Kenfig Dunes - summary

Kenfig Dunes is a hindeshore dune system in South Wales of some 600ha. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with a rich and diverse flora and fauna (Jones 1996a). The dune slack flora is especially valuable and includes the rare Liparis loeselii. The site is one of a number where management for nature conservation involves restoring overgrown dune vegetation. Grazing by sheep at 0.2 sheep per ha was insufficient to combat the growth of course grasses and shrubs. The rabbit population also remained very small. In the absence of opportunities for the introduction of a more appropriate management by increasing stock levels, mowing has been employed.

Kenfig Dunes in South Wales, appears to be in the same critical state that Braunton was in 1964. At Kenfig, approximately 12 years after the cessation of grazing by domestic stock, the rabbit population had not recovered from myxomatosis and the vegetation appeared rich in species. This was largely due to the present of flowers which were formerly cropped by the grazing animals. However, detailed studies of the dune flora shows signs that retrogressive succession was already occurring by the late 90s (Jones & Etherington 1989). In particular Liparis loeselii, a rare species of young dune slacks, was declining. It is thought this was partly due to the absence of grazing, which helps prevent the dominance of species such as Salix repens and also to the lack of new dune slacks generated through internal erosion (Jones & Etherington 1992).

References

Jones, P.S. & Etherington, J.R. 1989. Ecological and physiological studies of sand dune slack vegetation, Kenfig pool and dunes Local Nature Reserve, Mid-Glamorgan, Wales, UK. In: Perspectives in Coastal Dune Management, eds.van der Meulen, F., Jungerius, P.D. & Visser, J.H.SPB Academic Publishing bv, The Hague, 297-303.

Jones, P.S. & Etherington, J.R. 1992. Autecological studies on the rare orchid Liparis loeselii and their application to the management of dune slack ecosystems in South Wales. In: Coastal Dunes. Geomorphology, Ecology and Management: Proceedings of the Third European Dune Congres, eds.Carter, R.W.G., Curtis, T.G.F. & Sheehy-Skeffington, M.J.A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 299-312. Abstract...

Jones, P.S. 1996a. Kenfig National Nature Reserve: a profile of a British west coast dune system. In: Studies in European Coastal Management, eds.Jones, P.S., Healy, M.G. & Williams, A.T.Samara Publishing Ltd., Cardigan, 255-267. Abstract...