eagles were reintroduced into Wester Ross during the 1990s, with 58 birds being released between 1993 and 1998. This was the second phase of the reintroduction of white-tailed eagles into Scotland, following on from the release of 82 birds on Rùm between 1975 and 1985. As of 2014, it was estimated that there were 98 breeding pairs living along the west coast of Scotland. Conservation designations The Wester Ross National Scenic Area covers 1635 km2 of countryside and seascape, and is the largest of the national scenic areas in terms of land area (1439 km2). It extends from Loch Kishorn in the south to Little Loch Broom in the north. There are two further national scenic areas (NSA) that include parts of Wester Ross: the Kintail NSA and the Coigach portion of the Assynt-Coigach NSA. Wester Ross was designated as a Biosphere Reserve in April 2016. The designated area is subdivided into three zones: A Core Zone of 53 km2, coincident with two protected sites, the Beinn Eighe and Loch Maree Islands National Nature Reserve and the Coille Mhór Special Area of Conservation. A Buffer Zone of 138 km2 surrounding these two sites and including the entirety of the National Trust for Scotland's Balmacara property. A Transition Zone of 5108 km2 covering the rest of Wester Ross (including 955 km2 of sea). Approximately 20% of Wester Ross is legally protected via the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) designation. In 2014 of coastal waters in the northern part of Wester Ross (from Rubha Rèidh to Coigach) was declared a Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area (NCMPA). National Trust for Scotland properties The National Trust for Scotland, a charity that cares for sites of historic or natural significance, owns seven properties in Wester Ross: The Kintail and Falls of Glomach Estate covers the mountains on the north side of Glen Shiel, including the "Five Sisters of Kintail" and the Falls of Glomach. The Falls became a Trust property in 1941, whilst the wider Kintail Estate entered Trust ownership in 1944. The estate is adjacent to the Trust's West Affric Estate in Inverness-shire. The Balmacara estate, which became a Trust property in 1946, is a crofting estate covering the land surrounding Plockton. The ruins of Strome Castle, situated on a rocky promontory in Loch Carron, have been a Trust property since 1939. Shieldaig Island, lying offshore from the village of Shieldaig, is entirely