Annex 3 National Conservation Designations
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Lavernock Point to St Ann’s Head SMP2 Appendix D: SEA Scoping Report Annex A: SEA Environmental Baseline Report (Theme Review) Annex 3: National Conservation Designations Designation Biological/Geologic Summary % in Favourable Coastal Sections al Area (ha) Condition (Key below) Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) Penarth Coast Biological & Thirteen metre 'Rhaetic' section resting on a conspicuously waterworn surface beneath the 'Sully Beds'. The Westbury 'bone bed' 66 A Geological development here yields the normal assemblage of fish and reptile debris. This coastal section is also the best available in the Blue (25.07% Lias of South Wales and is of importance for its comparisons with the 'littoral' more marginal rocks of the Lias further west in unfavourable Glamorgan. This through-section from the Keuper to the Lower Sinmurian is unrivalled in any other section in Wales and the site is recovering, 4.41% consequently regarded as one of Britain's most important stratigraphical localities. unfavourable no The site also includes: rich calcareous grassland and cliff-top scrub supporting a number of plant species of limited occurrence and change & 4.52% distribution in the former counties of Mid and South Glamorgan. unfavourable declining) Sully Island Biological & Sea-cliff exposures - provide sections in the marginal facies of the Triassic Mercia Mudstone Group, (include a series of breccias and 51.24 A Geological sands, interpreted as lake-shore deposits which are overlain by nodular evaporites and carbonates). (48.76% unfavourable Underlain (unconformably) by a terraced surface of Carboniferous Limestone - demonstrates the regionally significant unconformity declining) between Carboniferous and Triassic rocks, as well as a range of sediments, facilitating study of the lake facies and palaeoenvironments prevalent in late Triassic times. The Taff-Sully system is a nationally important site for dunlin and redshank supporting over 17 of the British wintering populations of these species. The Taff-Sully system also constitutes an important part of the wider Severn Estuary which is an internationally important wintering area for redshank, knot and dunlin. Hayes Point to Biological & The whole length of the cliff-line and foreshore provides excellent exposures through important rock sections of Triassic age while the 48.26 A Bendrick Rock Geological vicinity of Bendrick Rock is one of the best localities in Britain for fossil footprints. (41.41% unfavourable no change & 10.34% unfavourable declining) Barry Island Geological Marginal facies of the Mercia Mudstone Group in a unique unconformable relationship with the Carboniferous Limestone. 0 A (Unfavourable Several horizontal to sub-horizontal terraces up to 15m wide are cut into the Carboniferous Limestone. These terraces are joined by declining) vertical cliffs up to 5 m high and covered by marginal lacustrine facies of the Mercia Mudstone Group. The terraces are covered by poorly sorted angular breccias, interpreted as fossil screes, and better sorted gravels associated with wave-rippled and desiccated finer sediments which are interpreted as lacustrine short zone (beach) sediments. The locality is unique in showing such a spectacular exposure of marginal Triassic facies. Cliff Wood – Golden Biological The best example of a mixed woodland in South Glamorgan which has a canopy of pedunculate oak, ash, maple and yew. The 0 A Sairs interesting, ungrazed ground flora and wooded cliff areas includes Purple Gromwell Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum which is (100% unfavourable restricted to a very small number of sites in the county. declining) East Aberthaw Coast Biological Rocky and sandy shore, shingle spits, saltmarsh, relict sand dunes and Liassic limestone cliffs all support species of plants and animals 93.27 A that are of a limited distribution in the county. Adiantum capillus-veneris and Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum are species of note (5.26% unfavourable found on the limestone cliffs and in associated areas of scrub. Saltmarsh and shingle ridges support a good range of plant species. recovering, 0.77% Land and littoral invertebrates are particularly rich in this area and include Phanacis caulicola, Brachinus crepitans and Lima pontia . unfavourable no change & 0.70% unfavourable declining) 1 Lavernock Point to St Ann’s Head SMP2 Appendix D: SEA Scoping Report Annex A: SEA Environmental Baseline Report (Theme Review) Annex 3: National Conservation Designations Designation Biological/Geologic Summary % in Favourable Coastal Sections al Area (ha) Condition (Key below) Monknash Coast Biological & The Liassic Limestone cliffs and wave-cut platforms here are important for coastal geomorphology. Cwm Nash is