DDAAVVIIDD CCLLEEMMEENNTTSS EECCOOLLOOGGYY LLTTDD MERTHYR TYDFIL COUNTY BOROUGH SITES OF IMPORTANCE FOR NATURE CONSERVATION SO 00NE/4: MERTHYR COMMON CENTRAL SURVEY & ASSESSMENT FOR SINC DESIGNATION January 2007 David Clements Ecology Ltd Carlton House, 5 Herbert Terrace, Penarth, Glamorgan, CF64 2AH Tel/Fax: 029 20 350120
[email protected] DAVID CLEMENTS ECOLOGY LTD Site Name: MERTHYR COMMON CENTRAL Grid Ref(s): SO 075065 Site No.: SO OONE/4 SO 067065 (W); 074072 (N); 089061 (E) ; 059075 (S) Status: Candidate Date: July 2002 July 2002: Provisional site; boundary identified from available Proposed Date: 30 October 2008 desk-top sources only; requires confirmation by survey. Confirmed Date: Oct 2006-Jan 2007: Site surveyed and assessed for designation; designation boundary identified. Summary - Reasons for Selection/Interest of Site: Large area of upland common land comprising a range of habitats, mainly marshy grassland, acid grassland and wet heath. There are also areas of dry dwarf shrub heath, acid flush, and western gorse scrub. The westernmost area (Dowlais) comprises revegetated former colliery tips which are developing mainly unimproved acid grassland. Also includes numerous large and small ponds, one of which (Isaac Morgan’s Pond) supports a diverse range of aquatic plant species and a good dragonfly fauna. Numerous streams and drainage ditches run through the wetter areas. Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) occurs in at least one of the ponds. Other species of interest include floating bur-reed (Sparganium angustifolium), shoreweed (Littorella uniflora), grayling butterfly (Hipparchia semele), scarce blue-tailed damselfly (Ischnura pumilio), and a range of breeding birds including snipe (Gallinago gallinago) and curlew (Nemenius arquata).