Tag: Sefton Coast

1 Introduction
The Biodiversity Audit of North West England (1999) lists 474 taxa of vascular plants
of “conservation importance”, 145 of which occur on the Sefton Coast. Whittling
these down to a manageable number for Species Action Plans has been a daunting
task. Two, Dune Helleborine and Isle of Man Cabbage, are listed as UK Priority or
endemic species, so these were obvious choices. Another, Early Sand-grass, occurs
here on its only English site and it too was felt to deserve inclusion in the main body
of the BAP.

A short-list of another 18 plants that seemed to merit special conservation measures
was drawn up and 7 chosen for Species Action Plans. These are all nationally rare or
nationally scarce plants for which the Sefton Coast is especially important. In
addition, their status is fairly well known and, in most cases, their habitat
requirements well understood. They are dealt with together in this group SAP rather
than in individual SAPs – not because they are regarded as being of lesser importance
but partly because their conservation demands are often very similar and partly in
order to avoid appearing to give undue weight to the Sefton Coast within the BAP as a
whole. The 2008 review of the North Merseyside BAP led to three more species, for
which there is recent detailed survey data, being added.

It is hoped that the species selected give a representative overview of the conservation
issues facing plants on the Sefton Coast.

A brief summary of their status and requirements for all of the taxa included is given
in section two. Section three details the SMART targets for all taxa. Each taxon
included in the plan is then given more detailed treatment in subsequent sections.

North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan
Dune Helleborine Epipactis dunensis

1 Current status
1.1 National
The Dune Helleborine has recently been upgraded to a full species from a sub-species of Epipactis leptochila. It is a nationally rare, endemic taxon for which Britain has an international responsibility. Dune Helleborine is largely confined to sand-dunes in Northwest England and North Wales. Similar plants from inland sites in Northumberland and Scotland are now thought to belong to a different taxon. Because of taxonomic uncertainties, The Vascular Plant Red Data List for Great Britain (Cheffings & Farrell, 2005) treats Dune Helleborine as “Data Deficient”. It is a Priority Species in the UK BAP on account of its endemic status.

1.2 Local
In North Merseyside the Dune Helleborine is confined to the Sefton Coast sanddunes. Travis’s Flora of South Lancashire (1963) describes it as “Occasional, locally common … in open, moist hollows in the dunes at the edge of pine plantations”. This is still the case. P.S. Gateley recorded 870 spikes in 1988 and 1911 in 1992 during partial surveys of the dune system. The largest numbers of plants in both years were found in Ainsdale Sand Dunes NNR, the northern and southern extremities of the dune system having few plants. Gateley found that 21% of spikes occurred in pine plantations, while 53% were associated with Creeping Willow Salix repens. The plant avoided Marram Ammophila arenaria-dominated dunes and heavily vegetated fixed-dune pastures but seemed well adapted to disturbance, being often found in areas cleared of conifers, along fence
lines and the edges of footpaths. A large population is now known to occur in the frontal woodlands of Ainsdale NNR. Over 200 spikes were counted in 2007 in the Lifeboat Road woodlands. Small additional colonies have been located at Freshfield Dune Heath Nature Reserve and Altcar Rifle Range.
English Nature carried out a survey of Dune and Green-flowered Helleborine in Ainsdale NNR in 2002 at 130 randomly generated points, but statistical problems associated with small sample sizes prevented rigorous analysis of the results.

North Merseyside Biodiversity Action Plan
Early Sand-grass Mibora minima

1 Current status
1.1 National
This nationally rare annual plant is native on the loose sand of maritime dunes and similar places near the sea in Anglesey, North Merseyside and the Channel Islands, and possibly native in Glamorgan. The Early Sand-grass has become naturalised in a few places on the south and east coasts of England and north to East Lothian. It is a rare casual elsewhere. The New Atlas of the British & Irish Flora (2002) shows it as a native plant in 15 hectads (Channel Isles, Anglesey, Gower, Sefton Coast) Early Sand-grass is listed as a vascular plant of Conservation Importance in A Biodiversity Audit of North West England (1999).

1.2 Local
Early Sand-grass is confined to the Sefton Coast in north Merseyside. It was first discovered by D.P. Earl and J. Buckley-Earl in April 1996, growing in a small area of dunes on the west side of Southport Marine Lake. The plant’s distribution was mapped by P.H. Smith on 12th April 1999 when it was found to be dominant in many patches over a distance of about 100m, some of the patches being up to 10m in diameter but many much smaller. Most of the population was associated with the south to south-east facing slope of a low (3m-high) dune ridge. Some small patches were also found on a plateau area to the west of the ridge. All patches of Early Sandgrass were in poorly vegetated areas with a high proportion of bare sand, often on the
fringes of sandy, informal footpaths. The most abundant of 16 associated plants were Kidney Vetch, Little Mouse-ear and Common Whitlow-grass. A repeat survey in 2004 showed the plant’s area had increased by 47% to 2158m2. Regular visits from 2005 to 2007 suggest the grass is doing well and continuing to spread.