Alyn Valley Woods/ Coedwigoedd Dyffryn Alun

General site character

• Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (2.9%)
  
• Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (4.2%)
  
• Dry grassland, Steppes (1.1%)
  
• Improved grassland (0.1%)
  
• Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (84.9%)
  
• Mixed woodland (5.1%)
  
• Non-forest areas cultivated with woody plants (including Orchards, groves, Vineyards, Dehesas) (0.4%)
  
• Inland rocks, Screes, Sands, Permanent Snow and ice (0.1%)
  
• Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (1.2%)
  

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

• 9180 Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines  * Priority feature

  Alyn Valley Woods holds one of the largest continuous areas of Tilio-Acerion forest in Wales, and is one of three sites selected to represent the geographic range and variation of the habitat on the Carboniferous limestone of north Wales. The canopy is predominantly of ash Fraxinus excelsior and sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus, with an understorey and ground flora typical of Tilio-Acerion in the UK. Rare or distinctive species include herb Paris Paris quadrifolia, stinking hellebore Helleborus foetidus, green-flowered helleborine Epipactis phyllanthes, toothwort Lathraea squamaria and spurge laurel Daphne laureola. The site also holds the region’s largest population of wayfaring tree Viburnum lantana.

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

• 6210 Semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) (* important orchid sites)
• 91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)  * Priority feature

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