Bann Estuary

Site details

UK map showing location of Bann Estuary Special Area of Conservation/Site of Community Importance.
Location of Bann Estuary SAC/SCI/cSAC
Country Northern Ireland
Unitary Authority  Londonderry
Centroid* C797363
Latitude 55 10 03 N
Longitude 06 44 57 W
SAC EU code UK0030084
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 347.94
* 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

Tidal rivers. Estuaries. Mud flats. Sand flats. Lagoons (including saltwork basins) (30%)
Salt marshes. Salt pastures. Salt steppes (7%)
Coastal sand dunes. Sand beaches. Machair (40%)
Bogs. Marshes. Water fringed vegetation. Fens (14%)
Humid grassland. Mesophile grassland (7%)
Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (2%)


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

2130 Fixed dunes with herbaceous vegetation (`grey dunes`)  * Priority feature
Bann Estuary in Northern Ireland contains a series of three sand dune systems, which are part of the same physiographic unit. The most morphologically diverse are at Portstewart, where transverse dune ridges are up to 30 m high. ‘Grey dune’ is the most extensive vegetation community and is dominated by marram Ammophila arenaria and red fescue Festuca rubra. Short sward communities within this are characterised by a floristically diverse range of herbs and in places lower plants. Lady’s bedstraw Galium verum, wild thyme Thymus polytrichus and wild pansy Viola tricolor are widespread.

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

1330 Atlantic salt meadows (Glauco-Puccinellietalia maritimae)
2110 Embryonic shifting dunes
2120 Shifting dunes along the shoreline with Ammophila arenaria (`white dunes`)

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

Not applicable.


Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.


 
-->