South Dorset Coast

Site of Special Scientific Interest · 50.6153, -2.1724

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Also within

Dorset County Dorset Scenic Area King Charles Way - Kimmeridge Bay to South Haven Point National TrailKing Charles Way - Rufus Castle to Lulworth Cove National TrailSouth West Coast Path National Trail

Condition (Natural England)

Favourable (41) Unfavourable No Change (4) Unfavourable Recovering (9) Unfavourable Declining (1)
UnitFeatureConditionArea (ha)Assessed
SY710817 — Favourable 28.15 2008-07-26
SY726819 — Favourable 12.76 2015-03-12
SY730821 — Favourable 8.24 2011-10-04
SY732818 — Favourable 11.9 2015-03-12
SY738815 — Favourable 7.08 2009-06-28
SY744814 — Favourable 2.51 2009-08-04
SY746813 — Favourable 4.58 2013-04-10
SY747814 — Favourable 2.51 2009-08-04
SY755813 — Favourable 3.61 2013-04-10
SY761816 — Unfavourable No Change 2.08 2013-01-30
SY762819 — Unfavourable Recovering 8.15 2014-01-09
SY765812 — Favourable 52.91 2012-03-09
SY779807 — Favourable 35.86 2014-09-18
SY794806 — Favourable 60.3 2014-09-23
SY803806 — Favourable 46.8 2012-09-06
SY808803 — Unfavourable Recovering 15.29 2013-09-23
SY815802 — Unfavourable No Change 37.87 2012-11-14
SY818799 — Favourable 3.18 2010-09-05
SY820798 — Favourable 0.65 2012-03-28
SY823798 — Favourable 5.84 2008-06-28
SY826802 — Unfavourable No Change 23.07 2012-11-14
SY835800 — Unfavourable Recovering 118.91 2010-10-03
SY848808 — Unfavourable Recovering 240.97 2010-10-03
SY870808 — Unfavourable No Change 61.14 2014-09-30
SY874805 — Favourable 161.66 2009-08-16
SY876800 — Favourable 30.78 2010-03-21
SY881796 — Favourable 113.76 2009-08-31
SY885802 — Favourable 113.76 2009-08-31
SY889800 — Favourable 30.78 2010-03-21
SY890803 — Favourable 161.66 2009-08-16
SY897787 — Favourable 15.87 2011-09-04
SY910783 — Favourable 15.23 2009-07-30
SY936775 — Favourable 25.26 2009-07-30
SY951774 — Favourable 3.94 2011-09-29
SY952771 — Favourable 44.2 2011-09-30
SY960779 — Favourable 44.2 2011-09-30
SY962753 — Favourable 54.33 2009-05-06
SY962776 — Favourable 35.94 2005-10-13
SY968756 — Favourable 54.33 2009-05-06
SY973768 — Unfavourable Recovering 1.07 2006-06-12
SY974765 — Favourable 2.97 2009-05-06
SY975759 — Favourable 8.49 2009-05-06
SY975764 — Unfavourable Declining 4.36 2012-12-06
SY978761 — Favourable 4.81 2012-09-07
SY979773 — Favourable 12.97 2009-05-14
SY983774 — Unfavourable Recovering 33.28 2013-07-01
SY984769 — Unfavourable Recovering 18.97 2012-12-06
SY989769 — Unfavourable Recovering 33.32 2013-09-11
SY997770 — Favourable 35.24 2010-09-30
SZ007769 — Unfavourable Recovering 31.0 2013-09-11
SZ012769 — Favourable 6.49 2012-09-06
SZ017769 — Favourable 19.81 2012-09-06
SZ027771 — Favourable 67.69 2012-11-23
SZ032775 — Favourable 67.69 2012-11-23
SZ037784 — Favourable 18.39 2011-09-30

Climate exposure

This is about exposure to a nationwide pressure this habitat type carries — not a verdict on this site's own management.

