For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

B

1.2 Site code

IE0000700

1.3 Site name

Cahore Polders and Dunes SAC

1.4 First Compilation date

2003-06

1.5 Update date

2020-10

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Address:
Email:	datadelivery@chg.gov.ie

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site proposed as SCI:	2003-06
Date site confirmed as SCI:	No information provided
Date site designated as SAC:	2018-10
National legal reference of SAC designation:	421/2018

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-6.213815
Latitude:	52.543123

2.2 Area [ha]

276.3597

2.3 Marine area [%]

2.7370

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
IE02	Southern and Eastern

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Atlantic

(0.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

Annex I Habitat types						Site assessment
Code	PF	NP	Cover [ha]	Cave [number]	Data quality	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Representativity	Relative Surface	Conservation	Global
1210			2.65	0.00	M	B	C	B	B
2110			5.3	0.00	M	B	C	B	B
2120			47.68	0.00	M	B	C	B	B
2130			34.43	0.00	M	B	C	B	B
2190			2.28	0.00	G	B	C	C	C

• PF: for the habitat types that can have a non-priority as well as a priority form (6210, 7130, 9430) enter "X" in the column PF to indicate the priority form.
• NP: in case that a habitat type no longer exists in the site enter: x (optional)
• Cover: decimal values can be entered
• Caves: for habitat types 8310, 8330 (caves) enter the number of caves if estimated surface is not available.
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation)

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
B	A054	Anas acuta			w	8	8	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A056	Anas clypeata			w	54	54	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A052	Anas crecca			w	470	470	i		G	C	B	C	B
B	A050	Anas penelope			w	1568	1568	i		G	C	A	C	B
B	A053	Anas platyrhynchos			w	178	178	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A395	Anser albifrons flavirostris			w	286	286	i		G	B	A	C	B
B	A037	Cygnus columbianus bewickii			w	9	9	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A038	Cygnus cygnus			w	28	28	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A160	Numenius arquata			w	536	536	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A140	Pluvialis apricaria			w	3787	3787	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A048	Tadorna tadorna			w	19	19	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A142	Vanellus vanellus			w	2054	2054	i		G	C	A	C	B

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
P		Asparagus officinalis ssp. prostratus									X
P		Ceratophyllum submersum												X
B		Cygnus olor			21	21	i						X
P		Equisetum x moorei										X
P		Equisetum x moorei									X
I		Pyronia tithonus												X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N02	2.00
N04	35.00
N06	1.00
N08	2.00
N14	60.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

The site is located just south of Cahore Point on the north Wexford coast. The area is underlain by rocks of Cambrian age. The site comprises a sand dune system that extends along the coast for over 4 km and which reaches up to 18 m in height. The dunes are backed by extensive areas of polder grassland interspersed by canals and drainage channels. The drainage canals and sluices were installed in the mid 19th century to reclaim wetlands and land that flooded regularly behind the dunes. Seawater may occasionally enter the channels and create brackish conditions. Polder grasslands are included in the site and are valuable for wintering waterfowl.

4.2 Quality and importance

The site has a well-developed dune system typical of the east coast. The dunes display a good zonation, with fixed dunes grading eastwards to marram dominated dunes, embryo dunes and, at the top of the beach, annual driftline vegetation. The northern part of system is subject to erosion from the sea, while active growth is seen in the southern parts. The dunes support two Red Data book plant species, Asparagus officinalis subsp. prostratus, and the hybrid Equisetum x moorei which is confined to the coastline of Wexford and Wicklow. Drainage ditches in the polders support Ceratophyllum submersum, a rare and only relatively recently recorded species in Ireland. The site is of high ornithological importance, having nationally important wintering populations of Anser albifrons flavirostris, Pluvialis apricaria, Anas penelope, Anas clypeata and Vanellus vanellus. It also supports other species in smaller numbers, including Cygnus cygnus and Cygnus columbarius bewickii. Sterna albifrons formerly bred on the beach. Pyronia tithonus occurs near the northern extreme of its Irish range.

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

Colhoun, K. (2001). I-WeBS Report 1998-99. BirdWatch Ireland, Dublin. Fox, A.D., Norriss, D.W., Stroud, D.A. & Wilson, H.J. (1994). Greenland White-fronted Geese in Ireland and Britain 1982/83 - 1993/94. Greenland White-fronted Goose Study research report no. 8. Greenland White-fronted Goose Study, Wales and National Parks & Wildlife Service, Dublin. Hart, H.C. (1881). A botanical ramble along the Slaney and up the East coast of Wexford. Journal of Botany (London) 19: 336-344. Hart, H.C. (1883). Report on the flora of the Wexford and Waterford coasts. Scientific Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society. Vol. IV. Pt III. 117-146.Healy, B. (2002). The Cahore Drainage System. Report prepared for the Wexford Wetlands Project. Unpublished.Hunt, J., Derwin, J., Coveney, J. and Newton, S. (2000). Republic of Ireland. Pp. 365-416 in M.F. Heath & M.I. Evans (eds.). Important Bird Areas in Europe: Priority Sites for Conservation 1: Northern Europe. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International (BirdLife Conservation Series No. 8).Praeger, R.L. (1934) . The Botanist in Ireland. Hodges, Figgis & Co, Dublin. Sheppard, R. (1993). Ireland's Wetland Wealth. IWC, Dublin.

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

No information provided

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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INSPIRE ID:	IE.NPWS.PS.NATURA2000.SAC.IE0000700
Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)
Yes X No

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SITE DISPLAY