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Special Areas of Conservation

Cardiff Beech Woods

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country Wales
Unitary Authority East Wales
Centroid* ST118824
Latitude 51.53388889
Longitude -3.270555556
SAC EU Code UK0030109
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 114.45
* 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 Cardiff Beech Woods SAC

General site character

  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (99.5%)
  • Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (0.5%)

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

  • 9130 Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests

    Cardiff Beech Woods contains one of the largest concentrations of Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests in Wales, and represent the habitat close to the western limit of its past native range in both the UK and Europe. The woods show mosaics and transitions to other types, including more acidic beech woodland and oak Quercus and ash Fraxinus excelsior woodland. Characteristic and notable species in the ground flora include ramsons Allium ursinum, sanicle Sanicula europaea, bird’s-nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis and yellow bird’s-nest Monotropa hypopitys.

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

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

Many designated sites are on private land: the listing of a site in these pages does not imply any right of public access.