Coastal

Coastal habitats are exposed to sea-level rise and storm erosion. Where hard sea defences sit behind them, there's nowhere landward to retreat to — a squeeze that keeps compressing the habitat no matter how well it's managed.

Habitats

Mixed scrub, Montane scrub

Geology & landscape

Geological Period: Cretaceous, Jurassic · Rock Type: Chalk, Limestone

Landscape processes: Coastal

Description

South Dorset Coast SSSI Description This stretch of coastline combines internationally important geological interest with a rich range of wildlife habitats supporting populations of several rare plants and animals. The coastal cliffs are of international geological importance and expose a complete section through the Upper Jurassic and Cretaceous rock succession. The site includes the type localities for the Kimmeridge Clay, the Kimmeridgian Stage, the base of the Portlandian Stage and the Purbeck Beds as well as the standard reference section for the Oxfordian of southern England. Numerous features of great importance for studies of Palaeontology, sedimentology, stratigraphy and environments of rock formation are present and have been studied by geologists for well over 150 years. The site is also of national importance for its physiographic interest. Most of the rock units are very fossiliferous and a number are of international significance for the assemblages of fossil vertebrates which they contain. In particular the Purbeck Beds of Durlston Bay are of special note since they have yielded one of the most important collections of Mesozoic mammals from anywhere in the world. Durlston is also the most important Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous fossil insect site in Europe. Internationally important sites for fossil reptiles also occur in the Kimmeridge Clay at Gaulter Gap to Broad Bench and between Swyre Head and Chapman’s Pool and in the Oxford Clay at Furzy Cliff. The great range of rock types has given rise to a varied coastline of vertical cliffs, undercliffs and landslips which support an outstanding array of local and maritime species. Among the rare plants which occur here are the carrot broomrape Orobanche maritima and the strongest national populations of wild cabbage Brassica oleracea. The majority of unimproved limestone grassland in Dorset falls within this site which also includes one of the main areas of unimproved chalk grassland in the county. The character of these calcareous grasslands is strongly influenced by their maritime location and also very locally there is ‘chalk heath’ on clay with flints over the chalk. Among the many scarce and localised plants and animals of the chalk and limestone are the largest national populations of two rare species --early spider orchid Ophrys sphegodes* and Lulworth skipper butterfly Thymelicus acteon. Unimproved grassland, scrub and woodland typical of more neutral soils are found on the clays and sands of the Wealden, the Kimmeridge, Oxford and Gault Clays and the Reading Beds. Of the woodlands, those of the Tyneham Valley are especially notable for their lichen communities which include several rare species. *This species is given special protection under Section 13 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Species mentioned

English name
search for this in other sites		 Latin name
search with Google		 IUCN / Red List Type Family
Lulworth skipper Thymelicus acteon NT butterfly hesperiidae
wild cabbage Brassica oleracea LC herb brassicaceae
early spider orchid Ophrys sphegodes LC herb orchidaceae
carrot broomrape Orobanche maritima Not listed in GB list herb orobanchaceae

