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Special Areas of Conservation

Dawlish Warren

Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Country England
Unitary Authority Devon
Centroid* SX984792
Latitude 50.60305556
Longitude -3.435833333
SAC EU Code UK0030130
Status Designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Area (ha) 58.69
* 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 Dawlish Warren SAC

General site character

  • Coastal sand dunes, Sand beaches, Machair (68%)
  • Inland water bodies (Standing water, Running water) (3%)
  • Bogs, Marshes, Water fringed vegetation, Fens (1%)
  • Heath, Scrub, Maquis and Garrigue, Phygrana (10%)
  • Humid grassland, Mesophile grassland (5%)
  • Improved grassland (10%)
  • Broad-leaved deciduous woodland (2%)
  • Other land (including Towns, Villages, Roads, Waste places, Mines, Industrial sites) (1%)

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

  • 2190 Humid dune slacks

    Dawlish Warren is a large sand spit with a dune system. The humid dune slacks support a population of the Annex II species 1395 petalwort Petalophyllum ralfsii for which the site is also selected.

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

  • 1395 Petalwort Petalophyllum ralfsii

    Large populations of petalwort Petalophyllum ralfsii occur in two dune slacks at Dawlish Warren. One of the slacks is on a natural, sandy substrate, and here the population appears to be expanding. In the other slack, petalwort grows on sand overlying an artificial masonry/stone substrate, which receives run-off from an adjacent limestone gravel track. Elsewhere in this slack the sand is more acidic and supports populations of the liverwort Fossombronia incurva. Both slacks are closely grazed by rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus.

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.