List of habitats of principal importance in Wales facts for kids

Wales is obliged by law to maintain lists of species and habitats of principal importance for biodiversity conservation; the other countries within the UK: Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, have their own laws for this purpose.

Public bodies, including local authorities now have a legal duty to have regard to conserving biodiversity in the exercise of their normal functions. In Wales, that obligation originally derived from section 42 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006. However, this requirement for Wales has since been superseded by an almost identical requirement enshrined within the Environment (Wales) Act 2016.

Selection

The habitats that have been designated to be of "principal importance for the purpose of conserving biodiversity" derive from lists originally drawn up for the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). These lists were reviewed in 2007, and the total number of UK BAP habitats increased from 45 to 65, and the number of UK BAP species increased from under 600 to 1,150.

From these, the formal list just for Wales (and laid out below) now contains 53 of those 65 habitats.

Legal obligations

Section 6 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 places a legal obligation on public bodies in Wales to 'maintain and enhance biodiversity' whilst carrying out their functions. Section 7 of that Act requires Welsh Ministers to publish and maintain lists of species and types of habitats in Wales that are regarded as of 'principal importance' for the purpose of maintaining and enhancing that biodiversity. This section of the Act replaces the biodiversity duty originally outlined in Section 42 of the NERC Act 2006 for both England and Wales.

Significance

Awareness of the presence of any priority habitat or priority species identified on these lists is of importance within the local authority planning process when land is considered for development. Along with legally protected species, as well as statutory and non-statutory sites, knowledge of the presence of priority habitats and priority species is required if the impact of future development is to be avoided or mitigated. Planning Policy Wales indicates that, when determining planning applications, the existence of priority habitats are of greater status than others. By fully considering all these features in the decision-making process, a planning authority will have demonstrated that it has discharged its duty to conserve biodiversity.

Habitats of 'principal importance' in Wales

The list shows the broad habitat group, followed by name of the habitat of 'principal importance'.

Terrestrial, coastal & freshwater habitats

Sabellaria alveolata habitat at Llanddulas, Conwy

Arable and horticultural: Arable field margins
Bogs: Blanket bog
Bogs: Lowland raised bog
Fen, marsh and swamp: Lowland fens
Fen, marsh and swamp: Purple moor grass and rush pastures
Fen, marsh and swamp: Reedbeds
Fen, marsh and swamp: Upland flushes, fens and swamps
Grassland (acid): Lowland dry acid grassland
Grassland (calcareous): Lowland calcareous grassland
Grassland (calcareous): Upland calcareous grassland
Grassland (improved): Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh
Grassland (neutral): Lowland meadows
Heath: Lowland heathland
Heath: Upland heathland
Inland rock: Calaminarian grasslands
Inland rock: Inland rock outcrop and scree habitats
Inland rock: Limestone pavement
Inland rock: Open mosaic habitats on previously developed land
Montane habitats: Mountain heaths and willow scrub
Rivers and streams: Rivers
Standing open waters/canals: Aquifer-fed naturally fluctuating water bodies
Standing open waters/canals: Eutrophic standing waters
Standing open waters/canals: Mesotrophic lakes
Standing open waters/canals: Oligotrophic and dystrophic lakes
Standing open waters/canals: Ponds
Supralittoral rock: Maritime cliff and slopes
Supralittoral sediment: Coastal sand dunes
Supralittoral sediment: Coastal vegetated shingle
Woodland: Traditional orchards
Woodland: Wood pasture & parkland
Woodland: Hedgerows
Woodland: Lowland beech and yew woodland
Woodland: Lowland mixed deciduous woodland
Woodland: Upland mixed ash woodland
Woodland: Upland oak woodland
Woodland: Wet woodland

Marine habitats

Littoral rock: Estuarine rocky habitats
Littoral rock: Intertidal boulder communities
Littoral rock: Sabellaria alveolata reefs
Littoral sediment: Coastal saltmarsh
Littoral sediment: Intertidal mudflats
Littoral sediment: Peat and clay exposures
Littoral sediment: Seagrass beds
Littoral sediment: Sheltered muddy gravels
Sublittoral rock: Carbonate reefs
Sublittoral rock: Fragile sponge & anthozoan communities on subtidal rocky habitats
Sublittoral rock: Tidal swept channels
Sublittoral sediment: Blue mussel beds
Sublittoral sediment: Horse mussel beds
Sublittoral sediment: Mixed muddy sediments
Sublittoral sediment: Mud habitats in deep water
Sublittoral sediment: Musculus discors beds
Sublittoral sediment: Subtidal sands and gravels