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'Hard' rock sea cliff - open cliff vegetation (State 1)
 Coastal
sea cliffs and slopes, especially those composed of resistant rocks, such as
the Cliffs of Moher, southwest Ireland (see picture opposite) not provide impressive
landscapes but also support a wealth of wildlife. These interests are summarised
below:
Caption:
The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland, cut in resistant Carboniferous
sediments. Puffins nest on vegetated slopes and in crevices on these steep,
spectacular cliffs.
- Nature conservation
- Supports specialist plant
communities including the full range of plant zonation, especially
on exposed sites;
- Important invertebrate
habitat;
- Important seabird nesting sites, e.g. Fratercula
arctica (puffin);
- Geological structures and reference sites;
- Grazed cliff tops important for the chough;
- Landscape and cultural
- High cliffs of recognised landscape value;
- Cliff-top walks;
- Historical locations (strategic lookout towers and other coastal structures);
- Coastal defence and economic
- Resistance to erosion;
- Sites for housing 'with a sea view';
- Agricultural land (grazing);
- Agricultural land (arable);
- Source of aggregate;
Comment: Exposed sites in the north support the best examples of
heath and maritime heath on the resistant rocks and can be especially diverse
where calcareous sand is driven over the cliff slopes, enriching the soils.
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