one of the very few 74.36 A Geological sites in South Wales where tufa deposits (limestone precipitates) contain a rich variety of fossil snails. These have been used to (21.97% reconstruct the environmental and climatic history of the last 12,000 years. The cliffs and valleys support a diverse range of coastal unfavourable no vegetation types which are notable in the county context for the occurrence of several rare plant species. change & 3.67% Nationally rare species found at the site: destroyed/part destroyed) • maidenhair fern Adiantum capillus-veneris • tuberous thistle Cirsium tuberosum • nit-grass Gastridium ventricosum • hoary stock Matthiola incana This site lies entirely within the Glamorgan Heritage Coast and adjoins Nash Lighthouse Meadow SSSI. Nash Lighthouse Biological A small, unploughed limestone pasture, lightly grazed and used for hay production. It is notable for the large number of plant 36.19 A Meadow species present, including the rare Cirsium tuberosum . (14.48% unfavourable recovering, 3.23% unfavourable no change & 46.10% unfavourable declining) Southerndown Coast Biological & Of special interest for its rock exposures, and for the vegetation of the cliff-tops and valleys which includes species-rich neutral, 100 A Geological calcareous and maritime grassland, scrub and woodland and supports several rare plant species. The nationally rare tuberous thistle Cirsium tuberosum , purple gromwell Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum and shore dock Rumex rupestris, (listed under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended)), occur in the southern part of the site. Nationally scarce species include maidenhair fern Adiantum capillus-veneris , wild cabbage Brassica oleracea , sea stork’s bill Erodium maritimum and stinking hellebore Helleborus foetidus . Features: • Excellent three dimensional sections through Triassic alluvial fan deposits, channelled into the underlying Carboniferous Limestone. - an important site for the study of Triassic sediments, palaeoenvironments and geography. • Coastal sections between Ogmore-by-Sea and Southerndown expose mineralisation developed along the unconformity between Mezozoic rocks and underlying Carboniferous Limestone. • Epigenetic expressions of an early Jurassic mineralising event in the Carboniferous and Triassic rocks, and syngenetic aspects in the strata of early Jurassic age. • Classic British examples of lateral facies changes in ancient sediments. • A key locality for demonstrating the diachronous relationships of facies by means of faunal evidence. Merthyr Mawr Biological • Merthyr Mawr is of special interest for its saltmarsh, sand dune habitats and for its associated coastal habitats including 76.55 B calcareous grassland, swamp and intertidal habitats. (18.83% unfavourable • assemblages of higher plants, fungi and invertebrates associated with the sand dunes. recovering, 3.46% • The rare weevil Glocianus pilosellus , a rare Gasteromycete fungus Tulostoma melanocyclum and a rare liverwort unfavourable no Petalophyllum ralfsii are also features of interest. change & 1.16% unfavourable declining) 2 Lavernock Point to St Ann’s Head SMP2 Appendix D: SEA Scoping Report Annex A: SEA Environmental Baseline Report (Theme Review) Annex 3: National Conservation Designations Designation Biological/Geologic Summary % in Favourable Coastal Sections al Area (ha) Condition (Key below) Kenfig Biological Special Interest features: 100 B • Extensive sand dune habitats and standing waters together with a mixture of associated coastal habitats including saltmarsh, intertidal areas, swamp, woodland and scrub. • Assemblages of plants, fungi and invertebrates that are associated with the sand dunes and standing waters. • Individual species also of special interest: petalwort Petalophyllum ralfsii , the medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis , the fen orchid Liparis loeselii , the shrill carder bee Bombus sylvarum , the hairy dragonfly Brachytron pratense and a weevil Pachytychius quinquepunctatus . Crymlyn Burrows Biological One of the last remaining sections of the Swansea Bay Coastline which has remained substantially unmodified by industrial 0 B development. Over the past one hundred and fifty years, parallel sand dune ridges have developed at right angles to the River (Unfavourable No Neath and these are continuing to accumulate at the present time. Salt water is able to gain access to the system at high tide via Change) the river channel, with the result that the dunes are interspersed by tongues of saltmarsh. • The rare fen orchid Liparis loeselii is found occasionally within the slacks, whilst the sea stock Matthiola sinuata which was re- recorded in 1964 following its earlier disappearance, is widespread along the strandline and in the dunes. • The rare strandline beetle Eurynebria complanata has been recorded