sands and the acidic effect of the peat neutralize effectively remains the most fertile nutrient mixture. This results in an exceptionally lush and species-rich vegetation, which is in turn the basis for a wide range of animal species, especially insects and birds.

A large part of the Scottish machair is located in the Outer Hebrides and was there as arable or pasture land for thousands of years an essential basis for the diet of the population.