Jncc coastal Directories Project Region 11 The Western Approaches

Coast, Tintagel Cliffs, Mullion Cliffs to Predannack, Brean
Down, and Saunton to Baggy Point are regionally important
cliff locations on the Invertebrate Site Register.
Localised recession problems occur along the hard rock
cliffs that dominate much of the Cornish and North Devon
coasts at sites such as Marazion, Towan Beach (Newquay),
Bude Bay and Hartland Point.  In Bridgwater Bay, the soft
cliffs developed in interbedded clays, marls and limestones
are prone to debris slides and rockfalls.  At Blue Anchor Bay,
for example, erosion has threatened the coast road, which
now has coast protection.  The limestone and shale cliffs of
the Glamorgan coast are particularly prone to large
rockfalls, topples and rock slides, with average rates of
recession of 0.3 m to 0.7 m/year.  In 1983 a large rockfall at
Nash Point involved some 20,000 m
3
of material.
3.1.3  Human activities
Cliffs are among the least modified of terrestrial habitats,
although the cliff-top zone, especially its inner sectors, has
been affected by a variety of human impacts, sometimes
leading to major habitat loss.  At a national scale the most
extensive influences on hard cliff vegetation are grazing and
burning, the major management techniques for cliff-top
habitat (Mitchley & Malloch 1991).  In this region, residential
development has caused only low to moderate habitat loss
and vegetation disturbance.  Outside the coastal settlements
catering for coastal visitors, much of the cliffed coast is
undeveloped, and in general, visitor erosion has caused
relatively little damage to habitats.  However, fire and visitor
trampling in maritime heath at the Lizard in Cornwall are
threats to the strong lichen interest of the area (Fletcher et al.
1984).  Car parks are common in places commanding fine
views from cliffs and headlands.  Footpaths have heavy
usage in some parts of the region, and erosion is present
along parts of the South West Coast Path, for example.  Very
large coastal tracts are in the ownership of the National Trust
and much attention is paid to careful visitor management,
especially along long-distance footpaths.  Cliff climbing is
locally a problem and has necessitated habitat restoration.
Arable agricultural land often reaches close to the cliff edge,
and targets for re-creating maritime cliff grassland from such
arable or improved pasture are discussed by Pye & French
(1993).  Invasive Rhododendron ponticum is a problem on the
cliffs of the Exmoor coast and poses a threat to coastal heath
vegetation and woodland in that area.
The very slow retreat of the predominantly hard cliffs of
the region has necessitated only little coast protection of
property, as has the absence of residential development on
soft cliff sectors (see also 
section 8.4
).  However, over the
next five decades it is anticipated that coast protection will
be required for property adjacent to soft cliffs at Porthmeor,
Cornwall (Pye & French 1993).  These defences will
probably alter local patterns of sediment input to the coast
because slumped material is a sediment source for beaches
downdrift (see also 
section 2.4
).
3.1.4  Information sources used
Detailed NVC survey of cliff vegetation in the region is
confined to two studies: the Lizard and Cape Cornwall
(Cooper 1988a, b).  This work was part of a pilot study
involving thirteen surveys to assess the feasibility of
mapping all cliff habitat in Britain.  These surveys, all
carried out in the summer of 1987, use a consistent
methodology.  The data provide a sound baseline for future
cliff vegetation studies and local management of the cliff
resource.   The plant ecology of cliffs of the Lizard is
perhaps the best-studied in Britain in terms of relationships
with salt spray effects, management and historical ecology;
all studies are reviewed by Mitchley & Malloch (1991).  No
other detailed surveys of cliff vegetation in the region have
been carried out.  Existing information is insufficient to
detail the regional extent of individual cliff and cliff-top
habitats, apart from maritime cliff grassland.  
3.1.5  Acknowledgements
Assistance with sources was kindly provided by the Species
Conservation Branch of the Joint Nature Conservation
Committee.  Thanks also go to Rendel Geotechnics for
information on landsliding and cliff erosion.
3.1.6  Further sources of information
A.  References cited
Cooper, E.A.  1988a.  Survey of sea-cliff vegetation of Great Britain.  
2.  Cape Cornwall.  Peterborough, Nature Conservancy Council.
Cooper, E.A.  1988b.  Survey of sea-cliff vegetation of Great Britain.  
3.  The Lizard.  Peterborough, Nature Conservancy Council.
Fletcher, A., Coppins, B.J., Gilbert, O.L., James, P.W., & Lambley,
P.W.  1984.  Survey and assessment of lowland heathland lichen
habitats.  Nature Conservancy Council, CSD Report, No. 522.
Gubbay, S.  1988.  Coastal directory for marine nature conservation.
Ross-on-Wye, Marine Conservation Society.
Heritage Coast Forum.  1993.  Heritage coasts in England and Wales: 
a gazetteer.  Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Jones, D.K.C., & Lee, E.M.  1994.  Landsliding in Great Britain.
London, HMSO.
Lee, E.M.  1995.  Coastal cliff recession in Great Britain: the
significance for sustainable coastal management.  In: Directions
in European coastal management, ed. by M.G. Healey & J.P. Doody,
185-193.  Cardigan, Samara Publishing.
Mitchley, J., & Malloch, A.J.C.  1991.  Sea-cliff management handbook
for Great Britain.  Lancaster, University of Lancaster.
Pye, K., & French, P.W.  1993.  Targets for coastal habitat re-creation.
Peterborough, English Nature.  (English Nature Science, No. 13.)
Rodwell, J.S., ed.  In prep.  British plant communities.  Volume 5:
maritime and weed communities. Cambridge, Cambridge
University Press.  
Stroud, D.A., Mudge, G.P., & Pienkowski, M.W.  1990.  Protecting
internationally important bird sites.  Peterborough, Nature
Conservancy Council.
B.  Further reading
Further details of coastal habitat sites, including cliffs, are available
on the Coastal & marine UKDMAP datasets module disseminated by
JNCC Coastal Conservation Branch, Peterborough.
Barne, J., Davidson, N.C., Hill, T.O., & Jones, M.  1994.  Coastal &
marine UKDMAP datasets: a user manual.  Peterborough, Joint
Nature Conservation Committee.
British Oceanographic Data Centre.  1992.  United Kingdom digital
marine atlas.  User guide.  Version 2.0.  Birkenhead, Natural
Environment Research Council, British Oceanographic Data
Centre.
3.1  Cliffs and cliff-top vegetation
43

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