The East Devon Pebblebed Heaths are
being considered as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) because it
contains habitat types and/or species which are rare or threatened within a European
context.
The European interests are:
1) Dry Heaths*
East Devon Pebblebed Heaths are considered to be one of the best dry heath areas in the
United Kingdom.
*Dry heaths (all subtypes): These heaths are found on
freely-drained generally acidic soils such as sands or gravels which are poor in nutrients
and occur in both the lowlands and the uplands. They are dominated by tall dwarf
shrub's of the heather family, most commonly Ling heather Calluna vulgaris. There
are several types of heath which are distinguished by the plants which they support
such as Bell heather Erica cinerea, Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus,
Crowberry Empetrum nigrum, Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Western
Gorse Ulex galli.
2) Southern damselfly*
East Devon Pebblebed Heaths are considered to be one of the best areas for the Southern
damselfly in the United Kingdom.
*Coenagrion mercuriale The Southern damselfly
breeds in small heathland streams and seepages and in shallow channels next to chalk
streams. It is restricted to a few localities in southern and western England and
Wales. It is rare in the rest of Europe. |