Tummel Shingle Island is one of the rarest habitats to be found in the United Kingdom, the freshwater shingle provides an ever-changing environment in which over 400 species of plants thrive, including meadow-rue, globeflower, meadow saxifrage, cowslip and buttercupas. Seeds washed down from different habitats upstream are able to germinate and survive, particularly on the bare shingle.
Ringed plover and common tern breed here, other birds include the common sandpiper, common gull, redshank, oystercatcher and the lapwing. Scotch Angus and common blue butterflies are present along with craneflies and a rare 5 spot ladybird, not normally found on a river habitat.
There is a footpath on Ballinluig Island starting near the Joiners Yard just off the A827. There are no footpaths on Tomdachoille Island.
