East Devon Pebblebed Heaths

General site character

• Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (5%)
  
• Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (15%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (70%)
  
• Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (3%)
  
• Coniferous woodland (3%)
  
• Mixed woodland (3%)
  
• Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (1%)
  

Annex I habitats that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• 4010 Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix

  This is the largest block of lowland heathland in Devon and is associated with various other mire communities. The wet element occupies the lower-lying areas and includes good examples of M16 Erica tetralix – Sphagnum compactum wet heath. Among the 21 breeding dragonfly species is the Annex II species 1044 Southern damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale. There is also an important assemblage of birds, including European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus, Eurasian hobby Falco subbuteo and Dartford warbler Sylvia undata.

• 4030 European dry heaths

  The East Devon Pebblebed Heaths in south-west England include extensive areas of lowland European dry heaths. This site has representative examples of H4 Ulex gallii – Agrostis curtisii heath, characterised by the presence of heather Calluna vulgaris, bell heather Erica cinerea, western gorse Ulex gallii, bristle bent Agrostis curtisii, purple moor-grass Molinia caerulea, cross-leaved heath E. tetralix and tormentil Potentilla erecta. The presence of plants such as cross-leaved heath illustrates the more oceanic nature of these heathlands, as this species is typical of wet heath in the more continental parts of the UK.

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

• Not Applicable

Annex II species that are a primary reason for selection of this site

• 1044 Southern damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale

  This site holds two relatively small populations representing southern damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale in the south-west of its range in England. These populations occur in wet flushes within the site.

Annex II species present as a qualifying feature, but not a primary reason for site selection

• Not Applicable