Grassholm (2485)
United Kingdom, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: D1a
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Grassholm
Central coordinates: Latitude: 51.7308, Longitude: -5.4798
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 15
Area of KBA (km2): 0.10769
Protected area coverage (%): 100.00
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A low-lying, flat-topped basalt island situated about 18 km west of the mainland Dyfed coast. Vegetation is limited by exposure to wind, salt spray and the large numbers of seabirds. The site is important for its seabird colonies, including a very large gannetry.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs.
Delineation rationale: First identified in 1989; no significant boundary changes since. SPA boundary used from JNCC; digitised at 1:10,000 scale.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 50 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 50 |
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources | Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest] | Ongoing |
| Climate change & severe weather | Habitat shifting & alteration | Only in the future |