Great Orme`s Head/ Pen y Gogarth

Site details

Location of Great Orme`s Head/ Pen y Gogarth SAC/SCI/cSAC

Country	Wales
Unitary Authority	Conwy
Centroid*	SH765833
Latitude	53 19 57 N
Longitude	03 51 13 W
SAC EU code	UK0014788
Status	Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha)	302.63
* This is the approximate central point of the SAC. In the case of large, linear or composite sites, this may not represent the location where a feature occurs within the SAC.
General site character Shingle. Sea cliffs. Islets (6%) Heath. Scrub. Maquis and garrigue. Phygrana (30%) Dry grassland. Steppes (39%) Humid grassland. Mesophile grassland (3%) Improved grassland (5%) Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (3%) Inland rocks. Screes. Sands. Permanent snow and ice (4%) Other land (including towns, villages, roads, waste places, mines, industrial sites) (10%) Boundary map and associated biodiversity information on the NBN Gateway. Natura 2000 data form for this site as submitted to Europe (PDF format, size 30kb).

Note:

When undertaking an appropriate assessment of impacts at a site, all features of European importance (both primary and non-primary) need to be considered.

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

4030 European dry heaths

This north Wales site is the finest example of limestone heath in the UK. The majority of this rare and unusual vegetation is characterised by a short sward in which heather Calluna vulgaris and bell heather Erica cinerea occur in an intimate mixture with a rich assemblage of calcicolous grasses and herbs, such as meadow oat-grass Helictotrichon pratense and dropwort Filipendula vulgaris. Other types of dry heath present include various forms of H8 Calluna vulgaris – Ulex gallii heath. There are outstanding zoned sequences of limestone grassland and heath communities and these are associated with a wide range of other habitats, including limestone cliff, scree and a small area of 8240 Limestone pavements.

6210 Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies: on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia)

Great Orme’s Head in north Wales supports one of the largest stands in the UK of CG1 Festuca ovina – Carlina vulgaris grassland. There is also an extensive area of CG2 Festuca ovina – Avenula pratensis grassland. This is one of only three selected sites in the UK where this Xerobromion grassland type occurs. The site contains a wide range of structural types, ranging from short turf on south-facing rocky slopes with abundant hoary rock-rose Helianthemum oelandicum, through more closed calcareous grassland communities to tall herb-rich vegetation on scrub margins. Transitions from calcareous grassland to calcareous and acidic heath, cliff, scree and 8240 Limestone pavements are also well-represented.

Annex I habitats present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for selection of this site

1230 Vegetated sea cliffs of the Atlantic and Baltic coasts

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

Not applicable.

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection