Great Orme's Head/ Pen y Gogarth

General site character

• Shingle, Sea cliffs, Islets (6%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (30%)
  
• Dry grassland, Steppes (39%)
  
• Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (3%)
  
• Improved grassland (5%)
  
• Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (3%)
  
• Inland rocks, Screes, Sands, Permanent Snow and ice (4%)
  
• Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (10%)
  

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

• 4030 European dry heaths

  This north Wales site is the finest example of limestone heath in the UK. The majority of this rare and unusual vegetation is characterised by a short sward in which heather Calluna vulgaris and bell heather Erica cinerea occur in an intimate mixture with a rich assemblage of calcicolous grasses and herbs, such as meadow oat-grass Helictotrichon pratense and dropwort Filipendula vulgaris. Other types of dry heath present include various forms of H8 Calluna vulgaris – Ulex gallii heath. There are outstanding zoned sequences of limestone grassland and heath communities and these are associated with a wide range of other habitats, including limestone cliff, scree and a small area of 8240 Limestone pavements.

• 6210 Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites)

  Great Orme’s Head in north Wales supports one of the largest stands in the UK of CG1 Festuca ovina – Carlina vulgaris grassland. There is also an extensive area of CG2 Festuca ovina – Avenula pratensis grassland. This is one of only three selected sites in the UK where this Xerobromion grassland type occurs. The site contains a wide range of structural types, ranging from short turf on south-facing rocky slopes with abundant hoary rock-rose Helianthemum oelandicum, through more closed calcareous grassland communities to tall herb-rich vegetation on scrub margins. Transitions from calcareous grassland to calcareous and acidic heath, cliff, scree and 8240 Limestone pavements are also well-represented.

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

• 1230 Vegetated sea cliffs of the Atlantic and Baltic Coasts

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