Plant communities

W20 — Montane scrub

Salix lapponum-Luzula sylvatica scrub

Salix arbuscula, Salix cinerea, Salix lapponum, Salix myrsinites, Salix phylicifolia, Salix reticulata, Empetrum nigrum, Calluna vulgaris, Salix lanata, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium uliginosum, Carex atrata, Carex bigelowii, Carex binervis, Carex flacca, Luzula multiflora, Luzula sylvatica, Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides, Aulacomnium palustre, Mnium hornum, Philonotis fontana, Plagiomnium undulatum, Rhizomnium punctatum, Dicranum bonjeanii, Dicranum majus, Dicranum scoparium, Fissidens adianthoides, Racomitrium lanuginosum, Calliergonell cuspidatum, Ctenidium molluscum, Hylocomium splendens, Hypnum callichroum, Hypnum cupressiforme, Palustriella commutatum, Plagiothecium denticulatum, Plagiothecium undulatum, Pleurozium schreberi, Ptilium crista-castrensis, Rhytidiadelphus loreus, Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus, Sanionia uncinata, Scorpidium revolvens, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Polytrichastrum alpinum, Sphagnum capillifolium, Sphagnum fallax, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Sphagnum palustre, Sphagnum russowii, Sphagnum squarrosum, Sphagnum subnitens, Sphagnum teres, Barbilophozia barbata, Chiloscyphus polyanthos, Diplophyllum albicans, Lophocolea bidentata, Plagiochila porelloides, Ptilidium ciliare, Scapania undulata, Cladonia squamosa, Peltigera canina, Angelica sylvestris, Caltha palustris, Hieraclium spp., Saussurea alpina, Solidago virgaurea, Campanula rotundifolia, Succisa pratensis, Valeriana officinalis, Rhodiola rosea, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Thymus praecox, Epilobium anagallidifolium, Dactylorhiza viridis, Euphrasia officinalis, Rhinanthus minor, Oxalis acetosella, Oxyria digyna, Polygonum viviparum, Rumex acetosa, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus acris, Thalictrum alpinum, Alchemilla alpina, Alchemilla glabra, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale, Galium boreale, Galium saxatile, Saxifraga aizoides, Saxifraga hypnoides, Saxifraga oppositifolia, Saxifraga stellaris, Viola riviniana, Agrostis canina, Agrostis capillaris, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Nardus stricta, Dryopteris dilatata, Phegopteris connectilis

W21 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Crataegus monogyna-Hedera helix scrub

Hedera helix, Salix cinerea, Acer pseudoplatanus, Ilex aquifolium, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Sorbus aria, Taxus baccata, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus procera, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum lantana, Euonymus europaeus, Cornus sanguinea, Juniperus communis, Ligustrum vulgare, Clematis vitalba, Rhamnus cathartica, Crataegus laevigata, Crataegus monogyna, Prunus spinosa, Juncus effusus, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Kindbergia praelonga, Rhynchostegium confertum, Tamus communis, Heracleum sphondylium, Torilis japonica, Arum maculatum, Arctium minus, Cirsium arvense, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Stellaria graminea, Stellaria holostea, Stellaria media agg., Calystegia sepium, Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Iris foetidissima, Glechoma hederacea, Lamium purpureum, Origanum vulgare, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Allium ursinum, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Circaea lutetiana, Rumex sanguineus, Anemone nemorosa, Ranunculus repens, Fragaria vesca, Geum urbanum, Potentilla sterilis, Poterium sanguisorba, Rosa arvensis, Rosa canina, Rubia peregrina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Anisantha sterilis, Arrhenatherum elatius, Brachypodium pinnatum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis erecta, Dactylis glomerata, Elytrigia repens, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris filix-mas

W22 — Hedgerow scrub, Mixed scrub

Prunus spinosa-Rubus fruticosus scrub

Hedera helix, Acer campestre, Corylus avellana, Ulex europaeus, Prunus spinosa, Plagiomnium undulatum, Brachythecium rutabulum, Eurhynchium striatum, Kindbergia praelonga, Thuidium tamariscinum, Atrichum undulatum, Lophocolea bidentata, Achillea millefolium, Cardamine flexuosa, Lonicera periclymenum, Moehringia trinervia, Silene dioica, Silene uniflora, Stellaria media agg., Mercurialis perennis, Geranium robertianum, Stachys sylvatica, Teucrium scorodonia, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Oxalis acetosella, Digitalis purpurea, Plantago lanceolata, Veronica chamaedrys, Armeria maritima, Rumex acetosa, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum urbanum, Rosa canina, Rubus fruticosus agg., Rubus idaeus, Galium aparine, Urtica dioica, Viola riviniana, Agrostis capillaris, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Poa trivialis, Asplenium scolopendrium, Pteridium aquilinum, Dryopteris borreri, Dryopteris filix-mas