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Special Areas of Conservation

Waveney and Little Ouse Valley Fens

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country England
Unitary Authority East Anglia
Centroid* TM054799
Latitude 52.37833333
Longitude 1.018333333
SAC EU Code UK0012882
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 192.37
* 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.
Location of Waveney and Little Ouse Valley Fens SAC

General site character

  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (10%)
  • Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (48.7%)
  • Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (10.9%)
  • Dry grassland, Steppes (0.1%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (14.8%)
  • Improved grassland (0.1%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (15.4%)

Download the Standard Data Form for this site (PDF <100kb)

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

  • 6410 Molinia meadows on calcareous, peaty or clayey-silt-laden soils (Molinion caeruleae)

    This site represents M24 Molinia caerulea – Cirsium dissectum fen-meadow associated with spring-fed valley fen systems in East Anglia, where Molinia grassland is very rare. The Molinia meadows are found here in conjunction with M13 Schoenus nigricans – Juncus subnodulosus mire and 7210 calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus. Where the fen-meadow is grazed it is more species-rich, with frequent southern marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa.

  • 7210 Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus and species of the Caricion davallianae  * Priority feature

    This site occurs in the East Anglian centre of distribution of calcareous fens and contains very extensive Cladium beds, including managed examples, as well as stands in contact zones between small sedge mire and species-poor Cladium. The habitat type here occurs in a different hydrological situation to the Broads – spring-fed valley fen rather than flood-plain mire.

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

  • 1016 Desmoulin's whorl snail Vertigo moulinsiana

    This site is one of several representing Desmoulin’s whorl snail Vertigo moulinsiana in East Anglia. At Weston Fen populations of this snail occur in a valley fen.

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.