Site Code
Country: United Kingdom
Central coordinates: 52.82o, -4.59o
Administrative region: Wales (Caernarvonshire)
Area: 1592 ha
Altitude: 0 - 240
Site Description
The mountains of the Lleyn Peninsula fall sheer into the sea, broken by wide bays and rocky coves.
Bardsey Island at its tip is similarly rocky, with crags and low cliffs giving home to a variety of flowering plants.
Botanical Significance
The area provides a suitable habitat for lichens, and the cliffs and heaths around Aberdaron are one of the few sites in the UK where the ciliate strap lichen together with the golden hair lichen, Teloschistes flavicans, can be found.
The sites selected exhibit species-richness including the presence of rare and threatened species, and/or contain a high number of Maritime Indicator species. Examples containing northern, western and southern elements of the lichen flora have been selected. The sites support rich assemblages of species from exclusively maritime communities including the Verrucarietum maurae, Calplacetum marinae, Ramalinetum scopularis and Sclerophytetum circumscriptae. Assemblages from several undescribed terricolous communities are also represented. The sites selected all have high scores on the provisional Maritime Lichen Index.
Management guidance notes
Coponent sites: Bardsey and Aberdaron Cliffs. Noted for lichen interest. Additional feature of interest: Teloschistes flavicans
Notes
None
Research/Conservation Projects
IBA: Glannau Aberdaron and Ynys Enlli (Aberdaron Coast and Bardsey Island)overlaps with IPA
Habitat/Land use
This habitat includes maritime sites encompassing species and communities from the littoral zone to xeric-supralittoral zone on rocky shores.
Fauna
Important Bird Area
Land use
| Land use | % Cover | Level |
|---|---|---|
| agriculture (animals) | Minor | |
| nature conservation and research | Major |
Protection
| Designation | Protected Area Name | Relationship with IPA | Overlap with IPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | Llyn | protected area contains IPA | 1592 |
| Special Area of Conservation | Corsydd Llyn / Lleyn Fens | protected area is adjacent to IPA | 0 |
| Special Area of Conservation | Pen Llyn a’r Sarnau / Lleyn Peninsular and the Sar | protected area is adjacent to IPA | 335 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Aber Geirch | protected area is adjacent to IPA | 0 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Benallt Mine and Nant y Gadwen | protected area is adjacent to IPA | 0 |
| Special Area of Conservation | Clogwyni Pen Llyn / Seacliffs of Lleyn | protected area contained by IPA | 1045 |
| Special Protection Area | Glannau Aberdaron and Ynys Enlli / Aberdaron Coast | protected area contained by IPA | 503 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Carreg Llam | protected area contained by IPA | 14 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Gallt y Bwlch | protected area contained by IPA | 23 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Glannau Aberdaron | protected area contained by IPA | 302 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Mynydd Penarfynnydd | protected area contained by IPA | 161 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Porth Dinllaen i Borth Pistyll | protected area contained by IPA | 127 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Porth Towyn i Borth Wen | protected area contained by IPA | 73 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Wig Bach a’r Glannau i Borth Alwm | protected area contained by IPA | 43 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Ynys Enlli - Bardsey Island | protected area contained by IPA | 206 |
| National Nature Reserve | Ynys Enlli-Bardsey | protected area contained by IPA | 179 |
| Special Protection Area | Mynydd Cilan, Trwyn y Wylfa ac Ynysoedd Sant Tudwa | protected area overlaps with IPA | 352 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Mynydd Tir y Cwmwd a’r Glannau at Carreg yr Imbill | protected area overlaps with IPA | 94 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Porth Ceiriad, Porth Neigwl ac Ynysoedd Sant Tudwa | protected area overlaps with IPA | 536 |
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | Ynysoedd y Gwylandd, Gwylan Islands | protected area overlaps with IPA | 3 |
Management
| Type | Description | Year started | Year finishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected Area Management Plan | Core Management Plan for Corsydd Lleyn | 2008 | |
| Habitat Management Plan | Maritime Cliffs and Slopes | 2002 | |
| Species Management Plan | Ranunculus tripartitus (Three-lobed Water-crowfoot | 2002 | |
| Protected Area Management Plan | Lleyn Peninsula and the Sarnau marine site | 2009 | |
| Habitat Management Plan | Coastal Sand Dunes HAP | 2002 | |
| Habitat Management Plan | Lowland Heathland HAP | 2002 | |
| Species Management Plan | Limonium binervosum agg. SAP | 2002 | |
| Species Management Plan | Pilularia globulifera (Pillwort) SAP | 2002 |
Threats
| Threat | Importance |
|---|---|
| agricultural intensification/expansion (grazing) | high |
| burning of vegetation | high |
| habitat fragmentation/isolation | high |
| intrinsic species factors (slow growth, density) | high |
| eutrophication | medium |
Threatened Species
None
Botanical Richness
| EUNIS level 2 code & name | IPA Assess. | Habitat Assess. | % of indicator species | No. Species | National Biotope | Data quality | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B3 Rock cliffs, ledges & shores, including the supralittoral | 2007 | 2007 | 0 | 0 | unknown | B | |
| F4 Temperate shrub heathland | 2007 | 2007 | 0 | 0 | unknown | B |
Threatened Habitats
None
References
Selecting UK Important Plant Areas for Lichens. 2007 Bryan Edwards/ Plantlife (unpublished document)
Contact Information
| Contact | Contact Type |
|---|---|
| Cath Shellswell | Site report compiler |