- Coastal development
- Scrub encroachment from species such as
blackthorn, cotoneaster, holm oak, gorse linked to a reduction in grazing and lack of management.
- Recreational pressures – trampling; rock climbers can increase disturbance to seabirds and peregrines, damage rock faces or delicate geological features; worrying of grazing livestock.
- Coastal protection – Re-profiling, stabilising with foreign substrates and disturbance can all lead to a reduction in biodiversity and geodiversity.
- Pollution – tipping and dumping, run-off from
adjacent land, oil.
- Difficult to survey due to the nature of this habitat – leads to a lack in knowledge and understanding.
Maritime Cliff and Slope
In Torbay there are approximately 22 miles of coastline which include
cliffs, slopes, ledges, rocky/sandy/shingle beaches and caves.
Torbay’s calcareous soils and generally mild climate have led to
floristically rich maritime cliff grassland communities with notable
rare species.
Main Objectives & Key Actions:
1. Maintain/ improve and increase the existing maritime cliff and slope biological and geological resource.
2. Ensure that natural processes of erosion continue to operate on all areas of conservation interest.
3. Increase research and monitoring
of sites.
4. Increase awareness of the importance of the habitat, the threats
it faces and actions required by all for its continued well-being.
Current threats to this habitat:
