Habitats

You don't have to go far to appreciate that the Welsh landscape contains a myriad of habitats, home in turn to countless number of species. Our coastline, open sea, sand dunes and estuaries, rivers and lakes, woodlands, meadows, hills, mountains and heathlands host a fantastic mosaic of habitats. Many of these habitats are of special value and are designated as SSSIs; but it's important to understand that urban areas - our parks, gardens, roadside verges and industrial sites contain vital areas of habitats that are important to wildlife.

In Wales, the Section 42 list of habitats and species of principal importance in Wales is the definite list and it's a key requirement of the NERC Biodiversity Duty. The list is the definitive reference for all statutory and non-statutory bodies involved in operations that affect biodiversity in Wales.

Section 42 Habitats of principle importance to Wales

Section 42 Species of principle importance to Wales.

Section 42 combined Species and Habitats list

S42 habitats on the Welsh list which do not appear on the UK list

Disaggragated habitat targets in Wales

WBP are addressing the improvement of habitats through the Outcome 21 task & finish group. To follow progress and to view updates on all WBP task & finish groups, follow the task & finish group link.

Additional Information

To protect UK priority habitats, a list has been drawn up at the UK level of 65 habitats requiring special protection and 51 of these habitats occur in Wales. An additional 3 marine habitats not on the UK list are on the Section 42 list, making a total of 54 priority habitats in Wales. Looking after our habitats is important, habitats in good condition will benefit many species and provide 'nature benefits' to society including storing of carbon, mitigating flood damage and space for relaxation and wellbeing.

Links

UK BAP Priority Habitats

UK BAP Priority Habitats & Species

UK BAP Priority Habitats description

UK BAP Evidence for the selection of priority species

UK BAP website

Marine Habitats

The marine life found in Welsh seas is intriguing, taxonomically diverse and surprisingly colourful. Of the 35,000 km2 that make up ‘Wales’ from the English border out to 12 nautical miles, 57% of this is land, and 43% is sea. A significant proportion of total biodiversity is found in the sea, making the marine environment a large part of our natural hertitage in Wales.

A journey around the Welsh coast is one of extremes - from peaceful expanses of estuarine mudflats to the dynamic wave action on high cliffs, with sandy beaches and flat rocky shores in between. The seabed off the Welsh coast is equally diverse and includes sediment plains, vertical pinnacles arising from the seafloor, cave systems, boulder beds and rocky platforms.
These habitats support many species, including numerous molluscs and crustaceans; brightly coloured anemones, sponges and seasquirts; swathes of seaweeds and marine mammals. There are also a few surprises in the form of crabs camoflagued to look like spiders, phosphorescent plankton, nest building fish and sea-living slugs.

The rich and varied marine life, and the many industries that have built up around it throughout history, have fostered a long association with the sea in Wales, contributing to our cultural heritage. Long established fishing traditions have provided the staple diet of many coastal communities for centuries. Harvesting of seaweeds such as the purple laver and other seaweeds such as kelp and wracks as fertiliser for land, was once common practice. Industries that grew around the sea in Wales, include construction of ports and harbours and coastal towns, boat manufacturing and railways. The marine environment still has a key economic role to play in the Wales of today (e.g. marine transport and fisheries) and is the heart beat of coastal tourism and recreation. Over many years however, unsustainable use and over-exploitation of marine resources has left its mark on the marine environment – for example, species such as the common skate have disappeared from the Irish Sea; vast areas of mudflats have been built on, canalised and dredged; and areas which traditionally have held seagrass beds and the native oyster no longer exist.

In these instances, it is recognised that the best way for habitats and species to recover in the marine environment is to remove the source of stress and allow natural recovery. Recovery time can be slow, if at all, and therefore the old adage of ‘prevention is better than cure’ rings true. Despite its deterioration, there is still a wealth of life and diversity in Welsh seas, but prompt and effective action is needed to protect what remains and to enable restoration.

Links

A range of freshwater & marine issues are covered on CCW's website including the H2O newsletter, full of useful information about the CCW's marine and freshwater work and projects. For more details, click on the link:

http://www.ccw.gov.uk/landscape--wildlife/habitats--species/freshwater.aspx