New Natura 2000 sites – candidate Special Areas of Conservation (cSACs)
Natural England invited views on the selection of Pevensey Levels and Arun Valley as candidate SACs as they support little whirlpool ram’s-horn snail (Anisus vorticulus).
Little whirlpool ram’s-horn snail
We also invited views on the addition of this feature to The Broads SAC. The consultation was undertaken between 24 August and 16 November 2010. These sites were considered by the UK Government as cSACs because they support this species of European importance which is listed on Annex II and Annex IV of the Habitats Directive.
Natural England has informed Ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) of the views received for all of these sites.
Ministers have now taken these views into consideration; where appropriate to do so, and have decided that Pevensey Levels and Arun Valley cSACs should be included on the list of candidate Special Areas of Conservation and to add the additional feature to the citation of The Broads SAC. These sites were included on the list that was sent to the European Commission on 11 February 2011. The final versions of the site maps, Reasons for Recommendation and amended citation (for The Broads SAC) are below.
Once sites are submitted to the European Commission, The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 will apply to this land. Should you have any queries about this, or anything else relating to the cSACs, please contact the local adviser for that site.
The little whirlpool ram’s-horn snail is a small aquatic snail with a flattened spiral shell rarely more than 5mm in diameter. The snail is only found within grazing marshes that are drained by ditches or dykes. It is associated with a rich assemblage of plants and other species of molluscs that are rare and vulnerable. There is no evidence that little whirlpool ram's-horn snail carries liver flukes, or that they successfully use the snail as an intermediate host.
Appropriate ditch management is the key to the conservation of this species.
The map below shows the current UK distribution of Anisus vorticulus:
In parallel with proposing these sites for designation, Natural England has provided Government with an indication of the likely positive and negative economic, social and environmental impacts of these designations (through impact assessments).
The Habitats Directive does not permit socio-economic impacts to influence the choice of sites or their boundaries. The UK, as a member state, must identify the sites and boundaries based only on the presence of habitats and species supplied in the Directive. This means that the impact assessments cannot influence site selection or boundaries. However they are required as a matter of Government policy, and may be used to inform the design of any measures that may be needed to manage activities so that the sites are conserved. The impact assessments are attached below for information.
More information on each site is provided below. Please use the contact provided if you would like more information on each site. For general queries relating to Natura 2000 please contact your local Natural England Office.
This leaflet: (45kb)
provides further information on Natura 2000 designations.
The candidate Special Areas of Conservation
The candidate SACs are:
1. Arun Valley cSAC
Site map: (1.75mb)
Reasons for Recommendation: (20kb)
Impact Assessment: (45kb)
For more information contact Alexander.M.Macdonald@naturalengland.org.uk
2. Pevensey Levels cSAC
Site map: (1.78mb)
Reasons for Recommendation: (20kb)
Impact Assessment: (46kb)
For more information contact cath.laing@naturalengland.org.uk
3. The Broads SAC (this is an existing SAC – the snail is an additional feature of the site)
Site map: (3.37mb) .
Citation: (32kb) (revised)
Impact assessment: (46kb)
For more information contact chris.bielby@naturalengland.org.uk
