Non Gamstop CasinosCasino Not On GamstopNon Gamstop CasinoCasino Not On GamstopNon Gamstop CasinosCasinos Not On GamstopBest Online Slots UK
Cheshire Biodiversity
HomeIntroductionSpeciesHabitatsPartnersNewsGet InvolvedContact us

COASTAL SALTMARSH
LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

Birds on saltmarshOBJECTIVES

1. The overall objective is to maintain, in favourable condition, the current extent of saltmarsh in Wirral. Further, to allow natural succession of saltmarsh to continue with the minimum of human interference.
2.
Maintain the quality of the existing resource in terms of community and species diversity. Where necessary, restore the nature conservation interest through appropriate management.

LOCAL TARGETS

1. Monitoring of the extent and quality of the saltmarsh to be carried out every five years

CURRENT STATUS

Coastal saltmarshes comprise the upper, vegetated portions of intertidal mudflats. Saltmarshes are usually restricted to comparatively sheltered locations in estuaries, saline lagoons, behind barrier islands, at the heads of sea lochs and on beach plains. The development of saltmarsh is dependent on the presence of mudflats. Saltmarsh vegetation consists of a limited number of salt tolerant plants adapted to regular immersion by the tides. At the lowest level pioneer plants can withstand up to 600 immersions per year where the upper saltmarsh can only tolerate a few tides per year. Saltmarsh communities are affected by many factors such as climatic differences from west to east, sediment types, decreasing salinities and land management. For example, on traditionally grazed sites, saltmarsh vegetation is shorter and dominated by grasses. Saltmarshes on the west coast tend to differ in species and community composition from those on the east coast. Saltmarshes are a very important habitat for plant species and a resource for wading birds and wildfowl. Acting as high tide refuges for waterfowl, breeding sites for terns, gulls, waders and passerines (skylark and meadow pippit) in autumn and winter. In winter, large flocks of swans, geese and ducks rely on saltmarshes. They provide an exhilarating and evocative landscape and seascape.

The most recent saltmarsh surveys (1989) estimate the total extent of saltmarsh at 45,000 ha. England has approximately 32,000 ha, Scotland 6,747 ha, Wales 6,089 ha and Northern Ireland 215 ha. This resource is mainly found in the major estuaries of north-west England and Wales. It is estimated that at the mean high water mark, 24% of the English coastline, 11% of the Welsh coastline and 3% of the Scottish coastline consists of saltmarsh. In Wirral, the majority of coastal saltmarsh is found in the Dee Estuary between Parkgate and Heswall. Small areas occur at West Kirby and at New Ferry on the Mersey. The saltmarsh between Parkgate and Heswall is still accreting the oldest parts being over 50 years old. None of the Wirral saltmarshes are grazed. Some loss of pioneer saltmarsh occurs at West Kirby and Hoylake due to beach cleaning by WBC.
Extent of saltmarsh
Gayton/Heswall - unknown
West Kirby - unknown
New Ferry - unknown
Land ownership: between Parkgate and Heswall the saltmarsh on the Dee is mostly owned by RSPB and Wirral Borough Council. The West Kirby saltmarsh is also owned by Wirral Borough Council. The pioneer saltmarsh at New Ferry is owned by the Crown Estate Commissioners.

In Great Britain approximately 80% of the area of saltmarsh has been notified as SSSI. Atlantic salt meadows is listed as a habitat type on Annex 1 of the EC Habitats Directive. The UK Government has proposed ten Special Areas of Conservation (SACS) for their saltmarsh features. Also 27 major saltmarsh sites are included in Special protection Areas (SPAs) under the EC Birds Directive and in Ramsar sites. These include the Dee and Mersey estuaries. 100% of saltmarsh in Wirral has been notified as SSSI. All of the saltmarsh is incorporated within the two estuarine SPA/Ramsar sites.

THREATS

Saltmarsh

CURRENT ACTION

Dunlin Shelduck

ACTION REQUIRED IN 2006+

ACTION COMPLETED PREVIOUSLY

ACTUAL LBAP IMPLEMENTERS

Dee/Mersey Strategy Officers Environment Agency RSPB
English Nature rECOrd Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council

OTHER POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTERS

Landowners and managers    

CONTACT

Colin Wells, RSPB Burton Point Farm,
Station Road, Burton,
Wirral CH64 5SB.
0151 336 7681

REFERENCES

HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 1: Meeting the Rio Challenge, London.
HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 2:Action Plans, London.

Date compiled - 2001
Date reviewed - 2002

This plan is part of the Wirral Biodiversity Action Plan which can be viewed at www.wirral.gov.uk/ed/biodiversity/home.htm


HOME
INTRO
SPECIES
HABITATS
PARTNERS
WHAT'S NEW
GET INVOLVED
CONTACT US
Google
WWW Cheshire Biodiversity