View Map Print

Survey Details for DNBGHLH034 - 2026-06-13

DNBGHLH034

Landscape Habitats

Denbigh Limestone Mosaic

Denbighshire

2008-07-07

  • Level 1: Dry (Relatively) Terrestrial Habitats
  • Level 2: Mosaic
  • Level 3: Mosaic

Monitoring

Q1 - Date of monitoring?

  • 2016-01-15

Q1a - Monitoring undertaken by

  • Stages 1, 2 and 3 change detection, field verification and amendment completed by Environment Systems in conjunction with the local planning authority. Quality Assurance completed by TACP.

Q1b - Has this record been updated following monitoring work?

  • This record remains unchanged following monitoring work

Q1c - Change indicated by

  • No Answer

Q1d - What has changed?

  • No Answer

Q1e - Has the information ever been verified in the field?

  • No

Q2 - Does this area have a special or functional link with an adjacent area?

  • No

Q3 - What is the total land area within the boundary (in hectares)?

  • 103.52 ha

Description

Q4 - What are the dominant soil types? (specify up to 3 types)

  • Brown soils

Q5 - What Phase 1 habitat types are present? Only select the five most dominant types and, for each of these, specify below what percentage of the Aspect Area is made up of these.

  • Semi-natural Broadleaved Woodland
    • 40.97%
  • Planted Coniferous Woodland
    • 4.81%
  • Semi-improved Neutral Grassland
    • 5.37%
  • Quarry
    • 14.42%
  • Amenity Grassland
    • 27.47%

Q6 - Does the area contain habitats of international importance?

  • Yes

Q7 - If yes, which habitats of international importance?

  • Dry grasslands and scrublands on chalk or limestone

Q8 - Does the area contain BAP habitats?

  • Yes

Q9 - If yes, which BAP habitats?

  • Lowland Mixed Deciduous Woodland
  • Lowland Calcareous Grassland

Q10 - Does the area contain protected sites?

  • Yes
    • SSSI(16.19ha) Local Wildlife Site(26.11ha)

Q11 - If yes, which ones?

  • SSSI
  • Local wildlife site

Q12 - Approximately what proportion of the Aspect Area is within the protected site?

  • 41-50%
    • 40.86%

Q13 - Does the area support important species?

  • Yes

Q14 - If yes, which species? (for each of the species, also note the source of information)

  • Known species - Rare and uncommon calcareous plant species including purple gromwell. Cofnod should be consulted for further species information.

Q15 - Are there any significant threat species present in abundance? (Field visit required)

  • Not known

Q16 - What other features significantly influence the biodiversity in this area?

  • Rock Outcrops

Q17 - Are any of these features in a very good condition? (Field visit required)

  • Unknown

Q18 - Are any of these features in a poor condition? (Field visit required)

  • Unknown

Q19 - What are the main land management activities taking place in the area? (Field visit required)

  • Other
    • Woodland management, golf course
  • Stock grazing
  • Mowing

Q20 - Do any of the above appear to have an appreciable positive impact on biodiversity? (Field visit required)

  • Some
    • Woodland management opens up woodland and enhances plant species interest

Q21 - Do any of the above appear to have an appreciable negative impact on biodiversity? (Field visit required)

  • Some
    • Intensive grazing reduces biodiversity potential,

Q22 - Is the biodiversity in the area in any way threatened?

  • Yes
    • Deterioration in species-rich calcareous grassland through scrub encroachment; limestone quarrying.

Q23 - Are there clear opportunities to improve the biodiversity aspect of this area?

  • Yes
    • Through sustainable woodland management, and control of scrub to maintain calcareous grassland and implementation of the SSSI Management Statement for Crest Mawr Wood.

Q24 - Summarise the key features that define this area's biodiversity character

  • Consists predominantly of semi-natural broadleaved woodland and some coniferous on limestone outcrops, supporting a variety of plant species associated with the base-rich calcareous soils. Calcareous grassland with uncommon and rare plants and semi-improved neutral grassland are also present. This aspect area also includes a golf course with amenity grassland and some local biodiversity interest, and a large limestone quarry.

Condition

Q25 - Value

  • High
    • Nationally and locally important habitats and semi-natural communities present in a limestone-rich area.

Q26 - Condition

  • Unassessed

Q27 - Trend

  • Constant

Recommendations

Q28 - Existing management

  • Unassessed

Q29 - Existing management remarks:

  • Empty value

Q30 - Principal management recommendations

  • Manage woodland for its biodiversity value, and maintain and open up areas of calcareous grassland,

Q31 - Guideline

  • Immediate
    • Implement woodland management to achieve SSSI objectives and increase biodiversity.
  • Immediate
    • Undertake scrub control to enhance calcareous grassland.
  • Medium Term
    • Maintain and enhance habitats associated with golf course.

Aspect Area Boundary

Q32 - To what level was this information site-surveyed?

  • Level 3

Q33 - At 1:10,000, how much of the Aspect Area boundary is precise?

  • Most
    • Mostly follows woodland and calcareous grassland boundaries and limestone outcrop including limestone quarry, but also includes intervening amenity grassland.

Q34 - What baseline information source was used for Aspect Area boundary mapping?

  • Aerial photographs

Q35 - If OS Data was used, what was the scale?

  • 1:10,000

Q36 - What is the justification for the Aspect Area boundaries?

  • The limestone outcrops covered in woodland and calcareous grassland, together with large quarry and connecting amenity grassland, from a distinct area rich in biodiversity in this part of the county.

Evaluation

Q37 - Evaluation Criteria: Priority Habitats

  • High

Q38 - Evaluation Criteria: Significance

  • High

Q39 - Evaluation Criteria: Opportunity

  • High

Q40 - Evaluation Criteria: Expansion rates

  • Unassessed

Q41 - Evaluation Criteria: Sensitivity

  • High

Q42 - Evaluation Criteria: Connectivity/Cohesion

  • Moderate

Q43 - Evaluation Criteria: Habitat Evaluation

  • High

Q44 - Evaluation Criteria: Importance for key species

  • High

Q45 - Evaluation Criteria: Overall Evaluation Habitat and Species

  • High

Q45a - Justification of overall evaluation

  • Nationally and locally important habitats and semi-natural communities present in a limestone-rich area.

Bibliography

Q46 - Sources and additional assessments

  • Vexcel 2006 aerial photography, Getmapping - Millenium Map digital aerial photography, 2001. CCW - Phase 1 Habitat vector GIS data set. Countryside Council for Wales Species Information. Wildlife Site/SINC data used within this project were collated by Local Environmental Records Centres Wales on behalf of the various Local Authorities and Wildlife Trusts involved in the site designation process.

Assessment

Q47 - Additional Assessments

  • Empty value

Q48 - Additional Comments

  • Lack of species records is not an indication of absence of a species.